AIRCRAFT RELIABILITY

MA4872

Lecture 5

Regulatory Authorities
Oversight Functions

Nanyang Technological University

20 Jan 2017
(Friday)

1
MA4872 – Aircraft Reliability
 OVERSIGHT FUNCTIONS

Continuing Analysis and Surveillance System (CASS) as

required by FAA AC 120 16-E covers four basic functions :
1. Quality Assurance - Audits
2. Quality Control – Maintenance Practice
3. Reliability – Monitor failure rates
4. Safety – Health and Safety in Maintenance Activities

MA4872 Aircraft Reliability 2

 MAINTENANCE PROGRAM EVAULATION

Director of
Maintenance
Program Evaluation

Quality Quality Maintenance

Reliability
Assurance Control Safety
Audit A/C Inspection Data Collection Safety
Technical Workshop Investigation Programs
Records Inspection Safety
Issue Alerts
Standards Material Equipment
Monitor Results
Inspection Hazards
NDT/ NDI Identification

Calibration

MA4872 Aircraft Reliability 3

 QUALITY ASSURANCE
Under FAR121.373 (Continuing Analysis and Surveillance) requirements, a QA
system is normally organised into four functions :
1. Management of CASS activities
2. Audit of all M&E units, including external contractors
3. Maintenance of Technical Records
4. Liaison with Regulatory Authorities
Quality Audits form the most important part of QA functions. Audits are
performed at regular intervals on all work units. The audit team will look
into management as well as performance. Generally, they look at :
1. Adequacy of tools, equipment and facilities
2. Competency of assigned personnel (training, licensing and approvals)
3. Workplace and Office organisation
4. Handling of supplies and paperwork

MA4872 Aircraft Reliability 4

 QUALITY AUDITS
The following is an example of the processes and procedures in an
airline’s maintenance organisation that are being audited :
1. Line, hangar and workshop activities, including control of
paperwork, shift handover, logbooks, QC inspections and deferred
maintenance.
2. Material handling, including receiving, storing, labeling, tracking of
time limited parts, flammable items and replenishing of parts,
especially stations.
3. Engineering, including development of maintenance program,
investigation of problem areas, evaluation of SB, SL and AD and
establishment of procedures and policies.
4. Training and Documentation including approvals for inspection
personnel and technical libraries.

MA4872 Aircraft Reliability 5

 NON-ROUTINE AUDITS
Examples of non-routine audits which are only performed when
there are problems:
1. Ramp operation – problems with excessive delays.
2. Workshops – introduction of new computerised system or
reliability program findings.
3. SB and AD compliance – lapses in incorporation within time limits.
4. Major repairs and alterations – Once off audit after a major repair
or mod.
5. Safety equipment - availability and accessibility. May audit safety
organisation itself.
6. Accident/incident reporting – after lapses in compliance.
7. Hazardous material handing – adequate training and available of
information.
MA4872 Aircraft Reliability 6
 TECHNICAL RECORDS
The main reasons for keeping records of an aircraft is to ensure traceability of
processes and origin of parts and materials used in the event of an incident or
accident. However, a more compelling reason is the transfer of such records to
a new buyer of the aircraft.
The records must show the current status of AD and SB incorporation and the time
to next maintenance check.
There are generally four categories of records :
1. Permanent Records – AD compliance, SB/SL accomplishment, major repair,
accidents, weight and balance changes, test flight reports, SB, STC, EO.
2. Routine Records – Fleet campaigns, completed checklists, Aircraft and Engines
logs, maintenance training (some of these may be transferred to permanent
records).
3. Continuous Records – Time in service, Time since overhaul/inspection,
accumulated hours and cycles, Life limited parts, aircraft inspection records,
time remaining to next check, component history cards.
4. Repetitive Records – Signed off Maintenance check sheets, weight and balance
reports.
MA4872 Aircraft Reliability 7
 QUALITY CONTROL
Quality control is mainly done by inspectors to ensure the correct standard of
workmanship and compliance to requirements. There are different systems of
implementing QC. In some organisations, the QC function is the responsibility of
the licensed mechanics or engineers.
The FAA has system to qualify full time and part time inspectors to carry out the
QC function.
Besides Required Inspection Items (RII), there are conditional inspections
required after events such as bird strikes, hard landings, lightning strikes,
turbulence and structural contacts.
There are also systems that need duplicate inspections after repair or servicing.
Specialised inspections like NDT / NDI require specially qualified inspectors and
equipment.
Routine stores inspections are carried out in the receipt stores to ensure correct
certification of parts received.
Another dedicated QC function is calibration. This again involved specialised
personnel and a calibration room where calibration standards are maintained.
MA4872 Aircraft Reliability 8
 RELIABILITY
There are two main aspects of Reliability which are concurrently used in
aviation – Overall Airline Reliability, measured as Despatch reliability and
Maintenance Reliability.
Despatch reliability is a good overall indication of the Maintenance
Program in the long term. It must be backed up by a strong engineering
effort in its internal maintenance reliability system.
Most airline use the 15 minutes delay to measure Despatch Reliability.
For example, a 96% despatch reliability target meant there should not be
more than 4 delays or more than 15 minutes in 100 departures.
Delays measurements are complicated by multiple accountability to
Operations, Maintenance, Traffic and Marketing.
Three other types of Reliability used in aviation are; Statistical reliability,
historical reliability and event-oriented reliability.

