That one Friday where everything in the hangar went sideways at once

Last month I had a Cessna 172 in for a radio swap and the new Garmin unit wouldn't even power up, plus the old wiring harness crumbled apart the second I touched it. Then the coffee machine died and my helper dropped a bolt down into the tailcone, which took me 45 minutes to fish out with a magnet on a stick. Has anyone else had a single shift turn into a total disaster like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

wendysmith19d ago

Had to read that one twice... you fished a bolt out of a tailcone with a magnet on a stick for 45 minutes? That sounds like the kind of nightmare that keeps me up at night just thinking about it. I've had days where everything goes wrong at once, but losing a bolt in a tight spot like that is a special kind of hell. And the wiring harness crumbling apart on top of it? That's just insult to injury, man. Hope you at least got a decent break after all that chaos.

shah.barbara19d ago

Totally agree with you, @wendysmith. That bolt fishing trick is one of those things you don't forget in a hurry. You're right that losing a bolt in a tight space is its own special kind of hell, but adding a crumbling wiring harness on top? That's like getting your car towed, then finding out your wallet is still inside it. I've had days like that where every step forward feels like two steps back, and you just want to walk away and pretend it's all a bad dream. Honestly, I think the only thing that saved my sanity was knowing I'd never have to do that exact same nightmare combo again once the part was fixed. Hope you never have to experience it firsthand, Wendy, but if you do, just keep a magnet on a stick handy and try not to laugh at how ridiculous the whole situation is.