Overheard an inspector say something that made me question my whole career path

I was standing near the hangar office last Friday and heard an FAA inspector tell my lead that 90% of wire chafing issues they see come from techs using improper tie-wrap tension. He said it like it was common knowledge, but nobody taught me that in my A&P school. I've been clamping wires tight for 4 years thinking tight equals safe. Now I'm going back and checking every bundle I touched on the last three installs. Has anyone else found out they were doing basic stuff wrong because nobody bothered to explain the 'why'?

3 comments

3 Comments

shane_fisher371mo ago

Shocked me too when I found out about that. My instructor always said "tight is right" and I never questioned it. Turns out I was crushing the insulation on some bundles on a King Air I did last year. Had to redo the whole panel when I found a cracked wire from overtightening. Crazy how the little stuff nobody talks about can mess up your whole install.

graydavis1mo ago

Tight is right" - that's exactly what I was taught too. For years I cranked down on zip ties thinking I was doing it right. Then I saw a buddy's bundle where the insulation was cut clean through from overtightening, and it finally clicked. Watched a video that showed how thermal expansion makes things worse, and now I leave a tiny gap on every single tie. Even had to redo a harness on a 172 because of cracked wires I found during inspection. Was pissed at first but that's just how this trade works sometimes @shane_fisher37, you learn the hard way and move on.

elliot_taylor1mo ago

Isn't that how most things in this trade go though? You spend years doing something a certain way, then one random comment from someone experienced just flips your whole understanding. It's wild how many "little things" we're never actually taught are actually the critical details that make or break a good install.