Our Real Enemies now pressuring Washington for more foreign MRO.

[Lloyd Grey]

That flys I the face of the nationalist 'screw 'em all, we will be fine on our own' mentality. I guess macroeconomics is not even mentioned in high school any longer???

Does anyone think or even care if the USA lost landing rights in El Salvador? As for China, well maybe - but there is not likely to be a trade war over the issue of Part 121 U.S. Air Carriers keeping overhauls in the USA.

 

[Lloyd Grey]

Lloyd,

I do not see you attacking me. It is twu supporters who seem to think outsourcing is at my control. I agree that if an airline flies aircraft they should overhaul them not farm it out. The same goes for their Line Maintenance. Airlines like Virgin America are "paper airlines". Level the field. Period.

Thanks for clearing that up Ken. You are right, and those other issues are not pertinent on this thread. Level the field indeed.

 

[eolesen]

Does anyone think or even care if the USA lost landing rights in El Salvador? As for China, well maybe - but there is not likely to be a trade war over the issue of Part 121 U.S. Air Carriers keeping overhauls in the USA.

Want to bet on that? US carriers get an inordinate amount of the traffic to China, and the MRO business balances some of that out . In hard currency, no less.

I would expect China to play hardball over the asinine assertion that only US based mechanics are capable of producing reliable work, and Chinese workers are unsafe.

 

[700UW]

The problem with the foreign MROs is they are not held to the same standard as airline mechanics in the US and are not inspected like the US airlines are.

 

[AC Tynker]

Want to bet on that? US carriers get an inordinate amount of the traffic to China, and the MRO business balances some of that out . In hard currency, no less.

I would expect China to play hardball over the asinine assertion that only US based mechanics are capable of producing reliable work, and Chinese workers are unsafe.

I have personally changed woodscrews to aircraft hardware and changed cheap thin home grade radiator clamps on aircraft that were overhauled in foreign MROs so yes when they do not have agencies to hold them accountable they drastically cut corners to save money or whatever their reasoning.

 

[AA89]

Want to bet on that? US carriers get an inordinate amount of the traffic to China, and the MRO business balances some of that out . In hard currency, no less.

I would expect China to play hardball over the asinine assertion that only US based mechanics are capable of producing reliable work, and Chinese workers are unsafe.

Yeah, China is known for it's quality of workmanship.

I have personally changed woodscrews to aircraft hardware and changed cheap thin home grade radiator clamps on aircraft that were overhauled in foreign MROs so yes when they do not have agencies to hold them accountable they drastically cut corners to save money or whatever their reasoning.

Crandall was known for having olives removed from salads to save money and Horton's legacy will be outsourcing OH so that hardware can be left off.

 

[eolesen]

I've said it all along that any outsourcing requires adequate oversight, and that ncludes by the client.

 

[AA89]

By the client yes but preferably by a neutral party as well. Such as the FAA..

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

This is the office charged with oversight of those MRO's:

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/field_offices/ifo/lax_ifo/service_area/

 

[xUT]

This is the office charged with oversight of those MRO's:

http://www.faa.gov/a...o/service_area/

How many field agents?

B) xU

 

[AC Tynker]

last time I read there about 700 inspectors and 1000+/- MROs

 

[eolesen]

There may be 1000+ MROs, but I'd guess maybe 20 of them are doing business for the US based airlines who outsource their overhauls.... and it's not like the guy inspecting HAECO is only going to look out for stuff that's being done for one airline.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

That is all public information. FOIA.

 

[xUT]

Good Read:

http://investigativereportingworkshop.org/investigations/flying-cheaper/story/outsourcing-airline-maintenance/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/flying-cheaper/reporters-notebook/

Still can not find how many foreign MRO FAA inspectors.
I am sure it's hidden somewhere...

 

[AC Tynker]

I had my numbers wrong, the story I read before was from April 2011. It was 100 FAA Inspectors for 700 foreign MROs.

http://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/critical-safety-and-security-flaws-airplane-maintenance-outsourcing