CHAPTER-3

Document for Maintenance

Air Carrier Maintenance Programs, refers to the air carrier maintenance manual system,
maintenance record/documentation keeping system, and various other requirements. The aircraft
documentation system can be defined as “cradle to grave.” When the aircraft is built, the
documentation starts, and throughout its service life the documentation is gathered in the form of
maintenance performed log pages, Engineering Order (EOs), Airworthiness Directive (ADs),
Service Bulletins (SBs), Fleet Campaign Directives (FCDs), records of any minor or major repairs,
and phase checks. When an aircraft is sold, decommissioned, and retired, all the paperwork must
follow the aircraft
Types of Maintenance Documents: -
 1. Manufacturer’s documentation
 2. Regulatory documentation
 3. Airline-generated documentation
 4. ATA document standard
1. Manufacturers’ Documentation: -
Table 5-1 indicates the documents provided to an operator by the airframe manufacturer
for the maintenance of the aircraft. The form and content of the documents sometimes
varies from one manufacturer to another. The table identifies, basically, the type of
information the airframe manufacturer makes available to its customers. Some of the
documents can be customized for the airline or operator to only include configuration and
equipment. These are called customized documents by the manufacturer and are noted at
the bottom of Table 5-1.
 Airplane maintenance manual : - The airplane maintenance manual (AMM) is a formal
document containing all the basic information on the operation and maintenance of the
aircraft and its on-board equipment. It starts with an explanation of how each system and
subsystem works (detailing description and operation) and describes such basic
maintenance and serving actions as removal and installation of LRUs and various tests
performed on the system and equipment, such as functional test, operational check,
adjustments, the replenishing of various fluids, and other servicing tasks.
 Component and vendor manuals:- Any component built by the airframe manufacturer
will be accompanied by a component maintenance manual (CMM) written by the
manufacturer. Normally, the aircraft manufacturers make the aircraft, while other systems,
such as engines, landing gears, flight crew seats, and passenger seats, are purchased from
outside vendors, but when the aircraft manufacturer sells the aircraft, the other vendors’
CMMs accompany these items, in case parts need to be repaired or replaced. The CMM
shows the breakdown of all components that make a complete part. The components
installed on the aircraft are chosen by the airlines and are installed during or after the
aircraft is completed.
 Fault isolation manual (FIM): - The FIM contains a set of fault isolation trees provided
by the aircraft manufacturer to help troubleshoot, isolate the section where the fault
occurred, and identify and pinpoint problems related to various systems and components
on the aircraft. The aircraft faults system normally shows the fault occurrence at the flight
deck on the engine-indicating and crew-alerting system (EICAS) message screen. The
EICAS shows faults in a yellow/amber color, which alerts the flight crew that a fault has
occurred.
 Component location manual (CLM): - The CLM provides the location of all the major
equipment items of the aircraft. Normally, AMTs know how to locate a component when
replacing it, but the CLM is a great tool for finding the part number of the component and
its location as well.
 Illustrated parts catalog (IPC): - he IPC is produced by the airframe manufacturer and
includes list and location diagrams of all parts used on the aircraft. This includes all parts
for all systems and is usually not customized to the airline’s configuration. However, when
the aircraft is customized it will show parts by figure, part number, and item number with
aircraft applicability.
 Storage and recovery document (SRD): - The SRD contains information needed to
address maintenance and servicing of aircraft that are to be out of service and stored for
long periods of time. This includes the procedures for draining certain fluids, moving the
aircraft so that tires will not go flat, and protecting components from the weather
 Structural repair manual (SRM): - The SRM is an airframe-specific manual that
provides the aircraft operator with information regarding aircraft skin and other specific
tolerances and procedures in the event of minor structural damage. The SRM gives the
acceptable dimensions and limits of damage to the aircraft structure so the operator knows
when the damage should be fixed.
 Maintenance planning data document (MPD): - This document (called the on aircraft
maintenance program by McDonnellDouglas) provides the airline operator with a list of
maintenance and servicing tasks to be performed on the aircraft. It contains all items of the
MRB report along with other information.
 Schematic diagram manual (SDM): - The SDM contains schematic diagrams of
electrical, electronic, and hydraulic systems on the aircraft, as well as logic diagrams for
applicable systems. The diagrams in the AMM and other manuals are usually simplified
diagrams to aid in describing the system and assist in troubleshooting.
 Wiring diagram manual (WDM): - The WDM is an essential tool for troubleshooting.
The WDM provides information on the wiring runs for all systems and components
containing such elements. Due to the complexity of the modern aircraft and its electrical
system, such control devices as gauges and sensors provide and relay information to the
flight deck in a complicated network of wiring runs like a network system
 Master minimum equipment list (MMEL): - The MMEL is issued by the airframe
manufacturer and developed by the manufacturer’s flight engineering group. Prior to
issuing the MMEL, the aircraft manufacturer submits a proposed master minimum
equipment list (PMMEL) to the type certificate office of the aircraft manufacturing country
(in the United States, FAA Flight Operation Evaluation Board). Once it is approved by the
authority it becomes an MMEL.
 Dispatch deviation guide (DDG): - Some of the MMEL items that are inoperative or
degraded at dispatch require maintenance action prior to the deferral and dispatch. This
may be the need to pull and placard certain circuit breakers, disconnect power, tie up loose
cables for removed equipment, and various other actions to secure the aircraft and the
system against inadvertent operation
 Configuration deviation list (CDL): - The CDL is similar to the DDG but involves
configuration of the aircraft rather than the aircraft’s system and equipment. The CDL
identifies any external part of an aircraft’s panels, gear doors, flap hinge fairings, cargo
doors, and all door indication and warning systems. These items could have been
 inoperative, cracked, broken, or missing. Normally, these items are discovered during the
line checks or at pre- or post flight checks of the day
 Nonessential equipment and furnishing (NEF) items: - The NEF contains the most
commonly deferred items, such as paneling (flight deck, cabin), cup holders, missing paint
off panel in flight deck or cabin area— cosmetic items which could be broken, cracked,
chipped, or missing. NEF items are located throughout the aircraft and do not affect the
safety or airworthiness of the aircraft.
 Task cards (TC): - Certain tasks in the AMM for removal/installation, testing, servicing,
and similar maintenance items are extracted from the AMM and produced on separate cards
or sheets so that the mechanic can perform the action without carrying the entire
maintenance manual to the aircraft
 Service bulletins, service letters, and maintenance tips: - Whenever the airframe
manufacturer or the engine manufacturer have modifications or suggestions for improving
maintenance and/or servicing, they issue appropriate paperwork to the affected airlines. A
service bulletin (SB) is usually a modification of a system that will provide improved safety
or operation of a system and includes a detailed description of the work and parts required

