Are we engineers!

One of the most controversial topics running in my mind is what we should call ourselves. If I use the term mechanic, some say the term is degrading. They would say “technician” is a more professional title.
But not everybody agrees with that. To many, “technician” is a demeaning title. To them a technician refers to someone with a very specific skill – a lab technician (once i was, heh) for example. Technicians go through very specialized training on a very limited scale to do a very specific job. According to the FAA, we are called mechanics. Under EASA, we are mechanics before we get license and become engineers when we get license. Well, technically speaking that is correct.
Then you have those wanting to be called engineers. But are we really engineers? Does two years of school mean we can call ourselves engineers?
In the end, we will get the respect that we earn. If we call ourselves engineers, it won’t mean squat if we show up to work unshaven, with stained blue jeans and an un-tucked t-shirt with holes. It doesn’t matter how much training we have had or how many degrees are hanging on the wall, if we act un-professionally we are practically guaranteeing professional suicide.
What do you think? What title you prefer? Technician? AMT? A&P? Engineer? Does it even matter to you?

You may be wrong...

It’s not what you don’t know that will get you in trouble, it’s what you think you know that isn’t so.
It’s what you think you know that isn’t so. How true that statement is. Put it this way; You don’t know what you don’t know.
I tried to think of an example where this is true. How about memorizing torques or writing them down on cheat sheets in our toolbox instead of referring to the manual each time? We may not think it is that big a deal, but in reality we can be setting ourselves up for failure. Here’s an example from personal experience. Me and my partner were installing a fire extinguisher bottle in the avoinics bay of the Learjet in our college hanger at Gloucestershire airport. My partner has previous experience. Whne it comes to torque load the mounting bolts, he told that the bolts shud be torque loaded to 30-inch pounds by refering the size of the bolts. We did try but the bolts were lose at the end. In disbelief, he walked over to the maintenance manual to check for himself. He was surprised to see it. Yes its mentioned in the manual that those bolts shud be torque loaded to 60-70 inch pounds. He meant well, but he could have easily gotten in trouble by what he thought he knew that wasn’t so.
I agree that what we think we know that isn’t so can be just as dangerous if not more than just not knowing. At least if we don’t know, we tend to go to the appropriate manual to double-check. What do you think?

Anti-Skid Troubleshootingggg

exess to avionics bay..

the avionics bay - the white box is the anti-skid control computer

checkingggg.....

cockpit lighted up-final inspection carried out.