Rant: Saw a stripped coax connector on a Cessna at the Reno air show

The ground crew used a regular wrench instead of a torque wrench, which is a fast way to ruin a $50 part. Anyone else see simple tool mistakes cause big headaches?

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3 Comments

the_eric6mo ago

Okay but "fast way to ruin a $50 part" feels like a stretch. A stripped connector is annoying for sure, but it's a fixable thing, not a ruined plane. Sometimes you just use the tools you have on the line to get the job done. Seen plenty of guys do it right with a regular wrench by feel. Torque specs are important, but acting like this one thing is a huge deal is kinda over the top.

5

derekl796mo ago

Fixable thing" is how small problems turn into big ones... a stripped connector leads to a bad seal, then a leak, then you're replacing a whole line. That "feel" you're talking about is just guessing, and guessing on pressure fittings is a bad plan.

1

markhall6mo ago

By feel" is how my buddy ended up with a massive coolant leak on the highway.

3