MECHANICS WORKING FOR AN FBO MAINT FACILITY; INFORM ONE OF THEIR PILOTS OF BEING PRESSURED BY THEIR SUPERVISOR TO INSTALL A GENERATOR ON THEIR HELICOPTER WITHOUT AN APPROVED PART NUMBER.

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MECHS WORKING FOR COMPANY X INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE BEING PRESSURED BY THEIR SUPVR TO INSTALL A GENERATOR ON THE BK117B2 THAT DID NOT HAVE AN APPROVED PART NUMBER. IN REFUSING TO DO SO; 1 MECH TOLD ME THAT HE 'FELT' THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE FIRED. SOMETIME LATER IN THIS IMPASSE COMPANY X MAINT DIRECTOR CALLED TO SAY THAT THE LCL MECHS WERE CORRECT (THAT THE ENG MANUFACTURER DID NOT ALLOW THAT GENERATOR TO BE INSTALLED); AND ARRANGED FOR A SUITABLE ONE TO BE SHIPPED. THIS INCIDENT IS ILLUSTRATIVE OF A MANIFESTLY HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS BEEN IMPOSED BY COMPANY X ON THE LCL MAINT STAFF. I COULD RECOUNT MANY SIMILAR AND EVEN MORE EGREGIOUS EXAMPLES. THESE AMT PROFESSIONALS HAVE FOR THE 8 YRS THAT I HAVE KNOWN THEM EMBODIED THE CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPETENCE; CTL AND COMMITMENT TO SAFETY OF FLT. THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED WILLINGNESS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR; TO MAKE JUDGEMENTS BASED ON INDUSTRY STANDARDS; AND TO ASSERTIVELY ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO BE INVOLVED IN FLT SAFETY. PRESENTLY THEY ARE FUNCTIONING UNDER HOSTILE SUPERVISION THAT HAS SYSTEMATICALLY REMOVED FROM THEM ALL CTL OVER DECISION MAKING; VERBALLY DEMEANING THEIR COMPETENCE; AND PROHIBITING (UNDER THREAT OF BEING FIRED) THEIR DISCUSSION OF THEIR WORK SITUATION WITH OTHERS IN THE ORGANIZATION. THE LCL AMT'S HAVE NO TRUST IN THEIR SUPVR; AND THEY FUNCTION CHRONICALLY UNDER THE DISTR OF FRUSTRATION AND STRESS. I AM OBSERVING THE EFFECTS OF THIS STRESS IN WORK QUALITY; AND A PREVAILING ATTITUDE OF CYNICISM. I HAVE NOT BEEN SILENT IN WITNESSING THE DEATH OF A SAFETY CULTURE HERE. TRAGICALLY; THE PERSON IN A SUPERVISORY ROLE OVER THE LCL MECHS HAS THE FULL FAITH AND CONFIDENCE OF THE COMPANY X LEADERSHIP. THE EMS ORGANIZATION THAT OWNS THE ACFT; AND FOR WHOM COMPANY X VENDS; IS UNWILLING TO ENGAGE THE SITUATION. THE AMT'S ARE ALL LOOKING FOR OTHER WORK; BUT THAT BEGS THE ISSUE SINCE WHOEVER REPLACES THEM WILL BE EXPECTED TO FUNCTION IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED EVEN PILOTS AND NURSES WHO ARE PART OF THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE (EMS) FLIGHT CREWS; WHOSE COMPANY HAS CONTRACTED WITH REPORTER'S FBO TO MAINTAIN THE EMS ACFT; HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE INADEQUATE MAINT ON THEIR ACFT AND THE LACK OF ANY RESPONSE REGARDING THOSE CONCERNS.