Narrative:

Aircraft xyz (a B737-300) required a magnetic standby compass swing to be accomplished per job card 9-WV-vw-va. Team leader Y, assigned us to the compass swing just before our afternoon break. At XA00 pm, we were preparing to taxi the aircraft out to the run-up pad for the 'compass rose' portion of the compass swing, when team leader Y, stopped us. Mr Y seemed very concerned about the amount of time a properly conducted compass swing would require. He appeared stressed by the fact that the aircraft was on day 75 of a 27 day hmv visit. He directed us to forego taxiing to the run-up area and to do the compass swing on the property in front of the hangar. The B737-300 maintenance manual (maintenance manual 34-24-00 paragraph 2.D(1)note: page 203) clearly states that a proper compass swing must be accomplished in a test area where 'the horizontal component of the earth's magnetic field must be constant (+/-1 degree).' to that end the maintenance manual instructs us not to use, a compass rose if 'a new building is less than 600 ft from the compass rose.' furthermore, the maintenance manual acknowledges the effect ferrous metals have on a magnetic compass by requiring that 'all vehicles other than the tow vehicle are not less than 220 ft from the airplane. We informed team leader Y, of the maintenance manual requirements and of the adverse effects that the nearby structure and flight line vehicles would have on the compass swing but he was unconcerned. He claimed to have engineering approval for compass swings as near as 170 ft from the maintenance building. He further stated that hangar abc mechanics have been accomplishing all of their compass swings in the same area. We asked mr Y for documentation allowing for the deviation from the maintenance manual but he would not provide us any. He then threatened to fire any employee who would not follow his directives.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A STANDBY COMPASS ADJUSTED IN AN UNAPPROVED AREA IN CONFLICT WITH THE MAINT MANUAL.

Narrative: ACFT XYZ (A B737-300) REQUIRED A MAGNETIC STANDBY COMPASS SWING TO BE ACCOMPLISHED PER JOB CARD 9-WV-VW-VA. TEAM LEADER Y, ASSIGNED US TO THE COMPASS SWING JUST BEFORE OUR AFTERNOON BREAK. AT XA00 PM, WE WERE PREPARING TO TAXI THE ACFT OUT TO THE RUN-UP PAD FOR THE 'COMPASS ROSE' PORTION OF THE COMPASS SWING, WHEN TEAM LEADER Y, STOPPED US. MR Y SEEMED VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF TIME A PROPERLY CONDUCTED COMPASS SWING WOULD REQUIRE. HE APPEARED STRESSED BY THE FACT THAT THE ACFT WAS ON DAY 75 OF A 27 DAY HMV VISIT. HE DIRECTED US TO FOREGO TAXIING TO THE RUN-UP AREA AND TO DO THE COMPASS SWING ON THE PROPERTY IN FRONT OF THE HANGAR. THE B737-300 MAINT MANUAL (MAINT MANUAL 34-24-00 PARAGRAPH 2.D(1)NOTE: PAGE 203) CLRLY STATES THAT A PROPER COMPASS SWING MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED IN A TEST AREA WHERE 'THE HORIZ COMPONENT OF THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD MUST BE CONSTANT (+/-1 DEG).' TO THAT END THE MAINT MANUAL INSTRUCTS US NOT TO USE, A COMPASS ROSE IF 'A NEW BUILDING IS LESS THAN 600 FT FROM THE COMPASS ROSE.' FURTHERMORE, THE MAINT MANUAL ACKNOWLEDGES THE EFFECT FERROUS METALS HAVE ON A MAGNETIC COMPASS BY REQUIRING THAT 'ALL VEHICLES OTHER THAN THE TOW VEHICLE ARE NOT LESS THAN 220 FT FROM THE AIRPLANE. WE INFORMED TEAM LEADER Y, OF THE MAINT MANUAL REQUIREMENTS AND OF THE ADVERSE EFFECTS THAT THE NEARBY STRUCTURE AND FLT LINE VEHICLES WOULD HAVE ON THE COMPASS SWING BUT HE WAS UNCONCERNED. HE CLAIMED TO HAVE ENGINEERING APPROVAL FOR COMPASS SWINGS AS NEAR AS 170 FT FROM THE MAINT BUILDING. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HANGAR ABC MECHS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHING ALL OF THEIR COMPASS SWINGS IN THE SAME AREA. WE ASKED MR Y FOR DOCUMENTATION ALLOWING FOR THE DEV FROM THE MAINT MANUAL BUT HE WOULD NOT PROVIDE US ANY. HE THEN THREATENED TO FIRE ANY EMPLOYEE WHO WOULD NOT FOLLOW HIS DIRECTIVES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.