Maintenance and Repair of Aircraft

MAINTENANCE
AND REPAIR OF
AIRCRAFT
Aircraft Technical Maintenance
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AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE
▪ Aircraft maintenance is the performance of tasks required to ensure
the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft or aircraft part, including
overhaul, inspection, replacement, defect rectification, and the
embodiment of modifications, compliance with airworthiness
directives and repair.
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AIRCRAFT MAIN.. CONTINUES
▪ Maintenance functions are often referred to as maintenance, repair
and overhaul (MRO), and MRO is also used for maintenance, repair
and operations.
▪ Over time, the terminology of maintenance and MRO has begun to
become standardized.
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▪ The United States Department of Defence uses the following definitions:
▪ Any activity—such as tests, measurements, replacements, adjustments, and repairs
—intended to retain or restore a functional unit in or to a specified state in which
the unit can perform its required functions.
▪ All action taken to retain material in a serviceable condition or to restore it to
serviceability. It includes inspections, testing, servicing, classification as to
serviceability, repair, rebuilding, and reclamation.
▪ All supply and repair action taken to keep a force in condition to carry out its
mission.
▪ The routine recurring work required to keep a facility (plant, building,
structure, ground facility, utility system, or other real property) in such condition
that it may be continuously used, at its original or designed capacity and efficiency
for its intended purpose.
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▪ Maintenance is strictly connected to the utilization stage of the product
or technical system, in which the concept of maintainability must be
included.
▪ In this scenario, maintainability is considered as the ability of an item,
under stated conditions of use, to be retained in or restored to a state in
which it can perform its required functions, using prescribed
procedures and resources.
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▪ In some domains like aircraft maintenance, terms maintenance, repair
and overhaul also include inspection, rebuilding, alteration and the
supply of spare parts, accessories, raw materials, adhesives, sealants,
coatings and consumables for aircraft maintenance at
the utilization stage.
▪ In international civil aviation maintenance means:
▪ The performance of tasks required to ensure the continuing airworthiness of an
aircraft, including any one or combination of overhaul, inspection, replacement,
defect rectification, and the embodiment of a modification or a repair.
▪ This definition covers all activities for which aviation regulations require

