We all know how advanced an aircraft is. It must have taken extreme brilliance to create one and brilliant mechanics to keep these systems working efficiently.
The one responsible for looking after the aircraft’s proper functioning, its installation and repairs and maintenance is called an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer.
He has to check the airplanes and helicopters between the flights to make sure all the system is in good condition and under control. The experienced and the new aircraft mechanics and the pilots will get the training to understand the value of maintaining an aircraft.
If there were no maintenance, then the airplanes and helicopters’ crashing would increase. So it is imperative to understand how much aircraft maintenance is required.
Here are some factors that need to be considered for aircraft maintenance that we will tell you today. So let’s have a look.
- A regular inspection schedule is needed.
The rule is to have one inspection for all aircraft each year, but if the plane carries more people other than the crew, then an investigation is done after even 100 hours of flight. During the review, they check the safety and the airworthiness of an aircraft. Besides inspection, the plane undergoes other kinds of checks too.
- Structural maintenance, component maintenance, and line maintenance
If an aircraft is in regular use, and due to its age, it becomes prone to damage for which it will need structural maintenance. Most of the structural damage of an aircraft occurs due to “friendly foreign object damage,” which happens because of ramps and wrong support.
It is essential to check and fix those kinds of damages. At the same time, the maintenance team performs the component checking to prevent failures. They do this to ensure longevity for components, and a hard time is the least cost-effective method.
Adding lubricant regularly and repairing of parts take place as a primary step. Checking the aircraft’s things, such as the wheels, brakes, and fluid levels, take place during the transit checks. Every aircraft going under this process will occupy around twelve hours of line maintenance every single week.
This entire process takes place around the world, everywhere.
- The A check
The aircraft maintenance team performs the A-check for maintenance wherein every ten weeks, the filters are changed, the critical areas are lubricated, and inspection takes place on all the emergency equipment.
- The C check
This type of checking takes place every eighteen months and generally takes three weeks to complete. During this procedure, the airplane’s systems and subsystems are dismantled. They are inspected and checked and tested for security, and then they certify the plane for continuing airworthiness.
- The D check
Depending on the aircraft, this procedure is also called C4 or C8. This checking takes place every six years, and the process includes everything in the cabin to get changed.
They check all the systems thoroughly, repair, modify, re-install the necessary equipment, while the entire process costs about millions of dollars. The seats, toilets, galleys, and other things are taken out so the aircraft’s metal skin will go under inspection from inside and out. In conclusion, we hope the above information has helped you understand and know about the factors that are considered for aircraft maintenance for its efficient working and prevention of future problems.