Regulatory documents

 Federal aviation regulations (FARs): - In the United States, Federal laws are collected
into a document known as the code of federal regulations or CFRs. Those laws related to
commercial aviation are under title 14 of this code, aeronautics and space, parts 1 through
200.
 Advisory circulars (ACs): - An advisory circular is a document issued by the FAA to
provide assistance to operators on meeting the requirements of various FARs. These ACs
are not binding as law but are merely suggestions as to how to comply with other
requirements. An AC often states that it is “a means, but not the only means” of complying
with a regulation.
 Airworthiness directives (ADs): - The airworthiness directives are substantial regulations
issued by the FAA to correct an unsafe condition that exists in a product (aircraft, aircraft
engine, propeller, or appliance) and a condition that is likely to exist or develop in other,
similar products An AD, whose incorporation is mandatory, may be issued initially by the
FAA when an unsafe condition is noted or it may result from FAA action after the airframe
manufacturer has issued a service bulletin (SB) relative to some noted problem.
Incorporation of an SB is optional but, if it is made into an AD by the FAA, incorporation
becomes a mandatory requirement.
 Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM): - The NPRM is an FAA process that indicates
the intent to change or amend an existing Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR). This
provides an advance notice and invites public comment on proposed rules, which includes
holding public hearings or specific activities, rendering a decision, and issuing a new rule,
directive, or requirement in the form of an FAR.
Airline-Generated Documentation
 Operations specifications: - The operations specifications (Ops Specs) document has
been discussed in Chap. 4 as an FAA requirement for airline certification. It is written by
the airline in accordance with strict FAA requirements and usually with the help of an FAA
representative. The Ops Specs is required for each aircraft type flown by the airline. It is a
parent document, which refers to numerous other documents to avoid duplication and
details the airline’s maintenance, inspection, and operations programs.
 Technical policies and procedures manual (TPPM): - The TPPM3 is the primary
document for the airline’s M&E operation and, with other documents supplied by the
airframe manufacturer, serves as the FAA requirement for a maintenance manual per AC
120-16E. It is usually written by engineering, to ensure technical accuracy, from inputs
supplied by management of the various M&E organizations. It should define exactly how
all M&E functions and activities will be carried out. The TPPM is a detailed document and
may be several volumes. Personnel in all units of M&E must be trained on the TPPM,
especially those parts that relate directly to that unit’s operation, so that the operation will
go smoothly.
 Inspection manual (IM): - The IM may be a separate document distributed primarily to
QC personnel, or it can be a chapter in the TPPM (usual approach).4 Contents of the IM
relate to all inspection activities within M&E: (a) mechanic inspection tasks from the
MPD/OAMP or the MRB report; (b) QC inspector’s tasks; (c) special inspections (hard
landings, bird strikes, etc.); (d) the airline’s required inspection item (RII) program; and
(e) the paperwork, forms, and reports required to carry out these functions.
 Quality assurance (QA) manual: - The QA manual could be a special manual for QA
auditors only, it could be part of the inspection manual, or it could be a separate chapter in
the TPPM as desired. The QA manual defines the duties and responsibilities of the QA
organization and defines the processes and procedures used in the annual quality assurance
audits conducted on the M&E units, suppliers, and outside contractors. Forms used and
reports are also covered along with the procedures for follow-up and enforcement of QA
write-ups.
 Reliability program manual: - An airline’s reliability program, under FAA rules, must
be approved by the regulatory authority, so it is usually published as a separate document.
This document defines the reliability program in detail so that the FAA can evaluate and
approve all its elements at one time.
 Minimum equipment list (MEL): - The MMEL provided by the aircraft airframe
manufacturer includes all equipment and aircraft configuration information available for
the model to which it applies. The airlines pick and choose from the MMEL system the
type of MEL they would rather have due to specifications, weight variants, options
installed, software and hardware upgrades, retrofit status, engines, and airframe
configuration, which later in the airline’s version becomes an MEL. The MEL cannot be
less restrictive than the MMEL
 Task cards: - Much of the work done at an airline during an aircraft check, however,
involves the combination of several tasks to be performed by the same mechanic or crew
 within the same area or on the same equipment. To avoid unnecessary duplication of certain
actions, and the unnecessary opening and closing of the same panels, etc., most airlines
write their own task cards to spell out exactly what to do, using the manufacturer’s cards
as a guide. This eliminates the duplicated or wasted efforts
 Engineering orders (EO): - Any maintenance work not covered in the standard
maintenance plan developed by engineering from the MRB report or Ops Specs data must
be made official by the issuance of an EO. This is official paper work, issued by
engineering and approved by QA, and is usually implemented through the production
planning and control (PP&C) organization

ATA Document Standards

Line maintenance people for most airlines, especially those doing contract maintenance for other
carriers, will have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of aircraft during the course of their
shift or work week. Since aircraft manufacturers are independent, they each (in the past) had their
own way of doing things. This meant that their maintenance manuals were as different as their
aircraft (or perhaps more so). To reduce confusion on the line, the ATA stepped in and standardized
the overall format of the maintenance manuals so that all manufacturers’ documents would be
more compatible.
  The Maintenance and Engineering Organization: - The organizational structure must
allow the company to meet its goals and objectives and each unit within the company must
be endowed with sufficient personnel and authority to carry out those objectives and meet
those goals. The structure for an effective maintenance and engineering organization will
vary with the size and type of organization. It may also vary with the management
philosophy of the company. But one thing must be kept in mind: the organizational
structure must allow the company to meet its goals and objectives and each unit within the
company must be endowed with sufficient personnel and authority to carry out those
objectives and meet those goals.
Organizational Structure The basic organizational structure for our midsized airline is
shown in Fig. 7-1. There are three basic concepts underlying the structure we have defined.
Two of these come from traditional management thinking. These are the concepts of span
of control and the grouping of similar functions. The third concept is somewhat unique to
aviation: the separation of production activities (maintenance and engineering) from the
oversight functions of inspection, control, and monitoring (quality assurance, quality
control, reliability, and safety).

Vice president of maintenance and engineering:- The head of the entire maintenance and
engineering function within the airline should be at a relatively high level of the airline’s structure.
He or she should be directly under the head of the airline or under the head of the company’s
operational activity (President, Chief Operating Officer, or whatever title is used). The VP of M&E
position should also be at the same level as the head of flight operations (VP Flight Ops or whatever
he or she is called). Flight operations and maintenance are considered to be two sides of the same
coin; they complement each other and carry equal weight

Directors of major functions The five major functions shown in Fig. 7-1 are, in the order
addressed in this book, technical services (which includes engineering, planning, training,
technical publications, and computing); aircraft maintenance (flight line, hangar, outstations, and
the maintenance control center); overhaul shops (for off-aircraft maintenance, repair, and
overhaul); material services (responsible for ordering and maintaining supplies, handling
warranties, and moving repairable and consumable parts through the system); and maintenance
program evaluation (the monitoring activity for the organization, its workers and its suppliers)

Managers and supervisors: - Within each directorate, there are several managers. Each of these
managers has a specialized area of responsibility within the overall scope of the directorate’s
function. Specific activities within each manager’s area of responsibility require staffs of
specialists with supervision by knowledgeable people.

Engineering The manager of engineering is responsible for all engineering functions within the
M&E organization. This includes (a) the development of the initial maintenance program (tasks,
intervals, schedules, blocking, etc.); (b) the evaluation of service bulletins (SBs) and service letters
(SLs) for possible inclusion into the airline’s equipment; (c) oversight of the incorporation of those
SBs and SLs that they deem beneficial; (d) overseeing the incorporation of airworthiness directives
(ADs), the modifications that are required by the regulatory authority; (e) the evaluation of
maintenance problems determined by the reliability program and for problems (if any) resulting
from the maintenance checks performed by maintenance; and (f) for establishing the policies and
procedures for the M&E organization.

Production planning and control The manager of production planning and control (PP&C) is
responsible for maintenance scheduling and planning. This function must plan and schedule the
manpower, parts, facilities, tools, and any special assistance required for all maintenance or
modification activities. Included in the functions of PP&C are the following: (a) all planning
activities related to maintenance and engineering (short, medium, and long term); (b) the
establishment of standards for manhours, material, facilities, tools, and equipment; (c) work
scheduling; (d) control of hangars; (e) on-airplane maintenance; and (f) monitoring of work
progress in the support shops.

Training The manager of technical training is responsible for curriculum, course development,
administration, and training records for all formal training attended by the M&E unit’s employees.
The organization coordinates any training required outside the unit (vendor training) and
coordinates with line and hangar maintenance personnel for the development of on-the-job training
and remedial or one-time training activities.

Technical publications The manager of technical publications is responsible for all technical
publications used by the M&E organization. The technical publications (Tech Pubs) keeps a
current list of all documents received from manufacturers and vendors, as well as those produced
in-house by the airline. Also on record are the number of copies, in paper, microfilm, or compact
disc (CD) format, that each work center should receive.
Computing services The manager of computing services is responsible for the definition of the
M&E organization’s computing requirements: (a) selection of software and hardware to be used,
with usage information and requirements inputs from the individual units; (b) training of
maintenance, inspection, and management personnel on computer usage; and (c) provide
continuing support to the using organizations.

Maintenance Directorate The aircraft maintenance directorate has responsibility for the major
aircraft maintenance activities: maintenance on the flight line and maintenance performed in the
hangar. Three managers report to the director of airplane maintenance: one for each of these
activities and one for MCC.

Hangar maintenance The manager of hangar maintenance is responsible for compliance with the
airline’s policies and procedures relative to all work done on the aircraft in the hangar, such as
modifications, engine changes, “C” checks (and higher), corrosion control, painting, etc. The
hangar maintenance function also includes various support shops (welding, seat and interior fabric,
composites, etc.), as well as ground support equipment.

Line maintenance The manager of line maintenance is responsible for compliance with the
airline’s policies and procedures relative to the work done on the aircraft on the flight line while
the aircraft is in service. Such activities include turnaround maintenance and servicing, daily
checks, short interval checks (less than “A” check interval), and “A” checks. Sometimes, simple
modifications can be done by line maintenance in order to avoid unnecessary use of the hangar.
Line maintenance may also be utilized to perform line maintenance activities for other airlines
under contract.

