There seems to be a strong misconception about the people who build and maintain aircraft escape systems, or at least an area of misunderstanding. Often times hiring officials in the civilian world will avoid hiring escape system mechanics into a manufacturing or maintenance area because they simply do not know what the egress mechanic is capable of. I hope to shed a little light on what the typical egress mechanic works with for a living, and share some of the responsibilities that go with the job.
I have personally logged more than 20 years in the field of aircraft escape systems and have dealt with both the maintenance and manufacturing sides of ejection seats and canopies. I have worked with electronically fired, mechanically and gas fired systems, and worked with aircraft canopies that jettison from the aircraft as well as those that utilize a cutting system to clear away the glass for an ejection. I have worked with receiving, storage, and issuing of explosives that are related to aircraft escape systems, helped to establish policies and procedures for both safety and maintenance of the escape system, and taught in both areas as well. I do not consider myself to be an expert in this field, but I do feel that I have enough knowledge in this subject to share it with some confidence.
Like everyone one else in the world of manufacturing or maintenance, the egress, or escape systems mechanic performs his or her duties according to specifications that are written by the system designers. Whether they are technical orders, blue prints, work orders, work instructions, or company specifications, the egress mechanic knows how to properly read and follow instructions just like most that are in any other areas of work.
The egress mechanic works with high pressure lines, pliable and no-pliable explosive lines, fittings, electrical connections, nuts, bolts, screws, mechanical linkages, cotter keys, clamps, sealers, adhesives, and solvents. On some of the more advanced systems they will also work with lasers and fiber optics. In the process of building or maintaining an egress system the mechanic may be troubleshooting the system, rigging, drilling holes, removing and/or installing components, performing pressure tests, system leak tests, mechanical pull tests, pressurizing emergency oxygen bottles, testing radios/beacons using high tech equipment, and/or inspecting and making judgment calls that could affect the life of the aircrew and his or her coworkers, yet they are often considered by hiring managers to be incapable of performing any manufacturing or maintenance work outside of their specialty.
The egress mechanic will perform his or her work using common hand tools, torque wrenches, air tools, specialty tools, measuring devices, inspection sets, pressure test sets, pull gages, and other specialty items required to do the job.
Escape system mechanics are also familiar with responsible data entry that is required for tracking installed and stored components, and must be capable of researching documents, drawings, and specifications.
The escape system mechanic has a unique responsibility of monitoring the life expectancy of the components he or she uses within the system. The explosives used are manufactured with a usable life expectancy. A single item may actually have 2 different life spans to consider when determining the part’s usefulness. There may be a shelf life, which starts at the time the part is manufactured, and an installed life that starts at the time the part is installed onto an assembly. Both of these life expectancies must be monitored, and either can drive the required date for removing the part from service.
In the area of responsibility, the egress mechanic is ultimately, and in many cases legally responsible for the life of the aircrew should the escape system be utilized, and is also held responsible for the actions of his or her coworkers. An escape system mechanic works with explosives on a daily basis, and is expected to not only do his or her job perfectly every time, he or she must also help to keep an eye on coworkers to ensure that they are doing their job correctly, and safely. As a mechanic myself, I expect, and welcome an extra set of eyes on my work. It keeps me and my friends, as well as the aircrew alive to return another day.
The egress mechanic learns very quickly the importance of doing the job right the first time, for in this field there are no second chances. When your system is capable of removing a pilot from a failing aircraft and placing him or her in a parachute a few hundred feet away in less than 3 seconds, serious mistakes are only realized by onlookers because the one making the mistake has no chance of having that realization. Efficiency and an eye for improvement is second nature.
I once had a manufacturing director that worked closely with an egress team as his manufacturing area established an aircraft escape systems build and maintenance area for his new manufacturing plant tell me that he felt that he could replace 30 of his everyday assemblers with every 10 egress qualified people that he could put on the manufacturing floor.
If you want to improve costs, generate new ideas to lean out your area, or simply have people on your team who know what responsibility is all about, then take a good hard look at people coming from the field of aircrew egress systems. Chances are the person you hire will have a very strong foundation that can benefit your group for years to come.