Flying Life: Uncommon common sense

I frequently bestow this sort of kindness on my local aircraft mechanic, Karl Zeiset, as well. One day, I was giving a checkride and walking around the airplane with a commercial applicant when we discovered a problem. When the applicant sumped fuel from the belly drain, only a few drops came out. So, I got down there to sump it myself, but this time, no fuel landed in the sump cup. As I went to tell Karl about our issue, I worried the whole way about the delay we’d take. We’d probably have to replace that sump, I thought. Or possibly drain all the fuel out because contaminants were clogging it. Karl considered the issue thoughtfully, then said, with zero of the sarcasm I would have added, “Sounds like the fuel is turned off. Make sure that fuel selector is on.” Sure enough, the previous pilot had turned the fuel completely off in error during his shutdown process. I thought I would need a professional to help me, when the solution was so simple I could have handled it on my own all along.

When I speak with checkride applicants and student pilots, this lack of confidence in mechanical issues is quite common because most of us never grew up under the hood of a car. There is a growing trend today to automatically throw things out when they break. Rather than making a repair, we buy something new. But, this mentality scares me because I worry that if we treat some things in our life this way, perhaps we will do it with everything: My marriage has problems, I’ll walk away and get a new spouse…my job isn’t everything I dreamed it would be, I’ll quit and get a new one. It’s not because we don’t want to fix things, we just don’t believe we’re capable, and that has to change.

“It’s simple,” he said. “Always start with the easiest solution and if you still can’t figure it out, then go from the known to the unknown.”Maybe we can take a few cues from the common-sense intelligence of those who work on our aircraft. When writing this piece, I called Karl and asked for the secret to his mechanical genius. “It’s simple,” he said, even as I seriously doubted this. “Always start with the easiest solution and if you still can’t figure it out, then go from the known to the unknown.” At this point I started feeling like a frustrated Luke Skywalker listening to Master Yoda. But Karl gave some practical examples. If you’re having trouble with something that could be electrical, always check first to see if it’s getting power. For example, if the starter won’t turn, check to make sure the master switch is on. If the starter is turning, but the engine won’t fire, make sure your magnetos are switched on. If the radio isn’t working, it is nearly always pilot error. Make sure you have the right switch on the audio panel selected or that you aren’t isolating one crew member. Is the volume turned up? Always check the circuit breaker before you get out your screwdriver.

I was once tasked with picking up a Beechjet from the maintenance shop where we had some work done on the tail. During my checks, we noticed the beacon light wouldn’t come on. I kid you not, four mechanics and two pilots sat on that ramp for hours trying to diagnose the problem, which included everything from replacing the bulb to pulling off panels and checking wiring. Finally, someone checked a switch in the cockpit that never gets touched. What does that switch do? It isolates nonessential electrical items—like the beacon.

If the “easiest solution” trick doesn’t work, then we can move on to Karl’s “known to unknown” advice. In other words, see if you can find a similar part that’s working well and compare it to what’s not. Karl once came to help with my Cessna seat that wouldn’t slide in its track. When he walked out to the airplane, he went straight to the other seat that was operating just fine and played with the levers on it for a bit, sliding it back and forth. Then he came over and looked at mine, instantly diagnosing which lever wasn’t working properly and fixing the issue in a few short minutes.

It seems with our airplanes, like so many things in life, the first step in solving a problem is simply believing we are capable. After that, a little common sense helps. And, if you’re like me, and often running short on that particular commodity, remember that the right solution is often the simplest one. AOPA

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