issuance of a maintenance release document (aircraft certificate of
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return to service – CRS).
▪ Maintenance is strictly connected to the utilization stage of the product
or technical system, in which the concept of maintainability must be
included.
▪ In this scenario, maintainability is considered as the ability of an item,
under stated conditions of use, to be retained in or restored to a state in
which it can perform its required functions, using prescribed
procedures and resources.
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TYPES
▪ The basic types of maintenance falling under MRO include:
▪ Preventive maintenance, where equipment is checked and serviced in a planned
manner (in a scheduled points in time or continuously)
▪ Corrective maintenance, where equipment is repaired or replaced after wear,
malfunction or break down
▪ Reinforcement.
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PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
▪ Preventive maintenance (PM) is "a routine for periodically inspecting"
with the goal of "noticing small problems and fixing them before major
ones develop." Ideally, "nothing breaks down.”
▪ The main goal behind PM is for the equipment to make it from one
planned service to the next planned service without any failures caused
by fatigue, neglect, or normal wear (preventable items), which Planned
Maintenance and Condition Based Maintenance help to achieve by
replacing worn components before they actually fail.
▪ Maintenance activities include partial or complete overhauls at specified
periods, oil changes, lubrication, minor adjustments, and so on. In
addition, workers can record equipment deterioration so they know to
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replace or repair worn parts before they cause system failure.
PREVENTIVE MAIN.. CONTINUES
▪ Main objective of PM are:
▪ Enhance capital equipment productive life.
▪ Reduce critical equipment breakdown.
▪ Minimize production loss due to equipment failures.
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▪ Preventive maintenance or preventative maintenance (PM) has the
following meanings:
▪ The care and servicing by personnel for the purpose of maintaining equipment in
satisfactory operating condition by providing for systematic inspection, detection,
and correction of incipient failures either before they occur or before they
develop into major defects.
▪ The work carried out on equipment in order to avoid its breakdown or
malfunction. It is a regular and routine action taken on equipment in order to
prevent its breakdown.
▪ Maintenance, including tests, measurements, adjustments, parts replacement,
and cleaning, performed specifically to prevent faults from occurring.
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▪ Other terms and abbreviations related to PM are:
▪ Scheduled maintenance
▪ Planned maintenance, which may include scheduled downtime for equipment
replacement
▪ Planned preventive maintenance (ppm) is another name for pm
▪ Breakdown maintenance: fixing things only when they break. this is also known as
"a reactive maintenance strategy" and may involve "consequential damage."
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▪ Preventive maintenance means simple preservation and the
replacement of small standard parts not involving complex assemblies.
It is corrective action taken before it becomes necessary to make more
complex repairs.
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▪ The following preventive maintenance may be accomplished by a certificated
pilot, who is the owner or operator of an aircraft, not used in . . .a1r earner
service. This list comes from FAR 43, Appendix A , Major Alterations, Major
Repairs, and Preventive Maintenance, paragraph (c). It reads as follows:
▪ Work of the following type is preventive maintenance:
(1) Removal, installation, and repair of landing gear tires.
(2) Replacing elastic shock absorber cords on landing gear.
(3) Servicing landing gear shock struts by adding oil, air, or both.
(4) Servicing landing gear wheel bearings, such as cleaning and greasing.
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(5) Replacing defective safety wiring or cotter keys.
(6) Lubrication not requiring disassembly other than removal of non-
structural items such as cover plates, cowlings, and fairings.
(7) Making simple fabric patches not re quiring rib stitching or the removal
of structural parts or control surfaces.
(8) Replenishing hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic reservoir.
(9) Refinishing decorative coating of fuselage, wings, tail group surfaces
(excluding balanced control surfaces), fairings, cowling, landing gear,
cabin, or cockpit interior when removal or dis assembly of any primary
structure or operating system is not required.
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(10) Applying preservative or protective material to components where no dis
assembly of any primary structure or operating system is involved and where
such coating is not prohibited or is not contrary to good practices.
(11) Repairing upholstery and decorative furnishings of the cabin or cockpit
interior when the repairing does not re quire disassembly of any primary
structure or operating system or interfere with an operating system or affect
primary structure of the aircraft.
(12) Making small simple repairs to fairings, non-structural cover plates,
cowlings, and small patches and reinforcements not changing the contour so
as to interfere with proper airflow.
(13) Replacing side windows where ,that work does not interfere with the
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structure or any operating system such as controls, electrical equipment, etc..
(14) Replacing safety belts.
(15) Replacing seats or seat parts with re placement parts approved for the
air craft, not involving disassembly of any primary structure or operating
system.
(16) Troubleshooting and repairing broken circuits in landing light wiring
circuits.
(17) Replacing bulbs, reflectors, and lenses of position and landing lights. (18)
Replacing wheels and skis where no weight and balance computation is
involved.
(19) Replacing any cowling not requiring removal of the propeller or
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disconnection of flight controls
(20) Replacing or cleaning spark plugs and setting of spark plug gap
clearance.
(21) Replacing any hose connection except hydraulic connections.
(22) Replacing prefabricated fuel lines.
(23) Cleaning fuel and oil strainers.
(24) Replacing batteries and checking fluid level and specific gravity.
(25) Removing and installing glider wings and tail surfaces that are
specifically designed for quick removal and installation and when such
removal and installation can be accomplished by the pilot.
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▪ Technical data for use in performing preventive maintenance may be
found in the manufacturers' manuals.
▪ General data on aircraft maintenance may be obtained from the
following Advisory Circulars (AC) published by the FAA.
▪ All are available from the Superintendent of Documents (Supt. Docs.)
and should be ordered by the stock numbers (SN) listed after each AC.
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PLANNED MAINTENANCE
▪ Planned preventive maintenance (PPM), more commonly referred to as
simply planned maintenance (PM) or scheduled maintenance, is any
variety of scheduled maintenance to an object or item of equipment.
▪ Specifically, planned maintenance is a scheduled service visit carried
out by a competent and suitable agent, to ensure that an item of
equipment is operating correctly and to therefore avoid any
unscheduled breakdown and downtime.
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PLANNED MAIN.. CONTINUES
▪ The key factor as to when and why this work is being done is timing,
and involves a service, resource or facility being unavailable. By
contrast, condition-based maintenance is not directly based on
equipment age.
▪ Planned maintenance is preplanned, and can be date-based, based on
equipment running hours, or on distance travelled.
▪ Parts that have scheduled maintenance at fixed intervals, usually due to
wear out or a fixed shelf life, are sometimes known as time-change
interval, or TCI items.
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PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE
▪ Predictive maintenance techniques are designed to help determine the
condition of in-service equipment in order to estimate when
maintenance should be performed.
▪ This approach promises cost savings over routine or time-
based preventive maintenance, because tasks are performed only when
warranted. Thus, it is regarded as condition-based maintenance carried
out as suggested by estimations of the degradation state of an item.
▪ The main promise of predictive maintenance is to allow convenient
scheduling of corrective maintenance, and to prevent unexpected
equipment failures.
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PREDICTIVE MAIN.. CONTINUES
▪ This maintenance strategy uses sensors to monitor key parameters
within a machine or system, and uses this data in conjunction with
analysed historical trends to continuously evaluate the system health
and predict a breakdown before it happens.
▪ This strategy allows maintenance to be performed more efficiently,
since more up-to-date data is obtained about how close the product is
to failure.
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CONDITION BASED MAINTENANCE
▪ Condition-based maintenance (CBM), shortly described, is
maintenance when need arises.
▪ Albeit chronologically much older, It is considered one section or practice
inside the broader and newer predictive maintenance field, where new AI
technologies and connectivity abilities are put to action and where the
acronym CBM is more often used to describe 'condition Based Monitoring'
rather than the maintenance itself.
▪ CBM maintenance is performed after one or more indicators show that
equipment is going to fail or that equipment performance is deteriorating.
▪ This concept is applicable to mission-critical systems that incorporate active
redundancy and fault reporting. It is also applicable to non-mission critical
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systems that lack redundancy and fault reporting.
CONDITION BASED MAIN.. CONTINUES
▪ Condition-based maintenance was introduced to try to maintain the
correct equipment at the right time. CBM is based on using real-time
data to prioritize and optimize maintenance resources.
▪ Observing the state of the system is known as condition monitoring.
▪ Such a system will determine the equipment's health, and act only
when maintenance is actually necessary.
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CONDITION BASED MAIN.. CONTINUES
▪ Developments in recent years have allowed extensive instrumentation
of equipment, and together with better tools for analysing condition
data, the maintenance personnel of today is more than ever able to
decide what is the right time to perform maintenance on some piece of
equipment.
▪ Ideally, condition-based maintenance will allow the maintenance
personnel to do only the right things, minimizing spare parts cost,
system downtime and time spent on maintenance.
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CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE
▪ Corrective maintenance is a type of maintenance used for equipment
after equipment break down or malfunction is often most expensive –
not only can worn equipment damage other parts and cause multiple
damage, but consequential repair and replacement costs and loss of
revenues due to down time during overhaul can be significant.
▪ Rebuilding and resurfacing of equipment and infrastructure damaged
by erosion and corrosion as part of corrective or preventive
maintenance programmes involves conventional processes such as
welding and metal flame spraying, as well as engineered solutions
with thermoset polymeric materials.
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TECHNICAL MAINTENANCE OF
AIRCRAFT
▪ The technical meaning of maintenance involves functional checks,
servicing, repairing or replacing of necessary devices,
equipment, machinery, building infrastructure, and supporting utilities
in industrial, business, and residential installations.
▪ Over time, this has come to include multiple wordings that describe
various cost-effective practices to keep equipment operational; these
activities occur either before or after a failure.
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CONCLUSION
▪ Aircraft maintenance is the performance of tasks required to ensure
the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft or aircraft part, including
overhaul, inspection, replacement, defect rectification, and the
embodiment of modifications, compliance with airworthiness
directives and repair.
▪ The basic types of maintenance falling under MRO include:
▪ Preventive maintenance, where equipment is checked and serviced in a planned
manner (in a scheduled points in time or continuously)
▪ Corrective maintenance, where equipment is repaired or replaced after wear,
malfunction or break down
▪ Reinforcement.
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MAINTAINABILITY OF MAINTAINANCE
ACTIVITIES
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MAINTAINABILITY OF AIRCRAFT
▪ Aircraft Maintainability is the ability of the aircraft to meet operational
objectives with a minimum expenditure of maintenance effort under the
operational and environmental conditions in which scheduled and
unscheduled maintenance are performed.
▪ Maintainability is defined as the probability that a failed component or
system will be restored or repaired to a specified condition within a
specified period or time when maintenance is performed in accordance
with prescribed procedures.
▪ When an item of equipment or a machine fails, as it probably will sooner
or later, since no design can be made absolutely reliable, it is important
that it should be repaired quickly so as to become available for use again
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in the shortest possible time.
MAINTAINABILITY OF CIVIL AIRCRAFT
▪ Most civil aircraft must therefore be flown for many hours every day in
order to earn their keep.
▪ For narrow-bodied aircraft on short haul routes, in-flight usage may be
up to 10 hours each day but for wide-bodied jets like Boeing's 747, daily
usage needs to amount to nearer 14 hours.
▪ Furthermore, when the aircraft is on the ground being serviced it is not
earning income and, since the cost of taking a Boeing 747 out of service
amounts to around s 000 for each day that the aircraft is on the ground,
maintenance must be very carefully planned
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MAINTAINABILITY OF CIVIL…
CONTINUES
▪ Regardless of complexity, all equipment must have good maintainability
- maintainability being a measure of the speed with which loss of
performance is detected, the fault located, repairs completed, and a
check made that the equipment is functioning normally again.
▪ Maintainability must be built into the original design since, like other
reliability factors, attempts to incorporate it as an afterthought, by
modifications to the manufactured equipment, will never produce a
satisfactory solution.
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CONTINUES
▪ Features which improve maintainability can often be made part of the
original design without a great deal of extra expense.
▪ The designer must, however, be careful not to improve maintainability
by introducing features which reduce reliability - for instance, by
enabling assemblies to be removed quickly by replacing soldered
connections by plugs and sockets which are sometimes less reliable.
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CONTINUES
▪ To obtain satisfactory maintainability the following factors must be
considered:
a) The equipment or machine could fail at some time or other
b) The positioning of maintenance displays, check points, gauges, meters and the
position of one assembly with respect to others.
c) The limitations imposed by the human frame.
d) The environment in which maintenance or repairs will be carded out.
e) The design of test equipment.
f) The presentation of information in the maintenance and repair manual.
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CONTINUES
▪ Good maintainability is just as important for routine maintenance as it
is for repair, since maintenance can also represent a period of non-
availability which must be made as short as possible.
▪ Maintenance involves making a number of check measurements, or
taking specified action such as lubrication, at particular points in the
equipment or machine.
▪ It is essential that these points are easily accessible and are so situated
that the required action can be easily taken.
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CONTINUES
▪ The check points must not be put in positions dictated by the physical
design of the equipment rather than in the best position for
maintenance.
▪ If they are, they may be difficult to get at, or be so placed that when an
adjustment is made or a reading taken it is difficult or impossible to see
the relevant meter or indicator.
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CONTINUES
▪ It is essential that all the displays, meters, component parts, adjustment
points or other items which will be involved in a single maintenance
operation should be so grouped that all are comfortably accessible,
both manually and where the eyes can easily be placed in line with the
pointer, to ensure an accurate reading.
▪ Special attention must be given to the positioning of parts which must
be regularly serviced, or which are known to have a high failure rate.
▪ They should be placed so that the maintenance points and the parts
themselves are readily accessible, without first removing other
components or assemblies.
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CONTINUES
▪ Covers on the part itself, or which must be opened or removed to get at
the part, must be easily and quickly removable.
▪ Obviously replacement is quicker if a part can be replaced from the
front of an equipment- a pilot lamp, for instance. Where there may be
difficulty in identifying a part such as in electronic equipment, the part
must be clearly marked in a place which is easily visible.
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CONTINUES
▪ If colour coding is used, it must be remembered that about one in seven
persons are sufficiently colour-blind to be unable to distinguish nearly
identical shades, or dull colours.
▪ Colours must not fade, they must be used consistently, and whenever
possible a standard code should be used, details of the code being
displayed on the equipment.
▪ The eye finds it difficult to identify small areas of colour, so that the use
of, for instance, a colour thread running through cable insulation is
unsatisfactory.
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CONTINUES
▪ The use of colour coding on parts which are liable to get dirty or
contaminated with oil should also be avoided.
▪ Fixing devices must be readily accessible, so that a part can be removed
easily and quickly for repair or replacement.
▪ Fixing devices must also be designed so that a part can be quickly
released and quickly re-secured.
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CONTINUES
▪ It must be remembered that what appears completely accessible, or
very simple to adjust, or to undo and do up, when a part or assembly is
on a bench may not turn out to be so when assembled into a complete
equipment.
▪ It is, therefore, essential to visualize, at the design stage, exactly how
each part will be situated in the complete assembly, equipment or
system.
▪ The designer must constantly aim to cause the minimum of work for
the maintenance engineer. This involves not only making it easy to 'get
inside the black box' and doing the job when there, but also avoiding
the use of non-standard or too wide a variety of fixing screws.
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CONTINUES
▪ Even such an apparently unimportant feature as the use of needlessly
long screws, which increase the time taken to remove and replace the
nuts, lengthens maintenance time unnecessarily and so reduces