Maintenance control center The function known as the maintenance control center (MCC) keeps
track of all aircraft in flight and at outstations. All maintenance needs of these vehicles are
coordinated through the MCC. The MCC also coordinates downtime and schedule changes with
the flight department. Some airlines might have a supervisor of line stations to coordinate
outstation activities, but he or she is often part of the home base MCC operation.

Shops Directorate The overhaul shops directorate consists of those maintenance shops that
perform maintenance on items removed from the aircraft. These shops include engine shop(s),
electrical shop, electronics (or avionics) shop, and various mechanical shops. These may be
separate shops or some may be combined for convenience, depending on the operation. Some of
these shops may also perform contract work for other airlines.

Engine shops The manager of the engine overhaul shops is responsible for all maintenance and
repair done on the organization’s engines and auxiliary power units (APUs). If more than one type
engine is used, there may be a separate engine shop for each type performing the work, but these
would usually be under one senior manager with a supervisor for each engine type. The engine
build up activities would generally come under the engine shop manager.
Electrical and electronics (avionics) shops The manager of electrical/electronics shops is
responsible for all off-aircraft maintenance of electrical and electronics components and systems.
There are a variety of components and systems in this field with wide variations in the equipment
and in the skills needed to address them.

Mechanical component shops The manager of mechanical component shops has responsibilities
similar to those of the manager of avionics shops. The only difference, of course, is that these
shops would address mechanical components: actuators, hydraulic systems and components,
aircraft surfaces (flaps, slats, spoilers), fuel systems, oxygen, pneumatics, etc.

Structures The structures shop is responsible for maintenance and repair of all aircraft structural
components. This includes composite material as well as sheet metal and other structural elements

Purchasing The manager of purchasing is responsible for buying parts and supplies and tracking
these orders through the system. This begins with the initial issue of parts when a new aircraft is
added to the fleet and a continual replenishment of those parts based on usage. The purchasing unit
is also responsible for handling warranty claims and contract repairs.

Stores The manager of stores takes responsibility for the storage, handling, and distribution of
parts and supplies used by the maintenance personnel in line, hangar, and shop maintenance
activities. Stores areas, or parts issue points, are placed near the various work centers to allow
mechanics quick access to parts and supplies and to minimize the time spent obtaining those parts
and supplies

Inventory control The manager of inventory control is responsible for ensuring that the parts and
supplies on hand are sufficient for the normal, expected usage rate without tying up excessive
funds in nonmoving items and without running out of stock too soon or too often for commonly
used items

Shipping and receiving The manager of shipping and receiving is responsible for packing,
waybill preparation, insurance, customs, etc. for outgoing materials, as well as customs clearance,
unpacking, receiving inspection, tagging, etc. for incoming materials. This includes all parts being
shipped into and out of the airline.

Quality assurance The manager of quality assurance is responsible for assuring that all units of
M&E adhere to the company policies and procedures as well as FAA requirements. The manager
of QA sets the standards for the M&E operation, and the QA auditors ensure compliance to those
standards through yearly audits. Quality assurance is also responsible for auditing outside suppliers
and contractors for compliance with the company’s, as well as the regulatory authority’s, rules and
regulations.

Quality control The manager of quality control is responsible for conducting routine inspections
of maintenance and repair work, certifying maintenance and inspection personnel, and
management of the required inspection items (RIIs) program. This latter function involves the
identification of RIIs and the certification of specific personnel authorized to inspect and accept
the work. The QC organization is also responsible for the calibration of maintenance tools and test
equipment and performs or oversees the nondestructive testing and inspection (NDT/NDI)
procedures.

Reliability The manager of reliability is responsible for conducting the organization’s reliability
program and ensuring that any problem areas are promptly addressed. This responsibility includes
data collection and analysis, identification of possible problem areas (which are then addressed in
detail by engineering), and publication of the monthly reliability report

Safety The safety organization is responsible for developing, implementing, and administering the
safety- and health-related activities within the M&E organization. The safety manager is also
responsible for handling all reports and claims regarding M&E safety issues.

CHAPTER-4
Maintenance Control Center
The definition of management in any industry is “people who are hired to seek corporation’s
interest and administer the organization’s activities.” We will define management in an aviation
business organization as “an act of getting people together to accomplish the desired goals and
objectives in aircraft maintenance.” Aviation organizations, such as commercial, commuter, and
charter airlines, need a management team to be successful. In addition, fixed-base operators and
aircraft repair stations also need managers and, depending on their size, a streamlined, multiple-
layer approach that may include senior, middle, and supervisory management and different levels
of staff for management support
Role of Management/Manager in Aviation

 A manager directs and coordinates department activities through subordinate supervisors.

 The manager contributes to and participates in the training and growth of subordinate
supervisors.
 The manager reviews and analyzes reports, records, and directives, and confers with
supervisors to obtain data for planning department activities, such as new commitment,
status of work in progress, and problems encountered.
 A manager also assigns or delegates responsibilities for specific work or functional
activities, disseminates policy, and sets deadlines to ensure work is completed on time
 Managers also coordinate department activities to ensure efficiency and economy. They
monitor costs by preparing budgets, reports, and records on all maintenance departments
for upper management.
 In addition, they evaluate current policies, procedures, and practices, and develop
objectives for all departments, and implement and supervise their development.
 Managers initiate or authorize the hiring, promotion, and discharging of employees, and
they must communicate effectively.

Manager of Aircraft Maintenance:-

 The manager or base manager for aircraft maintenance is in a visionary and
challenging position, and it is his or her responsibility to oversee the entire
operation of the maintenance base and contract maintenance bases.
 It is the maintenance manager’s responsibility to make sure everything runs
smoothly and to amend and remove any policies or procedures as needed.
Front Line Supervisor/Management
 Front line supervisors, also known as front line managers, are responsible for
carrying out day-to-day managerial duties.
 They delegate their work through the maintenance crew chief or a maintenance
lead mechanic who distributes work as required for the operation.
 Front line supervisors are result oriented and must make sound decisions about
the aircraft and the mechanics working on them.
 They are safety conscious, and it is their job to keep upper management well
informed about an out-of-service aircraft, emergencies, and other unexpected
occurrences.

Manager of Overhaul Shops

 The manager of overhaul shops is normally responsible for all overhaul shops.
Some of these shops, such as sheet metal, avionics, and interior shops, must be
synchronized with the hangar “C” check (heavy check) due to time limitations of
the aircraft on the ground for maintenance.
  The sheet metal shop fixes all dents, corrosion, and other maintenance deferred
items.
 The avionics shop performs modification of aircraft. The components and seat
shop refurbishes and modifies all passengers’ seats and flight crew seats.
 The manager of overhaul shops must be informed of daily progress and the work
start and completion time of all tasks due to the sensitive nature of aircraft
scheduling.
Management Areas of Concern in an Airline: -
 Are constantly bombarded with all kinds of problems and issues, such as aircraft
that are out of service, aircraft parts availability, production, subordinate behavior,
deadlines for audits, emails, upper managers’ odd requests, and other challenges
on a daily basis
 Has to make sure that the Aircraft is available in flying condition

Line maintenance

Functions of Maintenance Control Center

 The MCC coordinates all maintenance activity—scheduled or unscheduled—for the

aircraft in service with the applicable M&E organization and with the flight operations
  The MCC must deal with all aircraft in the flight schedule, regardless of where they are in
the route structure, and must coordinate all maintenance activity whether it is done by the
airline or a third party.
 The MCC also coordinates the contracting of maintenance at units where no previous
maintenance agreement exists.
 The MCC also coordinates with any of the airline’s M&E units for support of in-service
aircraft discrepancies and the rescheduling of maintenance actions; and with the flight
operations organization regarding down times, flight delays, and cancellations.
 The MCC is also responsible for completing all the deferred maintenance.
Responsibilities of Maintenance Control Center
 1. Complete all daily checks on designated aircraft.
 2. Perform transit or turnaround maintenance on aircraft as needed.
 3 Coordinate servicing of these aircraft (food, water, fuel, etc.).
 4. Troubleshoot maintenance problems and schedule repairs (if possible) in the allotted
turnaround time or defer maintenance (MEL, CDL, NEF) until a more appropriate time.
 5. Coordinate with various departments—stores/material, engineering, inspection,
planning, and other M&E organizations—for assistance in resolving maintenance
problems at the home base or outstation.
 6. Coordinate with flight operations for the maintenance, deferral of maintenance,
functional check flight (FCF), aircraft ferry permits, whenever the schedule may be
impacted.
 7. Track all aircraft during flight to determine their location, maintenance requirements,
and status.
 8. Coordinate maintenance at outstations with other airlines or approved third party
contractors as necessary.
 9. Collect log pages of any in-flight engine shutdown (IFSD), bird strikes, lighting strikes,
or any emergencies that require an aircraft to return from flight and or any ground
interruptions.
Line maintenance – operation

