00-02-08          0700   Morning routine.  Meeting in am with our hangar members to discuss the results of the AES & Airflow tests.  Went over most of the things, had a few questions, but basically everything went well.  It paralleled my AES report. 

            Worked on general office cleaning (admin) in the aft.  About 1400 hrs, Vic GORMAN came in for a closed-door meeting.  He advised me that Insp. LATHEM had some concerns that he needed to discuss with me.  He advised that there was concern that I had lost my objectivity regarding AES and was leaning too far towards there being a criminal device onboard.  Also, I am not to use the term ‘Criminal Device’, as we are not in a criminal investigation here, but assistance to the TSB.  When I suggested that we were wearing two hats, he agreed, but that we are only in the investigative mode and will decide once everything is collected if there is a criminal matter.  I suggested that since I was so heavily involved in the AES and watching the results and had to deal with two TSB members who were trying to make small of the magnesium issue, something that must be cleared up, I could not help but lean to the opposite side that they were taking.  However, I was told to be careful, as it was being perceived as a bias. 

            I was also asked about the Airflow test, why I had not notified Insp. LATHEM that I was going on the aircraft.  He said that LATHEM had told me to advise him, that there was a possibly problem with liability and insurance problems.  I told him that I had been speaking with him on the phone before the flight, that we had discussed the matter, & that I likely would not be on board.  He told me to call him if I could if I did get on board, but only if I could do so during working hours.  He told me to be careful and to not go if I had a problem with safety.  I then told him that I had only learned that I was actually on the flight only minutes before the boarding, and that I could not call (0800 there was noon here, and LATHEM would have been out).  I was then asked why I had stayed behind when everyone else had returned.  Of course, it was because I had to collect the videotapes.

            One subject that was broached was regarding the matter of my personal opinions.  Generally, I was told to keep them to myself, to not express them to anyone else.  Generally, the concern was that I was being perceived as leaning towards this being a criminal investigation when it is not yet so.  I question the insurance and liability comments.  Our insurance covers us on or off duty, no matter what we are doing.  As for liability, it is TSB who is conducting the test with Boeing and Swissair, not the RCMP.

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