equipment availability.
▪ Clearly, maintenance cannot be carded out so well, or perhaps cannot
be carded out at all, if there are any actual or potential hazards such as
high voltages or moving parts.
▪ If interlocks have to be made inoperative during maintenance or repair,
a warning light should indicate if power is on.
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CONTINUES
▪ In the case of machinery, some means should be provided to prevent
inadvertent operation.
▪ Good maintainability also involves consideration of the conditions in
which the human body can work best, such as the relation between
manual ability and the senses, human lifting capacity, and the
maintenance equipment environment.
▪ Our work skill actions are governed by the input of information received
from our senses, the most efficient input coming from sight, then touch
and lastly memory.
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CONTINUES
▪ This means that work is performed most quickly and accurately when
one can see what one is doing; if it is only possible to work by feel the
job is more difficult, and if parts can be neither seen nor felt but their
position has to be memorized, a job becomes lengthy and tedious.
▪ To take a simple example- it is easy to place the blade of a screwdriver
into a slot on a screw head which can be seen, rather more difficult if
the screw cannot be seen and the blade must be guided by hand, but
very much more difficult when the hand holding the screwdriver must
place the blade in the screw slot aided only by what can be
remembered of the screw and slot position.
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MEAN TIME TO REPAIR
▪ The MTBF is a measure of the likelihood that an equipment will break down in
a given period, but it is also necessary to know how long it will be out of
service for maintenance and repair. This time is often designated MTTR (mean
time to repair).
▪ Only by taking both these factors into account can the user estimate for how
long within a given period an equipment is likely to be available, and how
serious the effects of non-availability during maintenance and breakdown are
likely to be.
▪ He or she will also be able to estimate what, if any, stand-by equipment is
necessary to obtain a certain availability of service, and avoid both the
unnecessary expense of stand-by equipment which is not required, and the
extra costs due to the effects of the equipment being out of action for longer
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periods than might otherwise have been anticipated.
CONCLUSION
▪ Maintainability is considered, inherent to the aircraft building system
design, ensuring the ease, accuracy, safety, and economy of
maintenance tasks within that system.
▪ The purpose of maintainability is to improve effectiveness and
efficiency of maintenance. One of the major products desired of such
an activity is the optimization of aircraft life—cycle costs.
▪ Design for Maintainability (DfM) is the first step of an effective
maintenance program, linking maintenance goals to the design process.
▪ Design for Maintainability emphasizes the importance of timely
integration of design and construction knowledge with operations and
maintenance (O&M) experiences into project designs at an early stage.
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AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE
ORGANIZATIONS
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SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE CHECKS
▪ Aircraft maintenance in civil aviation generally organized using a
maintenance checks or blocks which are packages of maintenance tasks
that have to be done on an aircraft after a certain amount of time or
usage.
▪ Packages are constructed by dividing the maintenance tasks into
convenient, bite-size chunks to minimize the time the aircraft is out of
service, to keep the maintenance workload level, and to maximize the
use of maintenance facilities
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PRE- EMPTIVE ENGINE CHECKS
▪ An engine failure can significantly impact operations and revenue.
▪ A programme of calculated pre-emptive engine changes, sometimes referred to
as Power by the Hour, provides budget predictability, avoids installing a loan unit
during repairs when an aircraft part fails and enrolled aircraft may have a better
value and liquidity.
▪ This concept of unscheduled maintenance was initially introduced for aircraft
engines to mitigate engine failures.
▪ The term was coined by Bristol Siddeley in 1962 to support Vipers of the British
Aerospace 125 business jets for a fixed sum per flying hour.
▪ A complete engine and accessory replacement service was provided, allowing
the operator to accurately forecast this cost, and relieving him from purchasing
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stocks of engines and accessories.
PRE- EMPTIVE EN… CONTINUES
▪ In the 1980s, Rolls-Royce plc reinstated the program to provide the operator
with a fixed engine maintenance cost over an extended period of time.
▪ Operators are assured of an accurate cost projection and avoid the
breakdowns costs; the term is trademarked by Rolls-Royce but is the common
name in the industry.
▪ It is an option for operators of several Rolls-Royce aircraft engines. Other
aircraft engine manufacturers such as General Electric and Pratt &
Whitney offer similar programs.
▪ Jet Support Services provides hourly cost maintenance programs
independently of the manufacturers. GEMCO also offers a similar program for
piston engines in general aviation aircraft. Bombardier Aerospace offers
its Smart Services program, covering parts and maintenance by the hour.
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MAINTENANCE RELEASE
▪ At the completion of any maintenance task a person authorized by the
national airworthiness authority or delegated organization signs a
maintenance release stating that maintenance has been performed in
accordance with the applicable airworthiness requirements.
▪ A maintenance release is sometimes called a certificate of release to service
(CRS).
▪ In the case of a certified aircraft this may be a licensed Aircraft Maintenance
Engineer, Designated Airworthiness Representative – Maintenance (DAR-T)
or holder of an EASA Part-66 Aircraft Maintenance License (AML), while
for amateur-built aircraft this may be the owner or builder of the aircraft.
▪ In some countries The Secretary of State may authorise a maintenance
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organization to grant the certification privilege to staff on their behalf.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE CHECKS
▪ Aircraft maintenance checks are periodic inspections that have to be
done on all commercial and civil aircraft after a certain amount of time
or usage.
▪ Military aircraft normally follow specific maintenance programmes
which may, or may not, be similar to those of commercial and civil
operators.
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AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE CHECKS-
COMMERCIAL AVIATION
▪ Airlines and other commercial operators of large, or turbine-powered,
aircraft follow a continuous inspection program approved by
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States, or by
other airworthiness authorities such as the Transport Canada Civil
Aviation Directorate (TCCA), or the European Aviation Safety
Agency (EASA).
▪ Each operator prepares a Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance
Program (CAMP) under its Operations Specifications or "OpSpecs". The
CAMP includes both routine and detailed inspections.
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FAA REVIEW BOARD
▪ In the United States the FAA directs that initial aircraft
maintenance requirements be generated for each aircraft type in a
Maintenance Review Board Report (MRBR) based on the analysis
performed as outlined in ATA "MSG-3 Operator/Manufacturer Scheduled
Maintenance Development" document (MSG-3 is for Maintenance Steering
Group – 3rd Task Force).
▪ The MRBR is an approved set of aircraft initial maintenance requirements
as prescribed by the Appendix H to para. 25.1529 of 14 CFR part 25.
▪ Modern aircraft with MSG-3-derived maintenance programs employ usage
parameters —such as flight hours, calendar time, or flight cycles—for each
required maintenance task included in the MRBR. This allows for more
flexibility in the scheduling of maintenance to minimize aircraft downtime.
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ABC CHECK SYSTEM
▪ Airlines and airworthiness authorities casually refer to the detailed
inspections as "checks", commonly one of the following: A check, B
check, C check, or D check.
▪ A and B checks are lighter checks, while C and D are considered heavier
checks.
▪ Aircraft operators may perform some work at their own facilities, but
often checks, and especially the heavier checks, take place
at maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) company sites.
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A CHECK
▪ The A check is performed approximately every 400-600 flight hours, or
every 200–300 flights, depending on aircraft type.
▪ It needs about 50-70 man-hours, and is usually performed in an airport
hangar.
▪ The A check takes a minimum of 10 hours. The actual occurrence of this
check varies by aircraft type, the flight cycle count, or the number of
hours flown since the last check.
▪ The occurrence can be delayed by the airline if certain predetermined
conditions are met.
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B CHECK
▪ The B check is performed approximately every 6-8 months. It takes
about 160-180 man-hours, depending on the aircraft, and is usually
completed within 1–3 days at an airport hangar.
▪ A similar occurrence schedule applies to the B check as to the A check.
▪ B checks are increasingly incorporated into successive A checks, i.e.
checks A-1 through A-10 complete all the B check items
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C CHECK
▪ The C check is performed approximately every 20–24 months, or a
specific number of actual flight hours (FH), or as defined by the
manufacturer.
▪ This maintenance check is much more extensive than the B check,
requiring a large majority of the aircraft's components to be inspected.
▪ This check puts the aircraft out of service for 1–2 weeks.
▪ The aircraft must not leave the maintenance site until it is completed.
▪ It also requires more space than A and B checks, therefore, it is usually
carried out in a hangar at a maintenance base.
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▪ The effort needed to complete a C check is up to 6,000 man-hours.
3C CHECK
▪ Some authorities use a type of check, known as a 3C check or
Intermediate Layover (IL), which typically includes light structural
maintenance, including checks for corrosion, or on specific high-load
parts of the airframe.
▪ The 3C check may also be used as the opportunity for cabin upgrades,
e.g. new seats, entertainment systems, carpeting.
▪ This shortens the time the aircraft is out of service, by performing two
distinct tasks simultaneously.
▪ As component reliability has improved, some MROs now spread the
workload across several C checks, or incorporate this 3C check into D
checks instead
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D CHECK
▪ The D check, sometimes known as a "heavy maintenance visit" (HMV), is by far
the most comprehensive and demanding check for an airplane.
▪ This check occurs approximately every 6-10 years. It is a check that more or less
takes the entire airplane apart for inspection and overhaul.
▪ Even the paint may need to be completely removed for complete inspection of
the fuselage metal skin. Such a check can generally take up to 50,000 man-hours,
and 2 months to complete depending on the number of technicians involved.
▪ It also requires the most space of all maintenance checks, and as such must be
performed at a suitable maintenance base.
▪ The requirements and the tremendous effort involved in this maintenance check
make it by far the most expensive, with total costs for a single D check in the
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million-dollar range.
D CHECK… CONTINUES
▪ Because of the nature and the cost of a D check, most airlines — especially
those with a large fleet — have to plan D checks for their aircraft years in
advance.
▪ Often, older aircraft being phased out of a particular airline's fleet are either
stored or scrapped upon reaching their next D check, due to the high costs
involved in comparison to the aircraft's value.
▪ On average, a commercial aircraft undergoes two or three D checks before
being retired.
▪ Manufacturers often underestimate the cost of the D check.
▪ Boeing underestimates the cost for four of its aircraft, and the expectation is
that it has underestimated it for the B787-9 which in 2018 had not been in
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service for long enough to have been put through a D check.
MRO- MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
ORGANIZATION
▪ An MRO is a Maintenance and Repair Organization. Therefore, naturally,
an aviation or aircraft MRO is a company which specializes in
performing maintenance actions on aircraft and their components, such
as jet engines and landing gear.
▪ Like almost anything in aviation, an MRO must have proper certificates
which allow it to perform certain tasks on aircraft in accordance with
their approval schedule.
▪ In EASA countries, the MRO must be approved with accordance to EASA
Part 145 – a regulation which defines how a maintenance and repair
organization must be run in order to provide the highest, acceptable
level of flight safety.
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AIRCRAFT MRO’S
▪ Depending on their scope of approval, they can do line or base
maintenance, and at that, they may also be limited to a specific set of
tasks which they are allowed to perform.
▪ Base maintenance organizations will generally be quite large companies,
owning a hangar (which is required for base maintenance) and employing
a vast group of people to perform base maintenance tasks.
▪ Such organizations will have the ability to carry out heavy checks,
commonly known as C-checks and structural checks (sometimes referred
to as D-checks).
▪ Such maintenance checks can take from a few weeks to even a few
months, are complex and their costs are calculated in millions of dollars.
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AIRCRAFT MR.. CONTINUES
▪ Line maintenance organizations are mainly required to provide necessary, minor
maintenance tasks in between flights.
▪ Those would include regular daily and weekly checks as well as some defect
rectification.
▪ Line maintenance MROs will be able to replace wheels, brakes and most LRUs (line
replaceable units) on the aircraft. They will also release the aircraft to service before
its further flight.
▪ Line maintenance companies, unlike their base maintenance counterparts, need to be
fairly small and mobile.
▪ In order to satisfy the airlines, they need to be available at many airports, often 24
hours a day and with an ability to react instantly to unforeseen circumstances, such as
a sudden aircraft defect. They are often based out of a small office and all their tools
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and supplies can fit on a single van.
ENGINE AND LANDING GEAR MRO’S
▪ These two types of aviation MROs deserve a specific mentioning, as
they are very important in the life of an airline.
▪ In most cases, such MROs specialize only in engines (or only in landing
gear) and at a specific family type at that. This is due to the fact, that
the overhaul and repair process of such major aircraft components is
really complex and sophisticated. Therefore – it is also very expensive.
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ENGINE AND LAN.. CONTINUES
▪ Engine and landing gear MROs will have their own big facilities and they
often have a production line much similar to those found in factories.
They rarely have a standstill.
▪ On the contrary, they will rather be overwhelmed with customer
requests to complete the overhaul of their equipment in a very short
period of time.
▪ An engine is a multimillion dollar asset and no reasonable airline will
want it to sit around in an MRO rather than earning its lease rates.
▪ Engine and landing gear MROs also need very skilled and highly trained
workers to perform the required work, and also often have their own
NDT personnel.
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COMPONENT MRO’S
▪ Component MROs have to be certified like all the other types, but in
many cases the type of maintenance they provide does not require as
sophisticated an approach as that from engine or landing gear MROs.
▪ There are exceptions to that, of course, particularly in the field of
hydraulics, avionics and emergency equipment (like emergency door
slides, for instance).
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CONCLUSION
▪ The International Civil Aviaiton Organisation (ICAO) defines an approved
maintenance organization (AMO) as: "An organization approved by a
Contracting State, in accordance with the requirements of Annex 8, Part
II, Chapter 6 — Maintenance Organization Approval, to perform
maintenance of aircraft, engine, propeller or parts thereof and
operating under supervision approved by that State.“
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AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE CONTROL
70
MAINTENANCE CONTROL CENTRE
▪ The Maintenance Control Centre (MCC) is typically an extension of the
Operators Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation
(CAMO).
▪ Aircraft out of service for whatever reason can financially burden an
organisation.
▪ A business process which is able to manage and support in detail the
specific elements which ensure availability & safety will be a significant
positive for the well being of the organisation.
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ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
▪ Multiple possibilities concerning the layout and functionality of the
Maintenance Control Centre (MCC) are possible depending on the
organisations’ size, scope and objective.
▪ To work as an independent unit or integrated within the CAMO Basic
Functionality. (Note Basic Functionality is Planning – Engineering –
Reliability – Technical Records)
▪ MCC sits between the Operators – Operations Control Centre (OCC) and
the Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO).
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MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
a) Responding to
▪ Immediate – Aircraft on Ground (AOG)
▪ Short Term Maintenance Requirements (Daily – Weekly & Bi-Weekly
Checks)
▪ Medium Term Maintenance needs (A Checks)
▪ Long Term (C Checks)
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MAIN RESP.. CONTINUES
b) Maintenance Program and AD Oversight –
▪ Oversight of all maintenance due requirements to ensure the fleet
remains fully compliant
c) Assessment of Deferred Maintenance Items
▪ Ensure all maintenance remains in compliance with MEL limitations
d) Aircraft Condition Monitoring
▪ Continuous Monitoring of Reliability Data to Identify Repetitive Defects
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e) Maintenance Planning, Layover Coordination
▪ Ensuring completion of short-term maintenance
▪ Perform Out of Phase Maintenance
▪ Trouble Shooting & Defect Rectification
f) Prioritization of Maintenance Activities & assignment of resources and
manpower
g) Trouble Shooting Support
h) Maintenance & MEL Dispatch Control
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i) Work (package) assignment to AMO’s
j) Aircraft Changes Co-ordinated with OCC
▪ Ensure effective optimized for maintenance decisions for schedule changes to resolve conflicts
between maintenance and daily operations schedule.
k) Aircraft On the Ground (AOG)
▪ MCC departments often run 24 hours a day 7 days a week with the goal of
▪ Ensuring safe and serviceable aircraft
▪ Availability of aircraft to meet the schedule
▪ During AOG’s to co-ordinate all necessary activities to expedite the return of the aircraft to
service
▪ Ensure on-time repair solutions for AOG maintenance by expediting all material and parts
requirements
76 l) Outstation Coordination and Support