 Line maintenance : - An aircraft may or may not experience any faults or discrepancies
during the flight. When the aircraft arrives at the gate, normal services (fuel, food, etc.)
will be provided, as well as the exchange of passengers, their baggage, and any cargo. If a
failure or discrepancy did occur in flight, there are two possible scenarios. Normally the
problem is written up in the aircraft maintenance logbook and addressed by the ground
crew upon flight arrival. Maintenance actions would be as indicated by the center column
blocks of Fig. 13-2. To minimize delay on the ground, however, it is recommended that
advance warning be given to the maintenance personnel by the flight crew through flight
operations and the MCC. This allows maintenance to spend time before the aircraft arrives
to review past records and troubleshoot the problem. Thus, the actions shown in the left
hand column of Fig. 13-2 are employed. In many cases, the maintenance crew can meet
the aircraft with a solution in hand thus minimizing maintenance downtime and delays.
This may be accomplished by a separate team or the same team that handles any other
logbook items. Note that both sign-off of all discrepancies (or deferrals) and servicing of
the aircraft must be completed prior to returning the aircraft to flight service.
 Aircraft logbook: - The aircraft logbook is a type of document that is required by the FAA
and the airline to document any maintenance discrepancies. An aircraft cannot fly to any
destination without its logbook neither can an aircraft be taxied to any other location
without having the logbook on board. The logbook shows if there are any open
maintenance discrepancies, and if by moving or starting an aircraft, someone may damage
the aircraft or its systems. The aircraft maintenance department is responsible for keeping
 the logbook up to date, which includes recording of such information as total flight hours
and cycles when fixing an aircraft’s maintenance discrepancy. The pilot in command must
write such basic information as the names of the flight crew and the flight number, and
must sign the logbook accepting the aircraft. The logbook contains a section that allows
the flight crew to write any maintenance discrepancies found during the preflight check,
encounter any maintenance problems while in the air, or discovered during the postflight
check. The flight crew must write the maintenance discrepancy in the logbook and notify
the MCC, so maintenance personnel can address the problem. Depending on the
maintenance discrepancy, it may be fixed quickly or it may be deferred under the MEL
program. When maintenance is completed on the aircraft and the discrepancy is signed off,
the AMT will remove the log page copy and forward it to the MCC. Some airlines collect
log copies at the end of each flight day. The logbook pages are normally duplicate copies
but may be in triplicate.
The modern aircraft have superseded or have improved the logbook with electronic
logbook. The ACARS (ARINC communication and reporting system) is used to transmit
data to the airline home base. The ACARS system is a digital datalink used by the flight
crew to transmit messages between the aircraft and the maintenance base while in flight.
This helps the MCC to evaluate discrepancies and the time needed for repairs. The ACARS
system is also used to sign off maintenance discrepancy (used as an electronic logbook)
depending on the aircraft used and its capabilities.
 Ramp and terminal operations: - Transiting aircraft are the subject of a lot of attention
at any airport, and that attention is usually concentrated in a short (often 30-minute) time
span called the turnaround. During this turnaround, flight handling, servicing, and
maintenance chores must be accomplished. Although not all these actions would be
required at every turnaround, the following sections provide an overview of what might be
done.
 Flight handling : - The main purpose of flight handling is to move passengers,
their baggage, and/or any carried cargo off and on the aircraft as necessary. This
begins with parking the aircraft at the gate and positioning the air stairs or the
gateway ramp and opening the aircraft doors. This is a joint effort involving
maintenance, ground handling crews, the flight and cabin crews, airline terminal
personnel, and the FAA tower personnel responsible for ground control. Watching
this activity from the passenger lounge, one sees a well-coordinated ballet of
workers and machines
 Flight line: - The preflight inspection must be accomplished on the aircraft’s first
flight of the day. Preflight normally contains the recommended sequence and
expanded procedures. The preflight inspection is normally accomplished by the
first officer (copilot) and does not require the presence of both crew members.
Some of them are: -
  Exterior safety
 Exterior preflight inspection
 Cabin safety inspection
 Flight deck equipment location
 Flight deck safety scan
 Other line maintenance: - After the excitement, fervor, and expedience of the
turnaround effort has sub sided, the line maintenance organization attends to numerous
other tasks. One of these is the performance of the daily or 48-hour check (see Chap. 2) on
all assigned aircraft. These checks are usually done before the first flight each day
(overnight or morning). The daily or 48-hour check consists of specific items outlined in
the maintenance program identified in the unit’s Ops Specs. The airline may add other
items as necessary. Table 13-1 shows a typical 48-hour check for a twin-engine jet; Table
13-2 is a typical transit check for the same airplane
  Line station activities: - Two terms have been used, somewhat interchangeably, in
reference to maintenance activities at stations that are not the home base of the airline.
These terms are line station and outstation. These terms are usually considered
synonymous. For the most part, line station activity is a smaller version of the home station
activity. The same type of activities take place relative to transiting aircraft. However, the
line station may have limited personnel and skills; limited availability of parts and supplies;
and limited facilities (stands, hangar space, GSE) for the performance of maintenance.

Maintenance Crew Skill Requirement

 The work done by line maintenance covers a broad scope of activity.
 While the shops and hangar can employ specialists who work essentially on one or a few
items repeatedly, line personnel need to know the entire aircraft: all of its systems and their
interactions.
 Line mechanics have to deal with a different problem, often on a different type of aircraft,
each time they are called upon to meet an incoming flight.
  They should be certified mechanics approved by the regulatory authority and the airline to
work on airframe, power plant, and aircraft systems, and they must be certified to sign off
maintenance tasks and authorize an aircraft to “return to service.”
 The line maintenance crew may also include unlicensed helpers and trainee personnel, but
they must work under the supervision of qualified personnel.
 Crews must be familiar with all aircraft types within the airline’s fleet. They must be
familiar with applicable FAA rules and regulations, as well as the airline’s policies and
procedures that relate to the line maintenance activities.
 Since the line maintenance crew is responsible for whatever arises, they need to have the
necessary skills to perform scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, to troubleshoot the
problems, to perform required inspections (RIIs) and conditional inspections (hard
landings, bird strikes, etc.), and to do all the required paperwork
 The paperwork includes logbook handling (pilot reports, or PIREPS); task card handling
(“A” check and below); engineering orders; repeat items (with MCC); incoming and
outgoing deferred maintenance items (DMIs); and any other reports or MCC actions that
may occur.
 One last point of line maintenance activity must be stressed. If any maintenance work is
being done that requires it to be spread across two (or more) shifts, there must be
procedures written on the manner in which job information is transferred from one work
crew to the next to ensure proper completion of the work.

Hanger Management
Hangar maintenance, whether or not the airline actually has a hangar for such activity, refers to
that maintenance which is done on an out-of-service (OTS) aircraft. This includes any major
maintenance or modification on aircraft that have been temporarily removed from the flight
schedule, usually for that express purpose. The following types of activities are addressed in
hangar maintenance:
1. Schedule checks (“C” check, “D” check, heavy maintenance visit)
2. Modification of aircraft airframe or aircraft systems according to service bulletins, airworthiness
directives, or engineering orders
3. Fleet campaign directives
4. Aircraft engine removal and installation
5. Aircraft painting
6. Aircraft interior modifications
7. Special inspection required by the FAA (i.e., corrosion program)
Organization of Hanger maintenance
Hangar maintenance is a manager-level position under the director of aircraft maintenance (DOM).
Under the DOM is a typical organizational structure with managerial and supervisory positions:
aircraft maintenance, GSE, facilities, and support shops.

The supervisor of aircraft maintenance is responsible for all the hangar maintenance activities. He
or she controls the flow of aircraft into and out of the check, as well as the maintenance crews
working the checks.

