Ricky at MARC

My time in Spokane is over today, but I learned much. Yesterday we got to fly Kodiak serial number 001, 30-45 min up to Quest’s factory where the Kodiaks are made. They gave us a tour and I saw a plane for JAARS and one for MAF on the assembly line.

That morning I was able to fly the full motion Kodiak simulator. The benefits of the simulator are numerous. As I was flying the instructor was able to fail all of the different instruments. Normally for pilots this allows them to practice how to fly in dangerous conditions without actually being in danger. For the mechanics it allowed us to see what various issues look like to pilots so we can better interpret their “squawks” when they come back from a flight. On top of the simple display issues the instructor was able to actually give us mechanical engine failures. This allowed me to practice my troubleshooting without actually damaging an engine. To put it in perspective, if I was to actually go back and damage one of the two engines on our King Air, the replacement value is in the neighborhood of $300,000 – $500,000. Obviously the training received here is valuable, if for no other reason then to keep us from breaking parts on real planes.

I now head out for a week of vacation. Since January 1 I have averaged 55 hours a week at work, and I am really looking forward to getting my mind off maintenance. Since I am already in the northwest I am going to visit a few friends I have in the area, and my cousin. I will be back to work next weekend, and ready to put my knowledge gained here into practice.