▪ The Maintenance Control Centre (MCC) is handling requirements
as: Aircraft Safety, Airworthiness Compliance, Customer Needs,
Environmental Restrictions, Economic Objectives given by stakeholders
from Operations Control Centre (OCC), Continuing Airworthiness
Organization (CAMO) and Maintenance Organizations (AMO's).
▪ It can supports functions as Maintenance Planning, Work Package
Assignment to MRO's, Maintenance Control, Maintenance Support,
MEL Dispatch Control, AOG Spares Supply and others.
▪ An efficient Maintenance Control Centre (MCC) is crucial for an efficient
airline network and a sufficient a/c dispatch punctuality.
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONTINUED AIRWORTHINESS (ICAW)
FOR EACH OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE TYPES
SUPPORTED
To enable support for a range of activities it is necessary to have access to
a full set of Type Certificate Holder (TCH) core related aircraft
documentation:
▪ Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM)
▪ Illustrated Parts Catalogue (IPC)
▪ Wiring Diagram Manual (WDM)
▪ Structural Repair Manual (SRM)
▪ Standards Practices (SPM)
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▪ Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE PROGRAM
(AMP)
▪ Controlling the Aircraft Maintenance Program is typically the
responsibility of CAMO Maintenance Planning Group – Managing The
Short Term Maintenance Planning Tasks typically sits within the MCC
Group.
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ACCESS TO AIRCRAFT TECHNICAL LOG
(ATL) DATA
▪ To manage the ongoing status of the aircraft requires details of the
Journey Details (hours Cycles & Landings) all Pilot Reports (PIREPS) as
well as the status of any deferred defects.
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RESPONDING TO AIRWORTHINESS
DIRECTIVES
▪ The purpose of an AD is to provide notification of unsafe conditions,
non-conformity with the basis of certification and other conditions
affecting the airworthiness of the aircraft.
▪ ADs mandate actions to ensure the continued safe operation of an
aeronautical product, and they may prohibit flight until corrective
action is carried out.
▪ Ultimately, it is the operator through either the CAMO or MCC who
must ensure that the operator’s aircraft remain in compliance with all
applicable airworthiness directives and other mandatory maintenance
requirements.
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SERVICE BULLETIN ASSESSMENT
▪ Upon receipt of recommendations issued by the aircraft, engine,
propeller and component manufacturers, which may be in form of
service bulletins or equivalent documents, CAMO Engineering or MCC
shall review those recommendations and make the determination of
whether compliance is appropriate.
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SUMMARY OF ENGINEERING RELATED
TASKS
▪ Review of manufacturers Service Bulletins, maintenance manual
revisions, Airworthiness Directives etc.
▪ Awareness Regarding Operating experience/environment/aircraft
configuration/mod status.
▪ Recurring defects/reliability program/addition of new aircraft/dispatch
system.
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DEFECT CONTROL & MANAGEMENT
Except in the case of aircraft operating in accordance with the Minimum
Equipment List (MEL) – The operators’ CAMO / MCC is responsible to ensure
that all defects are rectified before the further flight of the aircraft.
▪ Any defect that is considered reoccurring (for example has occurred three
times or more within the past month or the past 15 flight segments
(whichever period is the shortest) must be flagged as a recurring defect and
appropriate action taken.
▪ An investigation of the affected system should be considered, taking into
consideration all previous occurrences of the defect and the actions taken to
correct them.
▪ Any Maintenance or Troubleshooting itself should be recorded as a
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maintenance action regardless of whether such action rectifies the defect.
TOOLING & MATERIAL CONTROL
▪ To maintain an effective aircraft maintenance control process, a

cooperative working relationship must exist between production and
supply.
▪ Effective maintenance of complex aircraft systems cannot be
accomplished without an adequate material supply program.
▪ A material control process is required to ensure the timely availability of
tooling & equipment in support of AOG, Minor & other ad hoc (defect
rectification) maintenance activities.
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AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE CONTROL
https://youtu.be/njaZT1TYQvQ
86
CONCLUSION
The Maintenance Control Centre (MCC) is handling requirements as:
▪ Aircraft Safety,
▪ Airworthiness Compliance,
▪ Customer Needs,
▪ Environmental Restrictions,
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CONCLUSION
▪ Economic Objectives given by stakeholders from Operations Control
Centre (OCC),
▪ Continuing Airworthiness Organization (CAMO) and Maintenance
Organizations (AMO's).
▪ It can supports functions as Maintenance Planning, Work Package
Assignment to MRO's, Maintenance Control, Maintenance Support,
MEL Dispatch Control, AOG Spares Supply and others. An efficient
Maintenance Control Centre (MCC) is crucial for an efficient airline
network and a sufficient a/c dispatch punctuality.
88
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE STRATEGY
AND MAINTENANCE METHODS
89
IDEAL MAINTENANCE STRATEGY
▪ A winning aircraft maintenance strategy requires a fundamental
understanding of current market trends and efficiently managing both
external and internal maintenance operations.
▪ Aircraft maintenance planning plays a vital role in achieving optimized
operational requirements from an airline.
▪ An effective maintenance program provides the right maintenance
requirements on the right assets at the right time.
▪ Delivering a proper balance of maintenance activities allows for timely
corrective measures.
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IDEAL MAIN.. CONTINUES
▪ Keeping overheads low by reducing unnecessary operational and
support costs are integral to a winning aircraft maintenance strategy.
▪ As such, the challenge of an independent aircraft maintenance, repair,
and overhaul (MRO) service provider is to identify the correct
combinations of maintenance tasks for various components and
complex systems found throughout an aircraft’s lifecycle.
▪ With growing financial uncertainty, all aircraft maintenance service
providers are under tremendous pressure to deliver competitive
advantages to their customers.
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MAINTENANCE COSTS AND
OPERATIONS
▪ An aircraft operator must evaluate both internal and external costs
of aircraft maintenance.
▪ Not only are these audits necessary to verify the effectiveness of
processes measures, but also to determine the viability of maintenance
costs and operations.
▪ As a key aspect of any business, the purpose of an extensive audit is to
minimize the combined costs of operational requirements and
maintenance support.
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MAINTENANCE COSTS … CONTINUES
▪ A thorough audit of current maintenance activities identifies aspects
with strong potential for cost reduction.
▪ Utilizing query-based methodology ensures effective classification of all
components and critical paths.
▪ Airlines must factor in the total cost of maintenance when determining
operational requirements, rather than just contractual price.
▪ This will provide critical insight on maintenance challenges and
requirements across their operational fleet, from legacy aircrafts to
newer models.
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ECONOMICS OF SCALE
▪ As an aircraft operator grows, economies of scale must be brought into
consideration.
▪ Aircraft maintenance strategies are labour and capital extensive,
particular engine and component support.
▪ The growth progression of an airline or aircraft operator determines
scale.
▪ In-house capabilities, particularly in regards to maintenance strategies
should only be performed by airline operators above a fleet with over
fifty aircraft or more than 150 aircraft engines. Any airline fleet beyond
this threshold cannot justify the heavy in-house maintenance costs.
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ECONOMICS OF ... CONTINUES
▪ Rather, fleets below this threshold should outsource their maintenance
strategies to an MRO service provider.
▪ Using the expertise and experience of an independent MRO can reduce
total maintenance costs significantly while achieving economies of
scale.
▪ MRO service providers offer suitable maintenance strategies capable of
performing preventative maintenance tasks at the lowest possible costs.
95
LEASED AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE
▪ The growing uncertainty in geopolitical and economic climates creates
pressure on airlines to reduce overall operational costs.
▪ The recent economic challenges mean airlines seek total solutions with
other value-added benefits.
▪ This often translates into procurement solutions according to global fleet
size, aircraft utility, and variable air traffic volumes.
▪ As such, any airline who leases aircrafts must utilize MRO services to
ensure the airworthiness of their fleet to safely transport people and
cargo.
▪ This makes an MRO an essential requirement for any comprehensive
96
aircraft maintenance strategy.
LEASED AIRCRAFT MAIN.. CONTINUES
▪ The importance of the commercial aircraft MRO market provides
accommodating maintenance solutions to a diverse spectrum of
changing requirements.
▪ Their functionality as the ‘mediator’ during the end of lease agreement
between a lessee & lessor ensures all diverging interests are met.
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IMPACT OF OIL ON AIRCRAFT LIFECYCLE
▪ Despite the current economic challenges, the aviation industry has seen
growth and signs of recovery. Particularly throughout regions in the
Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
▪ This considerable growing demand is forecasted to grow over the next
decade, creating a demand for the increased airworthiness of existing
fleets and legacy aircraft.
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IMPACT OF OIL… CONTINUES
▪ The typical airline operations cost distribution sees fuel and labor as the
most cost-intensive aspect of any fleet.
▪ But with the current low fuel price environment, airlines are capable of
operating older generation aircraft at a significant economic benefit.
Particularly given their lower operating costs compared to new aircrafts.
99
▪ In fact, the leading independent gulf aircraft maintenance company in
the Middle East has begun moving legacy aircrafts back into commercial
production, extending the life of out-of-production aircrafts.
▪ Their ability to extend the airworthiness of legendary aircrafts such as
the B747-400, through a unique procedure of repair and maintenance,
provides long-term sustainable strategies for airlines looking to reduce
overall operational costs.
100
▪ A winning aircraft maintenance strategy requires a fundamental
understanding of current market trends (particularly within the oil
industry) and efficiently managing both external and internal
maintenance operations.
▪ Continuing airworthiness management responsibilities require a
strategic planning methodology to reduce operational costs and this in
turn achieves sustainable competitive advantage.
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▪ Any aircraft strategy attempting to implement best practice in
operations will require collaborative partnerships within the aviation
aftermarket.
▪ Being able to outsource specific, or all maintenance operational
requirements not only streamlines maintenance and business processes
but also eliminates expensive administrative costs.
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TYPES OF MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES
▪ There are 4 key types of maintenance management strategies including
run-to-failure maintenance, preventive maintenance, predictive
maintenance, and reliability-centred maintenance.
▪ These maintenance management strategies can be used together, or
independently.
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RUN-TO-FAILURE
▪ This is the simplest maintenance strategy where assets are actually
allowed to operate until they break down.
▪ The asset receives no maintenance until the failure event occurs and
then it’s (hopefully) fixed without causing any production issues.
▪ However, when using this method, it’s really critical to have spare parts
and reliable staff on hand to replace the failed parts in a timely manner.
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RUN-TO... CONTINUES
▪ This strategy is mostly used on assets that don’t have safety risks and
have a minimal impact on production.
▪ Almost every facilities manager/director uses this simple and credible
strategy for non-critical assets, like light bulbs and batteries.
▪ There are several reasons why a company would choose to implement
this maintenance management strategy.
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RUN-TO... CONTINUES
Pros
▪ It’s super simple and easy to understand
▪ There’s minimal planning required
▪ Fewer people resources are needed since less work is done day-to-date
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RUN-TO... CONTINUES
Cons
▪ It’s highly unpredictable
▪ It can be expensive in some cases
▪ Makes scheduling/planning for staff difficult
▪ There’s a safety risk involved
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PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE (OR
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE)
▪ This type of proactive maintenance approach includes adjustments,
cleaning, lubrication, repairs, and parts replacements.
▪ Preventive maintenance software keeps assets in good working order
and reduces unscheduled downtime and major repairs.
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▪ Preventive maintenance is probably the most popular maintenance
management strategy… at least it gets the most buzz in the industry.
▪ When the quality of production is impacted due to unreliable
equipment and costs skyrocket because of unplanned servicing, it’s
probably time to consider a preventive maintenance program
109
Pros
▪ Minimized asset breakdowns
▪ Reduced downtime
▪ Safer work environment
▪ Increases asset’s productive life
▪ Improves production quality
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Cons
▪ More labor intensive
▪ Unnecessary maintenance of equipment (loss of man hours and
revenue)
▪ Doesn’t eliminate catastrophic failures
▪ Can cause early deterioration of equipment
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PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE
▪ This is a technique that uses condition-monitoring tools to track the
performance of equipment during normal operation to detect possible
defects and fix them before the asset fails.
▪ Predictive maintenance is next on the list and can easily be used in
conjunction with preventive maintenance.
▪ In fact, preventive maintenance usually provides the processes and
insights needed to build an efficient predictive maintenance program.
▪ This type of maintenance management strategy is mostly used in larger
organizations with more complex operations.
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PREDICTIVE MAIN... CONTINUES
Pros
▪ Decreased maintenance costs
▪ Reduced unexpected failures and repair time
▪ Increased production efficiency
▪ Increased service life of parts
▪ Improved worker and environmental safety
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PREDICTIVE MAIN.. CONTINUES
Cons
▪ High start-up costs
▪ Limitations of some equipment
▪ Misinterpreted data, leading to false maintenance requests
▪ Difficult to install, configure, and run
114
RELIABILITY-CENTRED MAINTENANCE
▪ This is a strategy that is implemented to optimize the maintenance
program of a corporation or a facility.
▪ It means having a specific maintenance strategy for each asset that is
optimized so that productivity is maintained using cost-effective
maintenance techniques.
▪ Reliability-centred maintenance (RCM) is a concept of maintenance
planning to ensure that systems continue to do what their user requires
in their present operating context.
▪ Put simply, it’s the process of determining the best effective
maintenance strategy for each asset inside the building or facility by
combining all of the methods above.
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RELIABILITY-CEN... CONTINUES
Pros
▪ Increases equipment availability and reliability
▪ Reduces maintenance costs
▪ Lowers staff costs
▪ Helps to prevent loss of life, property damage, and environmental harm
▪ Incorporates root cause analysis
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RELIABILITY-CEN... CONTINUES
Cons
▪ Really high up-front costs for training and equipment
▪ Savings potential not evident to management
▪ To be effective, RCM requires a certain level of maintenance maturity to
ensure accurate and complete asset data
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DOCUMENTATION AND REGULATIONS
118
DOCUMENTATION
▪ Ensuring an aircraft fly safely requires various types of maintenance
(preventive, snags, scheduled, unscheduled, etc.) to be performed on
the aircraft at various periodicities based on days, flying hours, aircraft
engine starts, aircraft landings, aircraft cycles, etc.
▪ In aviation, maintenance documentation (referring and recording)
ensures that the scheduled maintenance is performed as per the
maintenance manuals and in a correct sequence of steps.
▪ If any step in any of the maintenance tasks is skipped / missed or done
in the incorrect order, it could result in a catastrophe.
▪ In aviation history many aircraft accidents have been caused due to
such small missteps or missing of small steps.
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DOCUMENTATION.. CONTINUES
▪ So, it is evident that, maintenances on aircraft must be performed step
by step as per applicable Manuals and Regulations.
▪ In order to ensure that no step of a maintenance task is skipped, Civil
Aviation Regulators have mandated the operators to adhere to the
maintenance documentation method of signing off and the use of task
card / worksheets.
120
▪ A Proper Documentation Gives Us The Following Information:
a) Step by step maintenance undertaken.
b) Who did the job?
c) When was the job done?
d) Which special tools were used?
e) What were the values of the checks done?
f) How much work was finished?
g) Which documents were referred?
121
Maintenance Data
▪ Any applicable requirement, procedure, standard or information issued
by the competent authority or the Agency
▪ Any applicable airworthiness directive
▪ Applicable instructions for continuing airworthiness, issued by type
certificate holders, supplementary type certificate holders and any
other organisation which is approved by the concerned regulator
▪ Maintenance Manuals for e.g., AMM, EMM, APUMM, SRM, CMM, TSM,
AFM etc.,
122
Maintenance Data
▪ Safety precautions, cautions
▪ Any checks need to be done post maintenance
▪ Ensure that an error capturing method is implemented after any critical
maintenance task is performed.
▪ Ensure that the risk of multiple errors during maintenance and the risk
of errors being repeated in identical maintenance tasks are minimized.
123
Current Status of Aircraft
▪ Applicability of that maintenance for the specific aircraft either based
on MSN
▪ Aircraft configuration, including modification status, (AD, SB, STC etc.)
Components installed (maintenance may vary based on the component
OEM of the applicable aircraft system)
▪ Past history of defects on the system
▪ Pre-requisite aircraft and ambient conditions
124
Required items:
▪ Consumables
▪ Rotables
▪ Expendables
▪ Lubricants
▪ General and special tools
▪ Equipments
▪ Ground Support Equipment
125
Facility Preparation
▪ Hangar requirements
▪ Expected ambient conditions
▪ Manpower requirements
126
The prepared task card should also emphasize on the following:
a) Step by Step procedure
b) Provision for recording the tested values wherever applicable
c) Details of the AMEs and Technicians involved in the maintenance
d) Provision for AMEs and Technicians signature with date and time
e) Serial numbers and calibration validity details of the special tools /
equipment used
f) Documents referred (If any)
g) Status of the stages of maintenance task completed.
127
REGULATIONS
▪ Based on the history of aircraft accidents and incidents, various aviation regulators
have stipulated various regulations for maintenance organisations to imbibe and
adhere to.
▪ Some of the regulations which are applicable to this article are as follows:
▪ Para 1.4.13 of FAA Advisory Circular No. 145-9A defines Maintenance Function as a step or series
of steps in the process of performing maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations.
▪ CAR GM 145.A.48 Performance of maintenance states that, A ‘sign-off’ is a statement issued by
the ‘authorised person’ which indicates that the task or group of tasks has been correctly
performed. A ‘sign-off’ relates to one step in the maintenance process and is, therefore, different
to a certificate of release to service.
▪ Para (1) of AMC 145.A.48(c) Performance of maintenance states the procedures should be aimed
at minimising multiple errors and preventing omissions. The procedures should specify that every
maintenance task is signed off only after completion.
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REGULATIONS.. CONTINUES
▪ Para 3 of AMC M.A.401(c) Maintenance data states Maintenance tasks
should be transcribed onto the work cards or worksheets and
subdivided into clear stages to ensure a record of the accomplishment
of the maintenance task.
▪ Of particular importance is the need to differentiate and specify, when
relevant, disassembly, accomplishment of task, reassembly and testing.
129
▪ Para b of M.A.401 Maintenance data states that the applicable
maintenance data is:
a) any applicable requirement, procedure, standard or information
issued by the competent authority or the Agency,
b) any applicable airworthiness directive,
c) applicable instructions for continuing airworthiness, issued by type
certificate holders, supplementary type certificate holders and any
other organisation that publishes such data in accordance with CAR 21.
d) any applicable data which is accepted by the regulator.
130
▪ The maintenance of aircraft is highly regulated, in order to ensure safe and
correct functioning during flight.
▪ In civil aviation national regulations are coordinated under international
standards, established by the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO).
▪ The ICAO standards have to be implemented by local airworthiness
authorities to regulate the maintenance tasks, personnel and inspection
system. Maintenance staff must be licensed for the tasks they carry out.
▪ Major airworthiness regulatory authorities include the US Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), European Union Aviation Safety
Agency (EASA), Australian Transport Safety Bureau(ATSB), Transport
131
Canada (TC) and Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
▪ Critical Maintenance Task’ means a maintenance task that involves the
assembly or any disturbance of a system or any part on an aircraft,
engine or propeller that, if an error occurred during its performance,
could directly endanger the flight safety.
▪ GM M.A.402(h) Performance of maintenance and appendix VII of CAR-
M/Part M — Complex Maintenance Tasks has stipulated list of complex
tasks
▪ AMC M.A.305(h) Aircraft continuing airworthiness record system states
that keeping continuing airworthiness records in a form acceptable to
the competent authority normally means in paper form or on a
computer database or a combination of both methods.
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UNDERSTANDING THE REGULATIONS
Based on the above said regulations it is expected that the AMOs adhere
to the regulations and devise an appropriate procedure for maintenance
documentation as follows:
▪ Point I and Point VI mandate operators to identify the complex
maintenance tasks of their fleet and prepare the work cards or
worksheets with the following provisions:
i. Step or series of steps in the process of performing maintenance