The supervisor of aircraft maintenance coordinates with the overhaul and support shops, materials,
production planning and control, flight line maintenance, and flight operations regarding the
aircraft in the hangar.

The supervisor of GSE and facilities are responsible for all ground support equipment used to
support the hangar maintenance personnel, as well as the flight line maintenance activity and the
building and facilities used by maintenance.

The supervisor of support shops is responsible for all support activities for aircraft service and
maintenance that is not designated as overhaul shops.

The support shops include those in support of welding, composite material, sheet metal,
upholstery, seats, and interiors

Problems in Hanger Maintenance

 Nonroutine items: - The basic maintenance checks have task requirements for various
inspections, functional checks, and operational checks of the aircraft equipment. These are
known as routine maintenance items, and they require a fixed amount of time to be
accomplished. The time requirements are identified in the MPD/OAMP and the estimated
items required for completing the job, assuming that all parts, supplies, tooling, equipment,
and personnel are available at the aircraft.
 Parts availability: - One activity that affects maintenance downtime is the time mechanics
spend “chasing parts.” Again, it is a function of PP&C to determine what parts and supplies
will be needed for routine and non routine work, as well as for items deferred from other
maintenance checks and those parts required by service bulletins, airworthiness directives,
and any other work to be incorporated in the scheduled check. Material is responsible for
the delivery of parts and supplies to the hangar just-in-time (JIT) for maintenance to use
them. The hangar management, in turn, must provide a parts staging area in the hangar near
the aircraft dock for these parts and supplies to be delivered and stored
 Parts robbing/Shop robbing: - Parts robbing or cannibalization, as it called in aircraft
maintenance, is a necessary evil. We are primarily against the practice but understand its
necessity at times. This is particularly true if you want to meet the deadlines and goals
established for the airline maintenance programs: To deliver an airworthy vehicle to the
flight department in time to maintain the flight schedule and to deliver the aircraft with all
 required maintenance accomplished. The quick return of an airplane to service by line
maintenance is an admirable achievement, but robbing a part from another aircraft/shop in
order to do so often results in the delay of that second aircraft being returned to service.

Hanger Maintenance Activities

 Preparation For C Check: - We have already discussed the preliminary activities of
engineering, production planning and control, and the M&E planning meeting so these will
not be repeated here. To begin the actual check, the hangar maintenance organization must
prepare for receipt of the aircraft and for the logistics and management of the check. The
hangar is cleaned; space is cleared for the aircraft; stands, scaffolding, and other equipment
needed are brought into the hangar for immediate use or made available for later use. The
parts storage area is stocked with parts and supplies needed for the work to be performed.
This, of course, is an ongoing process throughout the check. The parts and supplies will be
delivered “as needed” or just-in-time.
In the dock area, where administration and management of the check takes place, a large
wall rack with pockets is populated with all routine task cards as required by the
maintenance program and the particular check to be performed. There is a row for the cards
of each work center (avionics, hydraulics, etc.) and two marked-off areas to separate the
completed cards from those still to be worked. Work crews are available or on standby
waiting for the arrival of the aircraft
 Preliminary C check activities: - The first order of business, usually, is to wash the
aircraft. The vehicle is towed by ground crews, with appropriate “wing walkers” and
communications gear for safety, to the wash rack area for a thorough cleaning. After
washing is done, the aircraft is towed to the hangar where it is parked and chocked; now
the work begins. Panels and cowlings are opened and visual inspections are conducted.
Any discrepancies found at this time will require nonroutine work cards. These cards are
generated by QC and are placed in the card rack for later accomplishment with other work
cards. Next, or in conjunction with the inspections, the stands and scaffolding (as needed)
will be placed around the aircraft to allow access to work areas during the check. Any
ground power, pneumatic, or hydraulic carts, as well as any special tools and test equipment
needed for the scheduled tasks, will also be put into place.
 Conducting C check: - Mechanics are assigned to tasks according to the check schedule
produced by PP&C in an efficient manner. The work to be done in any given area by more
than one work center is scheduled in sequence to avoid congestion in the work area and to
minimize the opening and closing of panels, cowlings, etc. Any non routine items
generated during normal work will be written on non routine cards and worked or
scheduled for work at a later time. Most units produce a PERT chart or some other form of
visual aid showing the planned work schedule. This chart is updated, or annotated, as
necessary during the check to accommodate the non routine work or any other delays or
schedule adjustments that may be encountered. Requests for additional parts and/or
 supplies not in the original plan, or for parts and supplies not yet delivered to the work site,
will be relayed to material by the dock staff. Material will deliver these items to the parts
staging area to eliminate parts chasing by mechanics. Quality control inspectors will re
inspect any items previously rejected and approve the work .Any delays in the check
schedule, especially those affecting return to service, will be coordinated with the MCC
and flight operations by the dock manager. If all goes well, the “C” check will be completed
on time and the aircraft will come out of check “clean,” i.e., all required tasks completed
with no deferred maintenance items.
 Completion and Sign-off of C check: - Although the maintenance work is the key part of
the effort, the check is not really complete until it has been assured that all task cards—
routine and non routine—have been completed, signed off, and where required, inspected,
stamped, and approved by quality control. That includes all rejected work and the
subsequent rework and buyback actions. The person responsible for this activity is the
senior QC inspector assigned to the check. He or she must review every work card for
mechanics’ signatures or initials as required, indicating accomplishment and completion
of the task and for QC stamps (and initials) for any work where QC inspection is required.
Any discrepancies noted at this time must be corrected even if it requires further work and
inspection. When all work cards have been completed, signed off, and accepted, QC signs
off the check as complete and releases the aircraft out of check, ready for service.
 Return to service : - Once QC has signed off the check, the dock manager notifies MCC
and flight operations of the availability of the aircraft. The aircraft is then towed from the
hangar to the ramp by maintenance, and Flight Ops returns the aircraft to the active flight
schedule. Ground crews service the vehicle (fuel, food, etc.), and cabin crews ready the
aircraft for passengers.

