Just passed my 50th avionics bench test without a single rework needed

I hit 50 bench tests in a row at the shop here in Phoenix without having to rework anything. That might not sound like a big deal to some guys, but for me it's a milestone since I started out making dumb mistakes like forgetting to torque a connector shield (seriously, that was embarrassing). Each test is on different equipment too, from old King radios to new Garmin stuff, so it's not like I'm just running the same unit over and over. My lead tech noticed and said "you finally got the feel for it" which felt pretty good honestly. I'm not saying I'm some kind of expert or anything, but it's nice to see the little things paying off after a couple years of grinding. Has anyone else tracked their bench test stats and noticed a point where things just started clicking?

2 comments

2 Comments

rose_cooper1mo ago

Got to 33 consecutive FOD-free inspections at the ramp and THEN I walked right into a tangle of headset cords the next day and failed. It was like the universe said "not so fast." That feeling when it all clicks is REAL though. My lead told me the same thing after I finally stopped overtorquing BNC connectors on the old Collins stuff. Sometimes it's just building up the muscle memory until your hands know what to do before your brain catches up.

paul2511mo ago

Ha! @rose_cooper, 33 is killer but BNC torque is measured inch-pounds not foot-pounds.