Ebay

[MagSeal]

Do many of you guys ever search thru Ebay and see what's out there for everything? Mainly helicopter parts?

I keep an eye out, and find all sorts of things in various states, from "as is" to parts that apparently have certification. Many of them are old out of date parts that haven't seen circulation for many years. I'm always concerned about the ones that have questionable or vague certification.

As pilots and mechanics, how do you feel knowing that there are canadian operators buying some of these parts? I know many of them can be overhauled and brought back up to standards, but the ones with questionable history....

Is there a policy from transport canada about parts procurred this way?

Since mediums are a hot topic of late....are you guys comfortable with this being in the canadian system??? Military surplus??? Involved in an accident??? No history, nobody knows....

Check this out...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2473524802

 

[MagSeal]

this one says it all....right on the first line...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2472507016

 

[Outwest]

That can't be legal is it? It definately is not moral. I hope someone from TC notes the buyer and pays him a visit.

 

[Spinner]

wow

don't ask any questions, pay within five days

your identity will be protected

"item will ship promptly after check has cleared"

Things that make you go hmmmmm.

 

[Cambox]

I'm sure he has it on Ebay, not for aircraft use, but rather for use in say, a boat???? Wink, wink, nudge, nudge!!!! So, I'm not sure TC can do anything unless you try and put it on your heli.........

R...

 

[MagSeal]

it is true. many of the things for sale have the disclaimer "not for aircraft use" , "not certified", "buy at your own risk"...but when a helicopter operator buys this stuff, you can only assume one thing. It'd be different if you saw the buyer was 'joe's scrap salvage' or "Billy's Custom Boats"

And we know it's not hard to pick an aircraft from your fleet and make up a bogus tag for parts aquired with questionable history. The question is whether transport canada can pick that up on an audit.

 

[T-rex]

Check the 'name' out on the winning bidder!!!!!

 

[jetbox]

Im gonna take a chance and be the devil's advocate here just to stir things up a bit.
Let's say the A/C parts vendor in question who has bought the so called boost pump gets it overhauled by an approved shop, heck, let's say Bell Helicopters overhauls it.
This boost pump has no history but it gets overhauled by the book and passes all the applicable criteria. As far as I remember, those boost pumps are on condition and have no airworthiness limitations so if it passes the overhaul, why wouldn't it be an acceptable part? (assuming no data plates have been removed or altered of course!)

How is that boost pump any different than say, a King KY196 VHF radio that you bought used from Van Ilse Avionics. If that radio has been around for a while, the tag isn't likely to have its complete history since manufacture. Why would you care anyways? Does a complete history of the part make it any safer? If it is inspected and passes all applicable standards and serviceablility tests, is it not servicable?
If you wouldn't use that boost pump after a complete overhaul because you don't know the history of it, then I assume you have log cards for every single part on your fleet of helicopters, including floor carpeting, seat cushions, windows, every rivet, bolt washer etc.....
Now for the other side of this coin, if we were talking about componants that have a limited service life, then you'd obviously have to trace its history since the day of manufacture. And there are unfortunately many unscrupulus individuals that won't hesitate to buy a time expired part, put some fresh paint on it and sell it with altered history documents.
Besides, E-Bay is the last place on earth I would go looking for parts!!!!!

Magseal obviously has an important point and there are many shady parts dealers out there that we must be aware of, but be careful where you point your fingers as you might be surprised if you tried to identify the complete history of every part on every A/C you operate!!!

Just a thought gentlemen, you may fire at will!!!!!

 

[MagSeal]

I agree with you jetbox, many parts could be overhauled and returned to service. A boost pump may or may not be made to different specs for civilian and military, but if they are different specs and can't be mixed then you have a problem if it isn't caught by the overhauling agency. (I know that surplus military aircraft are restricted in the civilian world, and there must be a reason for it.)

but lets say that it isn't overhauled or looked at closely....

Take the control rod for example, what if it was in an accident, the internal threads for the ball ends may be cracked from either compression or tension loading, and may not fail for some time or at all, but the risk is there.

As it was said earlier, morals are in question. I know when I'm flying around, I'm putting alot of faith into all the proceedures and specifications that built the parts that are keeping me in the air. I won't compromise myself or anyone else by being greedy.

 

[frenchwrench]

there is allowance for items to get rebuilt from what I know.and vendors can sell to non canadians etc also..I worked for a vendor, and he was always on the up and up despite what others said..the thing most people over look is if it wasn't put in the tech records, then "it was never installed as far as anyone knows"and if you have some ships that are registered,then you can tag the part as off that ship and who would ever know would they....just type in the search engines Us military auctions and Starman etc to see who is buying stuff

 

[cap]

There's a .060 difference in thickness between the forward bulheads on the civilan and military 04's/ 05's and 12's. If someone doesn't like flying military machines or parts, then don't go "mic-ing" the forward bulkheads on your 04/ 05 or 12. When AIR AMERICA "supposedly" ceased to exist in '75, 4000 a/c of all types disappeared off the face of the earth........oh really?.........and the vast majority were US Army issue.


If it meets the DOM's specs , the engineer is happy and it's flying great, just strap your ass in and go flying. I must have at least 5000 hrs in ex-military machines and that's time put in them SINCE I left the "Southeast Asia Wargames".

 

[MagSeal]

we seem to have some that are Ok with this, others not.

I hate sounding like I'm stupid with regards to the CARS and Transport Canada rules, but I was hoping someone with knowledge with this (like ####, [a i r p l a y, should the censor feature still be blocking his name]) could shed some light on the requirements to repair/overhaul components that have questionable, or no history.

Some parts obviously are more of a concern like dynamic components, I'm not so concerned about radios or switches, but the things that take a beating constantly through the flight. The things that your butt needs to rely on.

I came across a T/R gearset on Ebay for sale, apparently it was removed because the aircraft was 'disassembled'. Would that be disassembled by an engineer, or by trees and the ground??? Either way, the assembly is in a configuration that is indicative of the parts scrapped after a strike. I found it funny (to a point) that the picture of the tag on Ebay is different from the picture e-mailed to me. Info was added that wasn't there before.

 

[Elvis]

This woul be a good time for CTD to come out of retirement and give His opinion.

:elvis: :elvis: