Real-Life Communication
Communication plays an important role in the job of an avionics
technician. You constantly communicate with pilots and heavy mechanics to
investigate and repair parts dealing with the radar, navigation and communication
system of an aircraft.
Communication has to be clear and concise, because
if any of these parts malfunction, it can end up costing the lives of hundreds
of passengers aboard.
"Your job is to investigate and correct all problems
related to an aircraft's communication or navigation system. Once a problem
is detected, you must fix it immediately because it could be very dangerous
to fly the plane," says avionics technician Stephen Chandler.
When
pilots fly a plane, they are required to keep a logbook. In this logbook,
there is a record kept of all the problems detected during the flight. Each
problem is called a "snag" in the vocabulary of an avionics technician.
This
logbook is used as a source of communication for pilots to inform avionics
technicians of what problems there are to fix. In the process of repairing
equipment, avionics technicians need to communicate with heavy mechanics.
This
is because parts that an avionics technician deals with are often associated
with parts that are maintained by heavy mechanics, like the landing gear,
plane flap or wheel. Technicians and mechanics work closely together to correct
the problems, so constant communication is required.
In their jobs,
technicians constantly interact with computers. Through the computers, the
avionics technicians can find the historical record of every part of the plane.
This information comes in handy.
"In our job, we also have to evaluate
whether it is economical to repair parts. We have to decide to either repair
it or replace it," says Chandler.
Therefore, when avionics technicians
need to find out the history of each part in an aircraft, all they have to
do is search for it in the computer.
You are working on a plane. You
look at the pilot's logbook to see what kind of snags are on it. You find
that the landing gear is once again sticking and not closing correctly. If
this problem is not dealt with right away, it might interfere with the plane's
navigational equipment. It is very dangerous for planes to fly with this problem.
You
want to make sure that this part is fixed before the plane's next flight.
In order to fix this part, you will have to find a heavy mechanic, who is
responsible for fixing this part of the plane. You go to the hangar to find
one, but they are out for lunch.
You have to leave a note for them
pointing out the importance of fixing that piece of equipment before the plane's
next flight. In the note, you will be firm but polite. You have to point out
the importance of the part in the navigation of the plane. At the end of the
note, explain that you will check their progress and make sure that the part
is looked after.