Faulty Repairs Among Issues Cited By Inspectors
Throughout the continuing saga of the 44-day-old AMFA walkout
against Northwest Airlines, the carrier has claimed to have
continued their operations "business as usual," with fully trained
and licensed replacement personnel filling in for the striking
workers. However, newly released FAA reports cast doubt on those
assertions.
The FAA inspection reports, obtained by the Minneapolis Star
Tribune and reviewed by two independent aviation experts, tell
tales of inadequate training among replacement workers, staffing
issues, and outright mistakes made in aircraft maintenance and
repairs.
Reported incidents include:
- A team of managers and replacements in New York incorrectly
inspected and repaired an engine bade top. An FAA inspector
witnessing the event said Northwest decided to fly the airplane
after they were told of the improper repair, as "the blade was
scheduled for removal within the next 50 flight hours."
- Mechanics failed to spot a dead bird in an engine intake of a
plane about to depart Memphis. A coworker spotted it during his
preflight walk-around.
- Replacement workers in Philadelphia needed all night to replace
a brake on an airliner, a job that reportedly takes experienced
mechanics less than three hours.
- A replacement mechanic who had just completed training in
Indianapolis did not know how to look up a part in the airline's
automated system.
Northwest declined to
discuss the more than 100 reports obtained by the Star Tribune, and
told the newspaper the company felt it was inappropriate for it to
comment on FAA documents.
"Northwest remains confident in the quality of its ongoing
maintenance program. Our operation continues to run normally," a
Northwest spokesperson said. The company has acknowledged
"refresher training" has been conducted for some personnel,
initiated after an FAA inquiry into records-keeping practices and
maintenance documentation at the airline.
FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Cory said the agency does not publicly
comment on a particular airline's compliance with regulations. She
did, however, state that many inspection reports found no fault
with the airline, and issues that were cited in other reports were
promptly corrected by Northwest.
Union leaders for the 4,200 striking members of AMFA maintain
the FAA reports support their position that the airlines's reliance
on replacement mechanics has potentially put those travelling on
Northwest planes at risk.
"These records provide examples that are even worse than we
imagined," said John Glynn, maintenance standards coordinator for
the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association.
Northwest has used 1,200 replacement workers to fill in for
those positions vacated by members of AMFA, as well as a few
hundred managers and outside vendors. The FAA raised the number of
inspectors assigned to Northwest from 53 to more than 80 after the
strike began, to conduct increased spot-inspections.
In a statement released Sunday, Northwest said all repairs
handled by replacement workers have been completed in accordance
with maintenance procedures outlined by the airplane manufacturers,
and by the airline itself.
"None of the items provided by the Star Tribune involved safety
of flight issues," the statement said.
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