That time a line mechanic saved my skin on a 737 at SFO

I was wrestling with a stubborn bleed air valve on a 737-800 at the gate in SFO, about 2 years ago. The thing just would not come loose, and I was about to grab a cheater bar out of frustration. Then this older line mechanic, probably 60 years old with a beat-up snap-on hat, walked over and just said "try backing it off a quarter turn first, then hit it with some heat." He stood there and watched me do it, and sure enough it broke free smooth after that. He told me he learned that trick in the 80s working on 727s and it never failed him. Has anyone else gotten a weird old-timer tip that actually worked way better than the manual? I want to hear your stories.

3 comments

3 Comments

kelly3851mo ago

Guess that old timer was the original "unstick it" app before smartphones existed... Always the ones with the greasy hats that have the real secrets. Makes you wonder how many cheater bars got thrown across hangars for no reason over the years.

markh851mo ago

Bet your paycheck Kelly385 was the one throwing them the hardest.

laura_schmidt821mo ago

Yeah @kelly385 that old timer probably saved a few sockets from being thrown too, the real trick is knowing when not to force it.