ii. Maintenance task is subdivided into clear stages.
iii. Record of accomplishment of each stage / Provision for signing by the engineer
and technician who performed the task with date and time.
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UNDERSTANDING.. CONTINUES
▪ Point II and Point III mandate that an AME needs to sign-off task or
group of tasks has been correctly performed by him/her and to be
signed only after task completes.
▪ In Point V, the regulator provides a provision to the operator to
maintain the continuing airworthiness records either in paper form or in
electronic form or both which are in a form acceptable to the regulator.
▪ Point VII lists the documents that fall under maintenance data and same
needs to be considered for task cards / work sheets and for
maintenance too.
134
CONCLUSION
▪ In aviation, it is very important to perform every maintenance diligently
with proper documentation of the maintenance tasks performed,
personnel involved, equipment used, etc.
▪ Due to go green concept, to reduce the paper usage and to promote
the usage of latest technology, the operators are recommended to use
computerised documentation methods without compromising on the
regulatory requirements.
▪ During the changeover to technology, it is possible for the operators to
misinterpret the regulations and not comply with the requirements of
the regulations.
135
CONCLUSION
▪ The important points which need to be considered in the computerised
method of maintaining continuing airworthiness records are as follows:
a) Marking / selecting in the gadget for the step of the maintenance task
completed
b) Recording of the Personnel Accessing
c) Recording of the ATA chapters and tasks accessed on the gadget
d) Details of the special tools and test equipment used for the
maintenance
e) Testing values (wherever applicable)
f) Status of the accomplishment of maintenance task.
136
CONTROL AND SEARCH OF DAMAGED
ASSEMBLIES
137
INSPECTION FUNDAMENTALS
▪ The Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) require the inspection of all civil
aircraft at specific intervals, to assure that the aircraft's condition is
equal to its original or properly altered condition with regard to
aerodynamic function, structural strength, and resistance to vibration.
▪ Inspection interval requirements are established considering the
purpose for which the aircraft is used and its operating environment.
Some aircraft must be inspected each 100 hours of time in service while
others must be inspected only once each 12 calendar months.
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INSPECTION FUND.. CONTINUES
▪ The 100-hour and annual inspections require complete inspection of
the aircraft at one time and a certification as to its airworthiness.
▪ Some airplanes may be inspected in accordance with a progressive
inspection (FAR 91.171) or an approved inspection program (FAR
91.217) wherein portions of the aircraft are inspected according to a
predetermined schedule.
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INSPECTION FUND.. CONTINUES
▪ The inspection requirements for aircraft, in various types of operation,
are stated in FAR 91, Sections 91.169, 91.171, or Subpart D of FAR 91.
▪ The latter prescribes an inspection program for large and turbine-
powered multi engine airplanes (turbojet and turboprop).
▪ If you are concerned with the inspection of a large airplane (over 12,500
pounds) or a turbo jet or turbopropeller-powered multiengine air plane,
you should determine the inspection requirements for that specific
airplane.
▪ The information contained in Section I of this handbook may not be
directly applicable to these larger type airplanes, but the inspec tion
techniques will be similar.
140
INSPECTION INTERVALS AND SYSTEMS
▪ Federal Aviation Regulations require inspection of aircraft at specific
intervals and that they be approved for return to service by certificated
and appropriately rated personnel.
▪ The interval of your inspection should be adjusted to provide the
greatest value to you considering your aircraft use and the required
inspections; e.g., if you are required to have 100-hour inspections, you
might want to inspect the aircraft each 25 and 50 hours.
▪ If you are required to have only annual inspections, you may wish to
inspect the aircraft each 50 to 100 hours of operation.
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INSPECTION INT.. CONTINUES
▪ The manufacturer's service instructions will be valuable in establishing
these intervals.
▪ Historically, inspection intervals have been established on the basis of
flying hours.
▪ How ever, if utilization is low and flying is done over the weekends, you
may find it advisable to inspect a small group of items each weekend.
▪ This will spread your inspection over a period of time and reduce large
demands on your time.
142
TYPES OF INSPECTION INTERVALS
Daily preflight inspection
▪ Powerplant (including propeller and engine controls)-every 25 hours
▪ Flight control systems-every 25 hours Landing gear-every"50 hours
Cabin or cockpit-every 75 hours
▪ Covering (fabric or metal)-every 100 hours
▪ Fuselage interior-every 100 hours, etc.
143
TYPES OF INS.. CONTINUES
By calendar weeks (eight-week cycle) :
▪ Daily preflight inspection (including propeller and engine controls)
▪ Powerplant-first and fifth weekend
▪ Flight control system-second and sixth weekend
▪ Landing gear-third and seventh weekend
▪ Cabin or cockpit-fourth and eighth week end
▪ Covering (fabric or metal)-eighth weekend
▪ Fuselage interior-eighth weekend
144
TOOLS OF INSPECTION
▪ The tools of inspection are many and varied.
▪ They range from a pocket-sized magnifying glass to a complex X-ray
machine.
▪ The tools required to make a simple inspection, of the type which may
be performed by the aircraft owner, are inexpensive and readily
available.
145
TOOLS OF INS.. CONTINUES
▪ The following list is typical:
▪ Eight or ten-power magnifying glass inspection mirror
▪ Flashlight
▪ Small wire brush
146
TOOLS OF INS.. CONTINUES
▪ Dull-bladed knife
▪ Round bristle brush and cleaning fluid (use caution when selecting
cleaning fluids)
▪ Hydrometer some rags small kit of common handtools (screwdriver, end
wrenches, diagonal cutters, etc.)
▪ Skid-proof stepladder and wheel jacks
147
INSPECTION- DO’S
▪ DO have an assortment of proper tools for inspection.
▪ DO have an inspection check form and a regular inspection procedure.
STICK TO IT.
▪ DO remove all inspection plates and cowlings in the area to be
inspected.
▪ DO clean all items to be inspected: This is essential, in order to clearly
see the parts you are inspecting. Inspect before and after cleaning.
148
INSPECTION- DO’S
▪ DO check all moving parts for proper lubrication and check the "jam" or
locking nuts on push-pull controls or adjustment devices for security.
▪ DO familiarize yourself with proper safetying techniques and inspect for
proper safetying. Resafety a part you have unsafetied before inspecting
the next item.
▪ DO seek assistance in any questionable area. A certificated mechanic,
an approved repair station, or your local FAA inspector are your prime
contacts. Use them.
▪ DO the job right the first time-save a life it may be your OWN.
149
INSPECTION- DON’TS
▪ DON'T be hurried-take plenty of time to properly inspect each item. If
you don’t know what. to do next, ASK.
▪ DON’T move the propeller unless the magneto switch reads "OFF,' or
the ignition system is otherwise rendered inoperative.
▪ DON'T presume an item is airworthy until it has been checked.
150
INSPECTION- DON’TS
▪ DON'T check landing gear by kicking it raise it off the ground.
▪ DON'T perform any complex inspection or maintenance operation
unless you are properly supervised by a certificated mechanic.
▪ DON'T take the attitude-it can’t happen to me.
151
INSPECTING DAMAGES
▪ Before starting the inspection, be certain that all plates, access doors,
and fairings have been opened or removed from the areas to be
inspected.
▪ When opening inspection plates and cowling, take note of any oil or
other foreign material accumulation which may offer evidence of fluid
leakage or other abnormal condition that should be corrected.
▪ Make note of these items, then thoroughly clean an areas to be
inspected.
152
INSPECTING DAM.. CONTINUES
▪ Examine the interior fuselage structure through access doors and
inspection openings.
▪ Look for bent longerons or braces, cracked tubing or bulkheads, loose
bolts or rivets, and missing safety wire or cotter pins.
▪ Carefully inspect the airframe structure using a magnifying glass at the
wing, strut, and landing gear attachment fittings.
▪ Look for distortion, cracks, poor welds, or elongated bolt holes.
Determine that the entire structure is free from corrosion, rust,
deterioration, and other defects.
153
▪ Worn or damaged structure, and components that are defective, should
be repaired or re placed by persons authorized in FAR 43, and in
accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
▪ Inspect fabric or skin for tears, distortion, deterioration, or other
defects. Check the condition of protective coating.
▪ Be sure that the fabric or skin attachment to the structure is satisfactory
and that there are no pulled or loose rivets, missing or loose screws, or
broken rib lacing.
154
▪ If the condition of the fabric is questionable, a test should be made by a
qualified person to determine if the fabric meets the minimum strength
requirements.
▪ Check external bracing and attachment fittings for distortion, cracks, or
any other imperfections. Check struts or brace wires for condition and
security of attachment.
155
▪ Check adjustable ends for cracks, excessive bearing wear, worn or
damaged threads, loose locking nuts, and any other defects.
▪ Damaged brace wires or struts should be repaired or replaced in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions prior to further
operation.
▪ Examine control system mechanisms for condition and proper
operation. Inspect bell cranks for cracks, proper alignment, and security.
▪ Rotate pulleys to check for flat spots, to provide new bearing surfaces
for cables, and to check for smooth, free operation.
156
▪ Check control rods for security, freedom of movement, abrasion,
distortion, corrosion, and proper alignment through formers and bulk.
Proper cable routing.
▪ Improper cable routing. heads. Inspect control rod-ends for cracks,
security, evidence of misalignment, and excessive clearance in bearings.
157
▪ Check cables for proper tension and routing through fairleads and
pulleys.
▪ Control cables should be replaced if damaged, distorted, worn, or
corroded, even though the strands are not broken.
▪ Control rods should be replaced if cracked, gouged, or damaged in any
manner other than superficial chafing.
158
▪ Inspect hydraulic valves, actuators, and boost controls for condition,
leaks, security of attachment, freedom of operation, or other defects.
▪ Particular attention should be given to flexible hoses carrying fluid
under pressure.
159
▪ Check electrical wiring for proper installation and security of
attachment.
▪ Check for chafing and general condition.
▪ Inspect installation of grommets, plastic tubing, and connectors.
160
▪ Determine that soldered electrical connections are not deteriorated or
corroded, or that terminals are not weak or misaligned.
▪ Inspect switches, fuses, and circuit breakers for proper condition and
mounting.
161
▪ Wiring that has been damaged should be replaced and the cause of
damage corrected.
▪ Inspect hydraulic system hoses and metallic fluid lines for leaks, dents,
kinks, cracks, chaffing, and security.
▪ Inspect fluid reservoirs for proper fluid level. ·
162
▪ When leakage cannot be corrected by tightening connections or
replacing packings, a serviceable unit should be installed.
▪ Care must be exercised in tightening connections or they may be
damaged beyond use.
163
▪ Inspect fuel tanks and filler caps for proper alignment, security of
attachment, and evidence of leaks.
▪ Be certain that vents and vent lines are free from obstructions.
▪ Examine fuel lines and connections for leaks, cracks, chafing, and
security of attachment.
▪ Ensure that overflow and drain lines are not kinked or broken, and that
they extend beyond the aircraft skin line (overboard).
164
▪ Fuel systems incorporate fuel tank sumps and sediment bowls to trap
water that could pass through the fuel lines to the engine.
▪ Periodically drain fuel from the tank sumps and the sediment bowl, and
examine for water or other contamination.
▪ Replace and safety drain plugs.
165
▪ Tests have shown that, in some cases, relatively large quantities of fuel
must be drained before an indication of water is noted.
▪ Determine the characteristics of your aircraft and drain accordingly.
▪ The carburetor, fuel lines, and tank sumps should be drained, if an ab
