Transcript Maintaining Aging General Aviation Airplanes

Maintaining Aging General
Aviation Airplanes
Presented by:
Alabama Northwest Florida Flight
Standards District Office
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Introduction
• General Aviation (GA) Fleet of 150,000 averaged
more than 30 years old in 2000.
• By 2020, the average age could approach 50 years.
• Information is targeted for small single-engine
airplanes however, this information applies to the
entire GA fleet.
• Information endorsed by the FAA and Industry.
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Background
• GA fleet is being used well beyond the flight
hours and years envisioned when the aircraft was
designed.
• The bulk of the fleet is designed to Civil Aviation
Regulations (CAR) 3 standards developed in the
1950s or earlier.
• Most airplanes are rarely inspected beyond a nonintrusive annual or 100 hr inspection required by
14 CFR 43.15, Appendix D.
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Purpose
• These recommended practices are similar to
suggested physical exams that doctors
recommend.
• These recommendations provide a baseline
airplane-wide checklist of potential aging
concerns for critical areas of an airplane.
• Promotes the sharing of information among
the GA community.
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Best Practices
Two specific best practices can have a fundamental
impact on the way maintenance and inspection is
approached for aging airplanes.
• Airplane records research
• Special attention inspections
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Best Practices: Airplane Records
Research
•
•
Logbook Entries. (14 CFR 43.9 and 43.11)
Aircraft Records. (14 CFR 91.417)
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Best Practices: Airplane Records
Research
• Logbook Entries. (14 CFR 43.9 and 43.11)
• Aircraft Records.
• Type Certificate Data Sheets. (TCDS)
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Best Practices: Airplane Records
Research
•
•
•
•
Logbook Entries. (14 CFR 43.9 and 43.11)
Aircraft Records.
Type Certificate Data Sheets. (TCDS)
Airworthiness Directives. (AD)
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Downloaded from www.avhf.com
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Best Practices: Airplane Records
Research
•
•
•
•
•
Logbook Entries. (14 CFR 43.9 and 43.11)
Aircraft Records.
Type Certificate Data Sheets. (TCDS)
Airworthiness Directives. (AD)
Special Airworthiness Information
Bulletins. (SAIB)
Downloaded from www.avhf.com
Downloaded from www.avhf.com
Best Practices: Airplane Records
Research
•
•
•
•
•
Logbook Entries. (14 CFR 43.9 and 43.11)
Aircraft Records.
Type Certificate Data Sheets. (TCDS)
Airworthiness Directives. (AD)
Special Airworthiness Information
Bulletins. (SAIB)
• Service Bulletins
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Best Practices: Airplane Records
Research
• Service Difficulty Reports. (SDR)
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Best Practices: Airplane Records
Research
• Service Difficulty Reports. (SDR)
• National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB) Records.
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Downloaded from www.avhf.com
Best Practices: Airplane Records
Research
• Service Difficulty Reports. (SDR)
• National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB) Records.
• General Aviation Airworthiness Alerts
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Best Practices: Airplane Records
Research
• Service Difficulty Reports. (SDR)
• National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB) Records.
• General Aviation Airworthiness Alerts
• Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)
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Best Practices: Special Attention
Inspections
• 14 CFR 43.15, Appendix D and
manufacturers’ inspections (CH-5) are
probably not enough.
• A detailed inspection or series of
inspections, modifications, parts
replacements, or a combination of these
may be necessary to keep an aging airplane
operating properly.
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Critical Areas
General
Engine
Modifications
Avionics
Fuel System
Propeller
Controls
Fuselage
Repairs
Electrical
Instruments
Systems
Empennage
Landing Gear
Wing
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Role of Type Clubs
• Type Clubs may already have special
inspection checklists for your aircraft.
• May determine trends specific to
demographics such as airplane location,
flight hours, etc.
• May provide data regarding field approvals
for modification and alterations.
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Special Attention
Inspection Example
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Summary
• Records research, development of a special
inspection checklist, and inspecting
airplanes per the checklist provides the
safety benefit.
• These benefits can be enhanced when
information is shared.
• The checklist will be a “living document”.
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