Hanger Maintenance support and overhaul shops

Hangar maintenance and overhaul shops are a vital part of the hangar operation. These shops are
designed to help and support heavy aircraft maintenance checks (“C” and “D” checks) and consist
of various specialties. The employees in these support shops require special skills for the work
they perform. They do not require an FAA license as do those who work in the overhaul shops,
who are required to have either an A&P license or an FAA repairman certificate. The support shop
work can be performed on the aircraft or off the aircraft, depending on the work discrepancy. Due
to the nature of some repairs, these heavy tasks are done while the aircraft is out of service for a
length of time. Thus, support and overhaul shops are part of the hangar maintenance function.
Hangar support and overhaul shops consist of various specialties. They perform work to refurbish
or repair aircraft panels, surfaces, and aircraft engine cowlings (sheet metal or composite) material.
They also have an interior shop for repair, modification, and refurbishment of aircraft interiors;
repair and modification of passenger and crew seats; and aircraft painting. The shops associated
with hangar activity would be those working in welding (gas, electric, and heliarc).
 Sheet Metal Shop: - The shop normally handles all types of sheet metal work, which can
include working with aluminum, steel, composites, honeycomb, and other material as
needed. The sheet metal shop repairs any kind of damage to the aircraft skin, structures,
fuselage, and wings. While an aircraft is in “C” or “D” check, the sheet metal shop normally
works on modifications, corrosion problems, and previously deferred maintenance items
requiring sheet metal or composite type work, such as minor damages, scratches, and
repairs using the structure repair manual (SRM). The PP&C normally assigns all work prior
to aircraft arriving for its “C” check, and under the PP&C, the sheet metal shop performs
ADs, SBs, and EOs, as well as addressing discrepancies found during routine, non routine,
and schedule work. This shop also supports any unscheduled maintenance needed for line
operation. During downtime, the sheet metal shop works on making the complex
tem plates that will be needed later for repairs and overhauls. They also repair composite
panels that have been removed from previous aircraft for repair due to cracking or minor
damages and that will be ready to be placed in the next aircraft if needed.
 Aircraft interior Shop: - The aircraft interior shop repairs, fabricates, and overhauls
anything that is inside the aircraft. This includes removing and overhauling passenger and
flight crew seats; removing and overhauling aircraft galley and gallery areas, and beverage
serving carts; and overhauling the entire aircraft lavatories. They install new wall covering,
wall bumpers, side panels, and overhead panels. The interior shop removes and replaces
cabin windows due to scratches and dents and the cockpit windshield and side windows.
Special attention is required while removing and installing cockpit windows due to the
torque requirements of the nuts and bolts and sealants. After window installations, the
aircraft must be pressurized to make sure there are no pressure leaks. The interior shop also
paints aircraft inside and out. Interior paint is applied to overhead panels and overhead
bins. Painting the aircraft exterior is a very big and difficult task, and there is no room for
error.
 Engine Shop: - The engine shop is the largest shop in terms of space requirements. Besides
the shop area for working on small parts (bench work), the engine shop also needs an area
for engine buildup (EBU) activities. This is where certain components, such as the fuel
pump, fuel lines, generators, ignition igniters, engine mounts, and other components, are
added to a basic engine to configure it for a given model aircraft for a specific position on
the airplane (i.e., right, left, center, or wing position 1, 2, 3, or 4). This effort requires a
suitable engine work stand for holding the engine while the EBU process is underway. The
EBU activity is done off-aircraft, minimizing the time required for an engine change, and
it results in shorter downtime for the aircraft. This is known as the quick engine change
(QEC) process. The engine shop also performs work and inspection on turbine accessories
and any auxiliary power units (APU). APUs are small engines normally located at the tail
end of aircraft, providing power while the aircraft is parked.
 Avionics Shop: - Avionics refers to a wide assortment of systems used in aviation that
include both electrical and electronics systems. The avionics shops can take on a variety of
configurations depending on many factors. There may be a separate electrical shop that
 addresses electrical system components only, such as motors, generators, power
distribution systems, or power buses. The electronics systems, which include radios,
navigation system, computers, inside telephone (PA announcement system), media, flight
deck instruments, and control units of all types, will be handled by various specialty shops
in a large airline. Avionics repair shops will have similar mockups of aircraft systems, and
after a repair, a part can be tested prior to being installed on aircraft. Avionics personnel
also repair engine harnesses, which can be very tedious due to the number of wires located
in a bundle.
 Ground support Equipment shop: - The ground support equipment shop is one of the
busiest shops because modern commercial aircraft require a considerable amount of tooling
and equipment to support maintenance operation activities. Support shop work, while in
support of all aircraft, can be done on or off the aircraft; but since it is usually extensive in
nature, it is normally done while the aircraft is out of service. Thus, support shops normally
are part of the hangar maintenance function. Hangar support shops consist of various
specialties. They perform work to refurbish or repair aircraft panels, surfaces, and cowlings
made of sheet metal and composite materials. There will also be a fabrics and interiors
shop for the repair and refurbishment of aircraft interiors. Aircraft seats, both passenger
and crew, will be removed, installed, and repaired by a seat shop which may be part of or
separate from the interiors shop. Other shops associated with the hangar activity would be
those doing work in welding (gas, electric, and heliarc)
 Ground support Equipment: - Modern commercial aircraft require a considerable
amount of tools and equipment to support the maintenance and operations activities. In
addition to the tools and test sets used by mechanics and technicians for normal
maintenance, there is a vast array of equipment that comes under the special heading of
ground support equipment. There are also special tools and jigs for maintenance activities
that are designed for one type of aircraft only; other special tools and jigs are usable on
several types of aircraft. Ground support equipment is defined as “that equipment required
to support the operation and maintenance of the aircraft and all its airborne equipment.”1
This GSE includes an extensive variety of equipment ranging from simple jacks and stands
to million dollar towbarless towing vehicles. For the sake of discussion, we can divide GSE
into two broad categories: (a) equipment to support the servicing and handling of
operational aircraft while engaged in flight turnaround and ground movement activities;
and (b) equipment used to facilitate maintenance whether at turnaround or during
scheduled or unscheduled downtime.
 Mechanical shops: - The mechanical component shop can also be separated or combined
depending upon airline size and requirements. These shops would include hydraulic
systems and components, pneumatic systems and components (heat, air), oxygen systems,
and flight control surfaces. The battery shop is also part of the mechanical shop, where
maintenance personnel repair, store, and charge aircraft batteries. The wheel, tire, and
brake shop has responsibility for various actions relating to the aircraft: (a) the repair,
assembly, and disassembly of aircraft wheels; (b) the repair, servicing, and retreading of
 aircraft tires; and (c) adjustment and placement of aircraft brakes. Again, these activities
may be performed in one or several shops depending on the amount of work and the
complexity of the fleet.

Outsourcing of Shop Maintenance” - Work As with line and hangar maintenance, some or all of
the shop maintenance at a given airline can be outsourced to other airlines or to third-party
maintenance organizations. In the case of partial outsourcing, the director of overhaul shops is
responsible for coordinating these activities into the overall airline maintenance plan. If all shop
maintenance is done by outside contractors, the overhaul shops directorate would not exist at the
airline.

CHAPTER -5
Quality Assurance and Control
The inspection function of an airline M&E organization is part of the basic maintenance program
established by the Ops Specs as discussed. It consists, in part, of inspections performed by the
mechanics during routine maintenance work: general visual inspections, detailed inspections, as
well as the obvious checking and rechecking of one’s own work. Some maintenance actions
require a “second pair of eyes” to perform an inspection to ensure that the work was performed
correctly or to double-check the work. This includes the required inspection items (RIIs) and also
includes oversight checking of newly hired or newly trained personnel to ensure they are
performing up to standards. Still another type of inspection, the conditional inspection, is required
for special events, such as bird strikes, hard landings, lightning strikes, flights through heavy
turbulence, or the accidental dragging of wing tips or engine pods upon landing or taxiing. For
these special events, the inspection must be detailed enough to detect possible structural damage
and may require special nondestructive techniques for test and inspection (NDT/NDI). For a
mechanic to carry out RIIs or con duct conditional inspections, he or she must be properly trained,
qualified, and approved to do said inspections by quality assurance as per FAR 121.371.

Requirement of Quality Assurance

For each type of aircraft flown, the airline must generate the operations specifications (Ops Specs)
that establish, among other things, the maintenance and inspection programs to be used to keep
the aircraft in an airworthy condition. This is referred to as the continuous airworthiness
maintenance program or CAMP and is defined in the operator’s Ops Specs. The Ops Specs is
approved by the FAA, but it is not enough to ensure that such programs are effective. Federal
Aviation Regulation (FAR) 121.373 (Continuing Analysis and Surveillance) provides an
additional requirement.
Quality Audits
 Processes and procedures related to line, hangar, and shop maintenance: - logbooks;
completed checks; conduct of transit, daily, and 48-hour maintenance checks; handling of
deferred maintenance; fueling activities; quality control inspections; procedures related to work
transfer at shift change; and procurement of parts and supplies.
 Processes and procedures related to material: - receiving, storing, labeling, and handling of
parts and supplies, including high-value, time-limited, and flammable items; tracking of time-
limited parts; processing of warranty claims; establishment and replenishing of fly-away kits;
hangar, line, and outstation parts allocations.
 Processes and procedures related to engineering: development of maintenance program;
investigation of problem areas; establishment of policies and procedures; procedures for the
evaluation of service bulletins, service letters, and airworthiness directives.
 Processes and procedures related to training of maintenance and inspection: - personnel
in the use of computing systems, manuals, documentation, technical libraries, and safety
equipment.

