AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

Aircraft Maintenance Program for Quality Assurance Program

Aircraft Maintenance Program for Quality Assurance Program

Table of Contents

Table of Contents3

Abstract4

Introduction5

Repairing6

Documentation of Aircraft Maintenance7

Private Aircrafts9

Conclusion13

References14

Abstract

There are millions of people flying on several aircraft every year, from small Cessna aircraft to the very large jumbo airliners, most of them thinking they're putting their life in the hand of the pilots. What they don't realize is that their lives along with the pilots are also put in the hands of the individuals behind the scene. Yes, we're talking about the maintenance crew that inspect, service, and perform routine and/or major maintenance of the aircraft. This paper touches on how human factors in aviation maintenance seriously affect the performance of an aircraft. For example, a pilot experienced a vibration while cruising at 8,000 feet; the shutdown the engine after noticing the oil pressure fall to zero, flames coming from the engine cowling, and smoke in the cockpit.

Aircraft Maintenance Program for Quality Assurance

Introduction

The pilot miraculously makes a forced landing at a nearby airport. This accident was caused from an unserviceable piston assembly replaced during an annual inspection. Time on duty, fatigue, and even personal problems are major factors in how well maintenance personnel perform their assigned duties. If there is one or more than 300 people aboard an aircraft, maintainers should realize that everyone is depending on their professional expertise to get them to their final destination safely. Statistics have shown that air travel is the safest mode of travel; unfortunately accidents will happen and poor maintenance practices can play a vital roll in a large number of them.

Working during the nighttime hours is better known as shift work. There is no getting around this shift. With the airline industry doing most of it's flying during the daytime hours, shift work is a requirement for a lot of maintenance personnel. This is where most of the aircraft maintenance is being performed and also when people are more prone to errors. When a person's normal sleep cycle is disrupted due to long and inconsistent shift schedules, there is a greater chance for mental and physical fatigue.

Repairing

When an aircraft is taken to a repair facility for a routine inspection or even an engine overhaul, the owner of that aircraft trusts that maintenance crew to use correct procedures to do the job right the first time. When it comes to a commercial and/or private pilot flying in an aircraft, very seldom do they get a second chance to fix a problem that occurs while they're in the air.

A Cessna with only ten flight hours since an annual and pre-buy inspection was fifteen hundred feet in the air on approach to an airport. The pilot experienced probably his worst nightmare, total engine failure. Even though he could not make it all the way to the airport runway, he was able to land his aircraft on a deserted city street with only two minor injuries. After an extensive investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the engine failure was ...