Pretty much every major airline has gotten away from heavy systems knowledge, and focuses on operational knowledge. Here at the mother ship, I've never been asked the kind of systems questions we used to get at Eagle. On the 737 we have eliminated all the memory items (the Bus still has one, I believe). When I first got here, and asked if I should be studying the locations of the cabin emergency equipment, I was told "why would you do that? there is a chart in the QRH if you think you need to find something back there".

My issue with the gearbox question on the 145 was always, why should I care?

Is there a QRH procedure for engine accessory gearbox failure? (there wasn't the last time I flew it, but that was pushing 10 years ago). Will you ever see an EICAS message "ENG 1/2 ACC GEAR BOX FAIL"? Again, the answer was no back then.

You will get some other messages, the airplane will prioritize them, you will do the appropriate checklists, and the QRH will let you know about systems lost and any follow up items. Why complicate things unnecessarily?

I see what you did there...

I have been an instructor and examiner for years. While I do ask systems questions, my line of thought was why do you push, pull or press that control and do you know what happens when you do.

As far as the gear box question, it is still fair game. Whether or not it gets asked, ill have to get back to y’all in a few weeks...

This is my line of thought as well in relation to cockpit duties. We should know these things. Gear box? It's a part of these things.

Also, knowing systems well enough to know what you're looking at and for when you're doing the preflight, that's also important.

But no, we shouldn't know how to build the airplane and memorizing details like how many N1 fan blades there are is wasted time because I can tell if a blade is missing without knowing the total number... and a lot of other dumb crap.


And I know how many N1 fan blades there are on my airframe because I was told in advance the guy that did my sv would ask that (and he did). But I've never once counted the blades during any walk-around... if one is missing, you'll know when you look.

As another I/E, I have the same philosophy, what do the buttons do and what do the messages mean. I avoid the gearbox question in favor of more ‘controls and indicators’ questions. The guidance we are handed down is 2 questions per system.

Unsat SV/PV, and/or pink slip-LOE will for sure get someone into the Special Tracking program. It’s all written in the AQP student guide in comply for anyone looking for more information on that.

That’s why u have 2 engines...

If I lost an engine in flight I’m not thinking about the accessory gearbox! I’m thinking FORD.


Next question please.... Thanks.


Yes, thank God we’re living in a safest period of Aviation history. Overall AQP is making smarter crew oriented pilots, not dick measuring sticks of the mundane pilots.

Just playing devils advocate here, no offense intended to your point of view....

Hydraulic pump- still have the electric pump and the priority valve to help, so who cares
Electric Generators- still have 3 others, so who cares
Air Turbine Starter- don’t care unless I’m gonna restart the engine
PMA- don’t care because the FADEC is still powered but the engine is off anyway and the igniter only needs power if I’m gonna restart so who cares
Oil Pump- again who cares unless I restart the engine
FPMU- also who cares unless I’m gonna restart

So what am I loosing and why do I need to memorize what’s on the accessory gearbox?

This thread is almost getting back to the old days of the lounge.

For you those who do not know what the lounge is ask your gummer CA's...

I wonder what they ask the 175 guys.