Certain other types of audits can be performed either on a yearly or on an as necessary basis. These
are audits of certain processes, procedures, or functions, which may span two or more
organizations or activities within M&E. Each organization involved would be audited for their part
in the larger process, procedure, or function without a full audit of their organization (unless that
is deemed necessary due to these or other findings). These audits include the following:
1. Ramp operations. All line maintenance and support functions related to activities in the airport
ramp and gate areas. This would include parking, taxiing, refueling, aircraft servicing, loading and
unloading (passengers, cargo, etc.), and turnaround maintenance. Such an audit might be
performed in conjunction with a problem concerning delays and cancellations or with terminal
operations in general.
2. Airplane tire pressures. The process for checking and adjusting tire pressures (inspection
techniques, use of nitrogen, etc.) throughout the fleet might be audited. This would include all
model aircraft, all stations where such work is likely to be done, and the crews involved.
3. Shop records. Although this subject would normally be part of a standard audit for any unit
where records are kept, situations may arise that require an audit of the record keeping process
airline-wide. New procedures, new computer processes, or reliability program findings, for
example, could necessitate such an audit.
4. Required inspection items (RIIs). Again, this would be included in the standard audit each
time any unit involved with RIIs is audited. But it may be necessary to check the RII process itself,
as well as to review the authorization of those mechanics performing RIIs.
5. AD and SB compliance. All ADs are required to be implemented within some specified time
limit and often apply to specific aircraft (by tail number, model, or dash number, etc.). Service
bulletins, although optional, must be reviewed for proper compliance if incorporated. Sometimes
an AD is generated for an already released SB. Even if the airline rejected the SB (for whatever
reason) as an AD it must be incorporated. This audit would look at engineering for the handling
of ADs and SBs and the subsequent generation of EOs and other work orders; it will also look at
appropriate units involved in the incorporation of these modifications (maintenance, material,
training, etc.).
6. Major repairs and alterations. These audits are usually performed to ensure compliance with
requirements whenever major aircraft repairs or alterations are done. These modifications would
be performed on a fleet of aircraft, but the audit would normally be done only once.
7. Safety equipment. Availability and accessibility of safety equipment in the various work
centers may be part of the center’s normal audit, but a special audit of all safety equipment may
be desirable at times. This may include an audit of the safety organization itself.
8. Safety training. Training in the location and use of safety items and the proper employment of
safety measures is also done in conjunction with work center audits, but again, a special audit of
the entire safety program may be in order.
9. Accident/incident reporting. These processes and procedures would be addressed in an audit
of the safety organization, but an audit may be necessary of the total program, including other
work centers.
10. Fire protection/prevention. All systems, equipment, and procedures related to fire protection
and fire prevention may be the subject of a onetime audit.
11. Hazardous materials handling. The proper handling of these materials requires training of
personnel who have contact with such materials. The overall program, spanning several work
centers, may be audited.

ISO 9000 Quality Standard

There has been much interest lately in quality: quality of workmanship, quality of service, quality
of life. Most of industry throughout the world is adopting the international standard of quality,
known as ISO 9000 (ISO, International Standards Organization). This standard establishes the
requirement for a quality system in organizations performing design and/or manufacturing or
providing technical service to others. It identifies three types of organizations, with the ISO 9000
specification tailored to each one.
 ISO 9001 is for facilities that design/develop, produce, install, and service products or
provide services to customers who specify how the product or service is to perform.
 ISO 9002 is for facilities that provide goods or services to the customer’s design
specifications.
 ISO 9003 is for those doing final inspection and testing
Each facility must be certified to the applicable ISO 900X program based on the type of work
performed. Maintenance (aircraft or other) is not specifically addressed in any of these ISO
standards, but many aviation regulatory authorities outside the United States require commercial
airline operators to develop a quality standard using ISO 9000. Table 16-2 outlines the
requirements for each type of ISO 9000 organization. The far right column (added by this author)
identifies those items that would relate to aviation maintenance.

Functions of QA
 The portion of QA that handles records may also be responsible for monitoring the
currency of mechanics’ licenses and inspectors’ qualifications and authorizations (RIIs and
conditional inspections).
 This group would also have administrative control over the development and modification
of the TPPM and other documents requiring approval from the director of MPE.
 The QA also performs in-house audit and spot checks that are frequently accomplished on
various shifts to get an idea of how well the company’s maintenance policies and
procedures are being followed.
 These spot checks may be of aircraft being maintained at hangar, line maintenance, safety,
maintenance shops, paperwork, tooling, or equipment being used.

Reliability
Reliability equals consistency. It can be defined as the probability that an item will perform a
required function, under specified conditions without failure, for a specified amount of time
according to its intended design.
The reliability program is a valuable means of achieving better operational performance in an
aircraft maintenance environment, and it is designed to decrease maintenance related issues and
increase flight safety. The intent of this program is to deal systematically with problems as they
arise instead of trying to cure immediate symptoms. There are two main approaches to the concept
of reliability in the aviation industry.
The first approach is to look at the overall airline reliability. This is measured essentially by
dispatch reliability; that is, by how often the airline achieves an on-time departure1 of its scheduled
flights. Airlines using this approach track delays. Reasons for the delay are categorized as
maintenance, flight operations, air traffic control (ATC), etc. and are logged accordingly. The
M&E organization is concerned only with those delays caused by maintenance.
The second approach (which we should actually call the primary approach) is to consider reliability
as a program specifically designed to address the problems of maintenance—whether or not they
cause delays—and provide analysis of and corrective actions for those items to improve the overall
reliability of the equipment. This contributes to the dispatch reliability, as well as to the overall
operation

Types of Reliability
 Statistical reliability:- Statistical reliability is based upon collection and analysis
of failure, removal, and repair rates of systems or components. From this point on,
we will refer to these various types of maintenance actions as “events.” Event rates
are calculated on the basis of events per 1000 flight hours or events per 100 flight
cycles. This normalizes the parameter for the purpose of analysis. Other rates may
be used as appropriate
 Historical reliability: - Historical reliability is simply a comparison of current
event rates with those of past experience. Look at last year’s data for the same
equipment, same time period. Use the previous year’s data also, if available. If
current rates compare favorably with past experience, then everything is okay; if
there is a significant difference in the data from one year to the next, that would be
an indication of a possible problem. That is what a reliability program is all about:
detecting and subsequently resolving problems.
Historical reliability can also be used by airlines wishing to establish a statistically
based program. Data on event rates kept for 2 or 3 years can be tallied or plotted
graphically and analyzed to determine what the normal or acceptable rates would
be (assuming no significant problems were incurred). Guidelines can then be
established for use during the next year. This will be covered in more detail in the
reliability program section below.
 Event-oriented reliability: - Event-oriented reliability is concerned with one-time
events such as bird strikes, hard landings, overweight landings, in-flight engine
shutdowns, lighting strikes, ground or flight interruption, and other accidents or
incidents. These are events that do not occur on a daily basis in airline operations
and, therefore, produce no usable statistical or historical data. Nevertheless, they
 do occur from time to time, and each occurrence must be investigated to determine
the cause and to prevent or reduce the possibility of recurrence of the problem.
 Dispatch reliability: - Dispatch reliability is a measure of the overall effectiveness
of the airline operation with respect to on-time departure. It receives considerable
attention from regulatory authorities, as well as from airlines and passengers, but it
is really just a special form of the event-oriented reliability approach. It is a simple
calculation based on 100 flights. This makes it convenient to relate dispatch rate in
percent. An example of the dispatch rate calculation follows.

A Reliability Program
A reliability program for our purposes is, essentially, a set of rules and practices for managing and
controlling a maintenance program. The main function of a reliability program is to monitor the
performance of the vehicles and their associated equipment and call attention to any need for
corrective action. The program has two additional functions: (a) to monitor the effectiveness of
those corrective actions and (b) to provide data to justify adjusting the maintenance intervals or
maintenance program procedures whenever those actions are appropriate.
The basic elements are
(a) Data collection: - The data collection process gives the reliability department the information
needed to observe the effectiveness of the maintenance program. Those items that are doing well
might be eliminated from the program simply because the data show that there are no problems.
On the other hand, items not being tracked may need to be added to the program because there are
serious problems related to those systems
(b) Problem area alerting, : - The data collection system allows the operator to compare present
performance with past performance in order to judge the effectiveness of maintenance and the
maintenance program. An alerting system should be in place to quickly identify those areas where
the performance is significantly different from normal. These are items that might need to be
investigated for possible problems. Standards for event rates are set according to analysis of past
performances and deviations from these standards.
(c) Data display; : - Several methods for displaying data are utilized by the reliability department
to study and analyze the data they collect. Most operators have personal computers available so
that data can easily be displayed in tabular and graphical forms. The data are presented as events
per 100 or 1000 flight hours or flight cycles. Some, such as delays and cancellations, are presented
as events per 100 departures. The value of 100 allows easy translation of the rate into a percentage.
(d) Data analysis; : - Whenever an item goes into alert status, the reliability department does a
preliminary analysis to determine if the alert is valid. If it is valid, a notice of the on-alert condition
is sent to engineering for a more detailed analysis. The engineering department is made up of
experienced people who know maintenance and engineering. Their job relative to these alerts is to
troubleshoot the problem, determine the required action that will correct the problem, and issue an
engineering order (EO) or other official paperwork that will put this solution in place
(e) Corrective actions; : - Corrective actions can vary from one-time efforts correcting a
deficiency in a procedure to the retraining of mechanics to changes in the basic maintenance
program. The investigation of these alert conditions commonly results in one or more of the
following actions: (a) modifications of equipment; (b) change in or correction to line, hangar, or
shop processes or practices; (c) disposal of defective parts (or their suppliers); (d) training of
mechanics (refresher or upgrade); (e) addition of maintenance tasks to the program; or (f )
decreases in maintenance intervals for certain tasks
(f) Follow-up analysis: - The reliability department should follow up on all actions taken relative
to on-alert items to verify that the corrective action taken was indeed effective. This should be
reflected in decreased event rates. If the event rate does not improve after action has been taken,
the alert is reissued and the investigation and corrective action process is repeated, with
engineering taking a different approach to the problem. If the corrective action involves lengthy
modifications to numerous vehicles, the reduction in the event rate may not be noticeable for some
time
(g) A monthly report: - A reliability report is issued monthly. Some organizations issue quarterly
and yearly reports in summary format. The most useful report, however, is the monthly. This report
should not contain an excessive amount of data and graphs without a good explanation of what
this information means to the airline and to the reader of the report. The report should concentrate
on the items that have just gone on alert, those items under investigation, and those items that are
in or have completed the corrective action process.