normal amount of water is detected in the main fuel strainers.
166
▪ Abnormal water accumulation is reason to suspect the fuel dispensing
system of your fuel supplier.
▪ He should be alerted to the presence of water to permit corrective
action. Inspect cabin and cockpit entrance doors and emergency exits
for general condition.
167
▪ Check them for ease of operation and for security of attachment. If the
aircraft cabin is pressurized, ensure that the door and window seals are
intact and in place.
▪ Determine that emergency exit placards are clearly legible.
168
▪ Inspect float attachment fittings for condition, cracks, and defective
welds.
▪ Check struts and bracing for proper attachment, alignment, and
safetying.
▪ Due to the rigidity of float installations, a thorough inspection should be
made of the fittings and adjacent structure where the struts are
attached to the fuselage.
▪ Drain or pump any accumulated water 'from each float compartment.
Skis should be inspected, for defects or damage and for security of
rigging and main axle attachment fittings.
169
▪ Special attention should be given to the ski pedestal. Periodically
inspect the ski bottoms for tears or cracks.
▪ If installed, check hydraulic system for leaks and proper fluid level.
Inspect for condition and proper rigging of all devices restraining the
skis from digging into the snow.
170
▪ Determine the condition of the wing and center section by carefully
inspecting fixed surfaces for signs of deterioration, distortion, and loose
or missing rivets and screws, especially in the area of fabric or skin
attachment to the structure.
▪ Inspect fabric or skin for tears, cuts, or other defects; and examine
condition of protective covering.
▪ Inspect fabric at windshield for deterioration and security of
attachment.
171
▪ External distortion in any area may be an indication of internal failure.
Inspect the interior through available inspection doors or holes.
▪ If internal failure is suspected and no inspection doors or holes exist,
contact a certificated maintenance facility to make the necessary
inspection and repair.
172
▪ Inspect the internal brace fittings (struts or brace wires) where they
attach to the wing structure, for distortion, cracks, or any other defects.
▪ Inspect clevis pins or bolts for wear, cracks, ‘worn or damaged threads,
and any other defects.
▪ If any rigging adjustment of the external bracing has been
accomplished, particular care should be taken to ensure that there is a
sufficient number of threads holding in the adjusting terminals.
▪ Most terminals are provided with a test hole in the shank :for making
this inspection. If safety wire can be inserted through the test hole, the
terminal is not being held by the required number of threads.
173
▪ Another method of ensuring that sufficient threads have been screwed
into the barrel or :female fittings is to count the threads on the male
fitting.
▪ If more than three threads show, the connection MAY not be
satisfactory.
▪ Determine that wing attachment fittings are not distorted, cracked, or
damaged in any way, and that bolt holes are not elongated.
▪ Check wing attachment bolts for general condition and security of
attachment. If wing attachment bolts are loose, determine the reason
for looseness.
174
▪ Tighten to the torque values specified by the manufacturer if no other
defect exists.
▪ Be certain that hydraulic lines are free from cracks, kinks, dents, and
leaks, and inspect for security of attachment and wear due to chafing.
▪ Ensure that hydraulic actuators are securely mounted and not leaking.
175
▪ Any defects noted in the hydraulic system should be corrected. by a
properly qualified mechanic.
▪ If the condition of the fabric is doubtful, the advice and assistance of a
qualified person should be sought.
▪ Samples of the fabric may be taken from portions of the aircraft MOST
affected by the elements and forwarded to an accredited testing
laboratory for examination.
▪ On fabric-covered surfaces, check drainage grommets for security of
attachment and obstructions.
176
▪ Drainage grommets are reinforced openings usually located near the
lowest point at the trailing edges of wings and tail sur faces.
▪ These openings provide for drainage of moisture and circulation of air
to dry interior surfaces.
▪ Seaplane drainage grommets are identified by a hood over the centre
cut-out which minimizes effect of spray during take-off and landing.
▪ This type of grommet is some times used on landplanes in that part of
the structure subject to splash from the landing gear when operating
from wet or muddy fields.
177
▪ Remove all inspection plates and fairings, and open all access doors so
that internal inspection may be made.
▪ Examine the internal structure for condition of spars, ribs, com pression
members, rib lacing, and any internal form of skin attachment.
▪ Inspect spars and ribs for cracks, damage, and deterioration.
▪ Check the condition of glued joints and the protective finish on all
internal structure. Inspect compression members for security, cracks,
kinks, bends, and condition of finish.
178
▪ Inspect drag and antidrag wires for proper tension, attachment,
protective coating, and corrosion.
▪ Check all fittings attached to spars or ribs for security, protective
coating, and corrosion.
▪ Check all forms of internal skin attachments for proper security.
179
▪ Any defect or questionable item in the wing structure should be
brought to the attention of qualified maintenance personnel.
▪ Inspect movable surfaces (ailerons, flaps, and trim tabs) for proper
operation.
▪ Check for loose or pulled rivets, distortion, and loose fabric or skin
attachment. Examine hinges and horns for security of attachment,
breaks, bends, loose or worn pins, proper lubrication, and safetying.
180
▪ No repairs, refinishing, or repainting of balanced control surfaces
(ailerons, elevators, rudders, and trim tabs) may be accomplished
unless the surface is rebalanced.
▪ Control imbalance may cause a dangerous vibration or flutter condition.
Rebalancing may only be accomplished by certificated personnel.
▪ Examine the control mechanism for freedom of movement and proper
operation. Inspect bell cranks for cracks, alignment, and security.
181
▪ Check cables for proper tension, fraying, wear, and proper routing
through fairleads and pulleys.
▪ Inspect hinges for breaks, cracks, distortion, and security of attachment.
Refer to the manufacturer's recommended procedures for lubrication.
182
▪ Inspect fuel tanks for security of mounting and signs of leakage. Ensure
that filler caps are secure and the vent is in the proper location and free
from obstructions.
▪ Check fuel lines and connections for leaks, cracks, security of
attachment, and chafing.
▪ Be sure overflow and drain lines are not kinked or broken and are
properly routed to the outside air.
183
▪ Improperly placed vents and lines that are kinked or otherwise
distorted can cause "fuel starvation" and engine stoppage.
▪ As a pre caution against using the wrong grade of fuel, make sure a
legible placard is located at or near the fuel tank filler neck. Inspect
pitot tubes or masts for obstructions, distortion, and security.
184
▪ Periodically, drain and cleanout pitot and static lines. .
▪ Care must be used to ensure drains are properly closed since leaks have
an adverse affect on the accuracy of instruments in the system.
▪ Ensure that wiring is routed so that it can. not possibly become
entangled with movable mechanisms.
▪ Inspect all wiring for chafing, proper installation, and security. Check
installation and condition of grommets, plastic tubing, adapters, and
proper taping.
185
▪ Inspect leading edge of wing for damage. Inspect wing tips for damage
and/ or security o£ attachment.
▪ Damaged or weakened lenses must be replaced since their failure can
lead to severe wing damage.
▪ Inspect retractable landing lights for proper extension, retraction, and
general condition.
186
▪ Inspect deicing boots for proper inflation and deflation.
▪ Check for punctures, bruises, loose patches, and security of attachment.
▪ Examine deices pressure lines and fittings for leakage, security, and
general condition.
▪ Rubber hose connections from boots to tubing must clear the holes
through the structure, satisfactory installation.
187
▪ Examine for corrosion and must be secured to prevent distortion and
other defects. the external surface of the boot.
▪ Inspect control gust locks for condition.
▪ If thermal anti-icing (hot wings) is utilized, sure that they release
completely and cannot inspect the ducts for leakage, attachment, and
possibly engage inadvertently.
188
▪ Inspect cabin and cockpit for general condition, cleanliness, and
presence of loose articles which might interfere with the controls or
other systems.
▪ Using a flashlight, inspect below and behind the instrument panel for
loose or chafing wires, instrument line leaks, and any other defect.
▪ Check operation of controls for possible interference, full travel,
abnormal wear, or other defects.
189
▪ Examine the fire warning and detecting system for security of
attachment and general condition.
▪ Ensure that wires connecting the sensing devices and the indicating
instrument show no evidence of chafing or deterioration.
▪ Inspection and maintenance of fire extinguishers should be in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions attached to the
extinguisher unit.
190
▪ Ensure that the extinguisher is fully charged. Inspect for general
condition and security of attachment.
▪ Inspect the cabin heating and ventilating system for leakage and
condition of units, lines, and fittings.
▪ Check system operation by moving the controls to make certain they
function properly.
▪ Carefully observe that no flammable material is in the vicinity of the
heaters and exhaust lines or ports.
191
▪ Check fuel selector valves for leaks, freedom of movement, positive
detents, smooth operation, security of mounting, and placards.
▪ Any defects noted should be corrected immediately by a person
authorized in FAR 43. Check engine primer assembly for leaks and
operation.
▪ Inspect the entire fuel system for general condition, mounting, and
freedom from leaks. Inspect electric wire bundles for general condition,
chafing, and routing.
192
▪ Examine connections at terminals, junction boxes, cannon plugs, and
clips for looseness and defects.
▪ Check condition of circuit breakers, fuses, switches, voltage regulators,
and reverse cur rent relays.
▪ Fuse clips (including spares) must be free from corrosion and hold fuses
securely, yet permit easy removal.
193
▪ Replace burned out fuses with fuses of proper type and capacity. Re
place any fuses used from the supply of spare fuses.
▪ Inspect the hydraulic system reservoir for general condition, security of
attachment, and proper fluid level.
▪ Examine the pressure accumulator for defects. Check pumps for
security of mounting and condition.
▪ Inspect bypass valves and relief valves for leaks
194
▪ Ensure that lines are properly secured and free from leaks, dents, kinks,
cracks or chafing.
▪ Check hydraulic brake master cylinder for fluid level and leaks. Air and
dirt in hydraulic systems are the most frequent causes of faulty
operation. Air causes faulty release, irregular pressure, and noisy
operation.
▪ Dirt and grit affect valve operation and produce leakage by cutting the
various packings throughout the system.
195
▪ When replenishing hydraulic fluid, NEVER mix dissimilar hydraulic fluids.
This "mixing" can result in complete system failure.
▪ Avoid spilling fluid when servicing hydraulic systems since some of
these fluids severely damage paints and electrical insulation material.
▪ Inspect all instruments for security of attachment, cleanliness, legibility
of dial markings, security of glass dial covers, proper markings, and
general appearance.
▪ The magnetic compass should be checked regularly for proper fluid
level and accuracy. Check instrument panel indicating and warning
lights for operation, condition, and security. Replace inoperative
indicator bulbs.
196
PREFLIGHT INSPECTION
▪ The following Preflight Inspection Check list may be used as a guide
when developing a preflight checklist for your aircraft.
▪ It should be modified to suit the aircraft type and to include the
manufacturer's recommendations (normally found i:: the Pilots/
Owners Operation Handbook).
▪ The numbers on the inspection chart correspond to the numbers
indicated on the itemized list. By following the numerical route, an
effective and organized preflight inspection can be accomplished.
197
PREFLIGHT INS.. CONTINUES
▪ The first three items to be accomplished are:
▪ Battery and ignition switches-OFF
▪ Control locks-REMOVED
▪ Landing gear control-GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED
▪ After completion of item Number 1, proceed with the preflight

