Me at home: ‘Honey, where’s the ketchup, did you finish it?’ Wife: ‘It’s in the fridge’ Me: ‘I looked, it’s not there’ The sound of pounding footsteps on a mission are heard marching to the fridge, whereupon an impressive and commanding opening swing of the door is given, the wife’s hand swivels like a whip, tip towards the now mysteriously reappeared bottle of ketchup and voila, there it is. I bow and kiss her backhand then meekishly apply the condiment. Occasionally solutions to our problems a...

It has been 22 years since the ATA Spec 106 was updated, and it is now at revision 2023.1. The proper and full name of this document is ATA Specification 106, Sources & Approved Parts Qualification Guidelines (herein ‘the spec’). In this article the following will be presented: Common misconceptions Interesting facts about the spec What has changed with the Form? Use of the form to comply with the ASA-100 Continuing issues with the form and specification The ASA Statement Form COMMON MISCONCEPT...

Some gestures are universally understood. When a person with first aid skills observes another person at a restaurant frantically clutching their throat, that is a universal sign that aid should be rendered to extricate the offending victual from the patron’s airway. One of my callings in life is to let drivers know when one of their taillights is out. I’ll pull up alongside and gesture with a circular motion for them to roll down their windows, whereupon I inform them of the condition requiring...

Having worked for a major airline, the tragic memory of one of our aircraft crashing into the side of a mountain remains vivid. I was the senior QA member of management at the facility where this aircraft had all its major maintenance performed. I was off duty when the news broke. I called my on-duty staff and instructed them to sequester all the records for the aircraft in anticipation of the investigation review. As the sun rose the next day, the call came to hand these over. My thoughts immed...