Maintenance Safety
The Code of Federal Regulations, Title 29, Part 1910, deals with industrial safety (29 CFR 1910). Its title
is “Occupational Safety and Health Standards” and is part of the U.S. Government regulations for the
Department of Labor (DOL). The agency within DOL responsible for enforcing these regulations is the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Aviation is not addressed specifically in these
OSHA regulations, but all aspects of the aviation maintenance activity (as well as flight operations, office,
and terminal activities) are covered. Table 19-1 lists the subparts of Part 1910 as of January 2003. It is up
to the aviation industry itself to ferret out those parts and sub parts of 29 CFR 1910 that apply to aviation
matters and materials and to tailor the requirements directly to those airline activities.

Safety rules and regulations

The federal hazard communications (FHC) standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200, requires that
management provide information about chemical hazards in the work force to all employees. This
becomes part of the airline’s safety program through the distribution of material safety data sheets
(MSDS). These data sheets are generated by the chemical manufacturer and identify the hazards,
precautions, and first aid instructions relative to the chemical’s use. The airline safety managers
must make the appropriate MSDSs available to anyone who may use or come in contact with the
chemical. The airline may add any additional information to the MSDS as necessary to clarify the
use of the chemical, as well as provide information on reporting incidents and hazards. The
manufacturer’s MSDS is general and deals with the chemical; the airline additions to the MSDS
address specific airline concerns and procedures.
Physical hazards, such as noise, ionizing radiation, nonionizing radiation, and temperature
extremes, for example, are governed by other parts of 29 CFR 1910 and should also be addressed
in the airline’s safety program. This program would provide for the availability, training, and use
of protective equipment, safety measures, and safety processes.
Posture, force, vibration, and mechanical stress are common hazards workers are subject to in all
work areas. The amount and type of exposure, of course, varies with the work being done. The
airline safety program should address each work center’s specific needs.
Viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other substances that can cause disease are included in the regulations.
These biological hazards come under the health classification and also vary depending upon the
kind of work being done and other work environment conditions.

Maintenance Safety Program

The maintenance safety program manager has the following primary responsibilities:
1. Identify and assess all health and safety hazards within the various M&E work areas
2. Determine protective measures needed for hazardous conditions and ensure that protective
clothing and equipment are available to the workers as necessary
3. Make information available to workers handling hazardous chemicals, on the hazards and
handling procedures involved with those chemicals, including any data supplied by the
manufacturer, and any additional information deemed necessary for the airline activities
4. Provide training on the identification of hazards, on the location and use of safety equipment,
and on first aid and reporting procedures involved
5. Establish and document the safety program in the technical policies and procedures manual
(TPPM).

General Responsibilities for Safety

Airline safety management As for any airline, safety is the number one priority. Every airline
strives to be the leader in aviation safety by promoting safety to its employees from top
management to mechanics and other personnel. An airline’s commitment to safety, security, and
quality is demonstrated by their enthusiasm in developing, implementing, maintaining, and
continually improving their safety culture via safety management systems in order to achieve the
desired results. Since there are many other departments besides aircraft maintenance, each
department is responsible for training employees about accident prevention, on-the-job injuries,
and environmental issues
Safety manager responsibilities The safety coordinator is manager and administrator of the safety
program. He or she is responsible for establishing the safety rules and procedures; for auditing the
M&E facilities, along with QA, for adherence to safety policy; for developing improvements in
the safety program; and for maintaining records and filing claims relative to accidents and
incidents involving M&E personnel and equipment. The filing of accident and incident claims may
be an airline administrative function (personnel, legal, etc.), but the M&E safety coordinator will
be directly involved with claims from the M&E areas
Supervisor responsibilities Each work center supervisor is responsible for the safety of his or her
facilities and personnel, beginning with clean, well-kept offices, shops, and other work areas. The
supervisor must enforce all safety rules and provide instructions and interpretations of rules,
regulations, and methods for preventing accidents or incidents within his or her work area.
Employee responsibilities Each employee of an airline, whether licensed mechanic, unlicensed
helper, worker, supervisor, or manager, is responsible for compliance with all airline safety rules
and practices. They are all responsible for reporting to their immediate supervisor or manager
deficiencies such as abnormalities, unsafe practices, and unsafe equipment. Employees are also
responsible for the proper use of tools and equipment and the proper operation of machinery. They
are also expected to apply safety rules that they have learned from safety classes and training

General Safety Rules

Smoking regulations The term smoking materials refers to cigars, cigarettes, pipes, and other
flammable materials such as matches and lighters. The safety coordinator should designate “No
Smoking” areas, and the regulations must be enforced.
Typical no smoking areas include the following:
(a) Inside aircraft at any time;
(b) Within 50 feet of an aircraft parked on the ramp;
(c) Within 50 feet of any refueling activity or refueling equipment;
(d) Within 50 feet of oil, solvent, or paint storage areas;
(e) Inside hangars, except in offices, washrooms, and other areas designated for smoking; and
(f ) Any location of the airport designated as no smoking by the airport authority

Fire prevention Smoking materials are not the only sources of ignition for fires. Electrostatic
discharge can also provide the spark needed for ignition of flammable vapors and other substances.
For that reason, all aircraft should be properly grounded while they are in the hangar or on the
ramp, especially during refueling and defueling operations. Other materials susceptible to
combustion include rags and paper. Combustible rags must be stored in National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA)- approved, closed containers, and paper and other combustible trash must be
stored in suitable trash cans. Other items, such as volatile cleaning fluids with a low flash point,
oils, and paints, must also be properly stored and handled. When these items are present, the no
smoking rules will apply and adequate ventilation will be required.
Hangar deluge systems Airplane hangars are complex and expensive structures, and they often
contain one or more aircraft, which are considerably more expensive than the building itself. The
multitude of other equipment in the hangar, and the fact that air craft may be jacked up,
surrounded by scaffolding and maintenance stands, or in some other condition detrimental to
moving them readily, make it imperative that these hangars be equipped with sufficient fire
suppression equipment to protect the airline’s investment.
Fall prevention and protection The OSHA regulations concerning fall protection and prevention
refer to work surfaces, scaffolding, and other high and precarious places, such as building
construction sites, but not specifically the wings and fuselages of airplanes where maintenance
people have to go occasionally. However, the same philosophy exists. Dangerous areas must be
identified and should have specific equipment and procedures in place to protect anyone involved
in working these areas.

Accident and Injury Reporting

Each incident involving airline personnel that results in damage to facilities and/or equipment or
in injury to personnel must be reported to the safety manager, regardless of whether the personnel,
equipment, or facilities is owned by the airline or some other unit. An initial report will be made
immediately after the accident or incident occurs using telephone, telex, fax, radio, or any other
means of communication available.
This report should be made directly to the safety office if the event occurred on the home base or
through the MCC if it occurred at an outstation. Within 24 hours of the event, the work center
supervisor where the accident or incident occurred will send a completed accident report or
personnel injury report, as applicable, to the safety office.
Forms for such reports should be developed by the safety office and made available to all airline
work centers. Samples of these forms and the instructions for proper completion and submission
of the forms should be included in the safety program section of the technical policies and
procedures manual. The safety office will create a log of all accident and incident activities
involving airline personnel whether at the home station, at outstations, or at contractor facilities.
The PP&C organization will issue a work order number for the tracking of each accident or
incident through the process of investigation, repair, insurance claims, or any other process
required. The work order will also serve to collect time and cost data relative to the accident or
incident.