That guy at the hangar said I could skip the bond test on a coax repair

Last week in Phoenix, a senior tech told me I didnt need to bother with the bond test after fixing a BNC connector on a comm antenna. I listened to him and skipped it. First flight out, the VHF was dropping signal every time the gear cycled. Had to pull the panel again and redo the whole thing with a proper bond check. Anyone else ever get burned by bad advice from someone who seemed like they knew better?

3 comments

3 Comments

torres.riley12d ago

Read a report once from the FAA that said bond checks catch like 90% of intermittent radio issues after coax work. Seems like that senior tech had a bad habit that finally cost someone time. The vibration from gear cycling probably broke a tiny connection the bond test would have caught right away. Next time I'd just smile and nod at them then do the test anyway.

dianawilson12d ago

That 90% number is exactly why I'd lean the other way on this one lol. I've seen bond tests pass fine and then a year later the same connection fails from corrosion or a bad crimp that wasn't caught. @webb.hannah I think the senior guy might have saved you time by not chasing ghosts on a fresh install. Vibration cycling can break things a bond test won't simulate, especially on a new coax run where the connectors are still seating in. Half the time those intermittent issues are from the radio itself or a power supply glitch, not the bond.

webb.hannah12d ago

Were you pissed when you found out he gave you bad info? I hate when someone's overconfidence turns into more work for you, man. Yeah, I learned that lesson the hard way too, trust your own gut over the "senior" guy next time.