MA4872 Aircraft Reliability 9

 COMMON RELIABILITY MEASUREMENTS
Statistical Reliability – is commonly used for Components and are measured by
failures or removals per 1,000 hours or per 100 cycles. This measurement can be
subjected to wide variations on components which are not used in some seasons
or certain phases of flight. The removal rates are therefore brought down to a very
low level together with its alert level. If not carefully understood, reactions to
false alerts will happen.
Historical Reliability – is based solely on historical data and alerts are based on
significant deviations from previous years’ data. There is no basis to determine
whether there is a real problem. The data are merely collected to “watch what
happens”. When sufficient data are collected, it can move on to Statistical
Reliability.
Events-oriented Reliability – is concerned with one-time events such as IFSD,
hard landing, bird-strikes and lightning strikes. These events do not occur
frequently, but have significant impact on operations such as ETOPS.
Despatch Reliability – the most common and easy way to measure reliability of an
airline. However, using this measurement alone is not effective. There are many
systemic problems that do not contribute directly to a delay and these are
hidden from the Despatch Reliability data.
MA4872 Aircraft Reliability 10
 RELIABILITY PROGRAM
There are 7 basic elements in a Reliability Program :
1. Data Collection
2. Problem Detection and Alert
3. Data Display
4. Data Analysis
5. Corrective Actions
6. Follow-up Analysis
7. Monthly Reports
A Reliability Program will include means to change maintenance tasks
and maintenance interval. It is usually administered through a Reliability
Control Board comprising the Head of the Maintenance Division and
various managers in operations and quality. It is also a common practice
to invite the Regulatory Authority to sit in the RCB.
Once the Reliability Program is approved by the Regulator, it is run on a
“self-policing” philosophy. RCB can make changes to maintenance
processes and alert levels without referring to Regulator.
MA4872 Aircraft Reliability 11
 Example of Airline Data Collection for Reliability Program

No./ Alert Rem Rem Rem Tot Rate/ MTBUR Tot Rate MTBUR
ac APR MAY Jun 3-mth 1,000 12-mth
FH
21-01 Air Cycle Machine 3 .1 1 1 3 5 .03 25,304 24 .03 26,522

21-02 Fan Air Cooling 6 .1 4 2 2 8 .03 29,531 42 .03 29,354

21-03 Heat Exchanger 3 .1 0 1 0 1 .00 126,850 8 .01 79,461

21-04 Controller, C Pr 2 .1 0 4 8 12 .14 7,012 21 .04 20,232

21-05 Valve, Turb Bypass 3 .1 7 3 7 17 .13 7,434 67 .10 9,554

21-06 Controller, Zone Temp 1 .1 2 1 0 3 .11 8,672 25 .16 6,176

21-07 Selector, Cabin Temp 1 .1 1 4 1 6 .24 4,099 14 .10 9,786

21-08 Unit Interface Controller 2 .1 0 1 0 1 .01 84,000 5 .01 84,944

21-09 Controller Pack Temp 2 .1 4 1 2 7 .13 7,447 36 .11 8,567

21-10 Water Separator 3 .1 0 0 2 2 .01 63,000 14 .02 45,487

21-11 Valve, 7-in SOV X-Bleed 4 .1 4 1 2 7 .05 17,947 41 .06 15,531

21-12 Valve, Trim Air SOV 1 .1 6 0 0 6 .14 7,047 16 .07 13,302

21-13 Valve, Pack Flow SOV 3 .1 5 5 3 13 .10 9,696 73 .11 8,733

21-14 Valve, Zone Trim Air 7 .1 1 2 0 3 .01 97,992 21 .01 70,783

21-15 Actuator, Ram Air Door 6 .1 7 1 0 8 .03 31,495 36 .02 35,373

21-16 Fan-Air Cool 6 .1 4 2 2 8 .03 29,531 42 .03 29,354

21-17 Air SOV 5-in 1 .1 0 1 0 1 .01 72,734 21 .06 15,409

MA4872 Aircraft Reliability 12