Odd Way to Fix a B-757
Let’s imagine you are an aircraft mechanic in Nepal and are having technical problems with one of your Boeing 757 airplanes. You just can’t seem to get the problem fixed, and some flights have had to be suspended due to the problem. What do you do? Call your ace troubleshooter? Call Boeing technical services? Get a bigger hammer?
Well believe it or not, according to a news story that was published by Reuters yesterday, you get a goat. Two goats to be exact. You then take them out to the front of the aircraft and sacrifice them to appease Akash Bhairab, the Hindu sky god.
According to the Reuters story, the airline has two Boeing aircraft and has had to suspend some flights in recent weeks due to a problem with one aircraft. The goats were sacrificed in front of the troublesome aircraft Sunday at Nepal’s international airport in Kathmandu in accordance with Hindu traditions.
Raju K.C., a senior airline official, says, “The snag in the plane has now been fixed and the aircraft has resumed its flights.”
The news story goes on to say it is common in Nepal to sacrifice animals like goats and buffaloes to appease different Hindu deities.
Sacrificing animals to fix an aircraft may seem strange to us, but it is a normal part of the Hindu culture. But I have to wonder – are sacrificial procedures incorporated into an airline’s operations manual? Also, how was that corrective action signed off in the logbook?
You can read the full story on Reuters here and a related AP story that was posted on AMTonline.com here.
Thanks for reading,
Joe
Joe,
Last year some mechanics in Turkey sacrificed a camel on the runway. See http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/12/13/international/i093748S87.DTL&type=bondage for details
It’s obvious how it’s signed off! In Blood!
But seriously - I can just see it: Pilot Squak - “Gods are angry - #2 engine compressor stalling.” Mechanic -”Killed 2 Goat’s to appease Gods! Aircraft returned to service.”
I think it would have to been signed off in accordance with some sort of reference? Are goat sacrifices covered in the airline’s operations manual? “Sacrificed two goats in accordance with airline operations manual. Rig and ops check good. FOD check good — all sacrificial tools accounted for.”
John
If N.W.A. hears about this there will be “Goat Crap” all over the tarmac!!! Cheaper than Scabs.
makes a change from ops reps and chickens
Sure cuts down on all the equipment normally required for troubleshooting. Just stock goats!
With the added benefit of keeping the grass around the hangars trimmed.
Well i am sure nothing went to waste, did anybody happen to catch the menu for that flight?
Wonder if they keep goats in the tool cage, and does it require a special sign-off to be a goat sacrificer or is it included in training for all mechanics in Nepal? Gives a whole new meaning to “PFM”. Remind me not to fly on that airline….
Yes, the goats are kept in the tool crib. They issue you one and keep a “goat chit”.
It’s a good thing that they chose goats, and not management types or they might have angered the gods.