inspection.
▪ Carefully observe the general overall appearance of the airplane.
198
▪ Fuselage : Right side
▪ Exterior of cockpit doors/ passenger door check for security of hinges and latch
lock.
▪ Check condition of skin and windows.
▪ Baggage compartment contents secured and door locked.
▪ Airspeed static source-free from obstructions.
▪ Condition of covering-missing or loose rivets, cracks, tears in fabric, etc.
199
▪ Empennage:
▪ Deicer boot condition and security.
▪ Control surface locks--"REMOVE." Fixed and movable control surfaces, dents,
cracks, excess play, hinge pins and bolts for security and movable sur faces for full
travel and freedom of movement.
▪ Tailwheel--spring, steering arms and chains, tire inflation, and condition.
▪ Lights-navigation and anti collision lights for condition and security.
200
▪ Fuselage : Left side
▪ Same as item 2.
▪ Wing:
▪ Control surface locks-"REMOVE."
▪ Control surfaces, including flaps'---dents, cracks, excess play, hinge pins and bolts
for security and condition, movable surfaces for full travel and freedom of
movement.
▪ General condition of wings and covering, torn fabric, bulges or wrinkles, loose or
missing rivets, "oil cans," etc.
201
▪ Wing tip and navigation light condition and security.
▪ Deicer boots-general condition and security.
▪ Landing light condition, cleanliness, and security.
▪ Stall warning vane-freedom of movement.
▪ Prior to inspection, turn master switch "ON" so that stall warning signal can be checked
when vane is deflected.
202
CONCLUSION
▪ Inspection is the critical visual examining, testing, measuring, and functional
checking re quired to determine the airworthiness of the items being inspected.
▪ Aircraft inspection may range from a casual "walk-around" to a detailed
inspection involving complete disassembly and the use of com plex inspection
aids.
▪ The inspection of your aircraft should be come a habit. To establish the habit,
begin by performing preflight inspections and work up to detailed inspections.
▪ Develop a system of inspection and use an inspection checklist that covers the
complete aircraft.
▪ Once adopted, you should not deviate from the procedure. After completing a
few inspections you will be surprised at how familiar you will be with your
203
aircraft.

Maintenance and Repair of Aircraft

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Maintenance and Repair of Aircraft

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MAINTENANCE

▪ This definition covers all activities for which aviation regulations require

76 l) Outstation Coordination and Support

▪ To maintain an effective aircraft maintenance control process, a

i. Step or series of steps in the process of performing maintenance

▪ After completion of item Number 1, proceed with the preflight

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