The aircraft requires scheduled or unscheduled maintenance due to its material’s predictable lifespan. This maintenance is the responsibility of an approved maintenance organization (AMOs) that have aircraft maintenance mechanics, technicians, and engineers (AMMTEs). These are all professional players that may be licensed certifying personnel, licensed or unlicensed. Only license-carrying AMMTEs have the authority to sign on a maintenance release after the work is completed. Aviation is highly dependent upon qualified and competent AMMTEs. As the air traffic is rapidly increasing day by day the requirement for new AMMTEs is also increasing. According to Boeing between 2016-2035 the industry will require 679,000 new AMMTEs worldwide.
First aviation professionals
The maintenance engineers are known as the first aviation professionals because they were the first who design and built an aircraft before anyone had an opportunity to become a pilot. Also, pioneers’ aircraft need many hours of maintenance after every hour of flight. The material on aircraft requires to be overhauled on a regular basis. Even today, many hours are required to make an aircraft airworthy. But now due to advancements in technology and aircraft systems grown to more complexity, highly skilled professionals are required.
The airframe and all the system and components contain is made up of material that has a natural and predictable lifespan. Although engineers choose that materials that has more lifespan but due to stresses from the physical world and the material’s fatigue the lifespan decreases. The stresses include environmental factors, design limitations, deterioration of materials, or human error. In short, maintenance is a very necessary, time-consuming, and expensive element in aviation operations.
Scope of AMMTEs
All the tasks that are related to maintaining the aircraft fall on aircraft maintenance, mechanics, technicians, and engineers (AMMTEs). The role of AMMTEs is seen within every sector of the industry, from OEM (original equipment manufacture) to airlines and corporate departments. Also, they cover a wide range of operations in general aviation.
Working of AMMTEs
AMMTEs primary responsibility is to make an aircraft airworthy. They make it by regularly servicing, maintaining, and overhauling airframes, engines, avionics, and all the remaining components. The maintenance could be scheduled or unscheduled.
Scheduled and unscheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance occurs at regular interval of time that depends upon the aircraft flying time, take-off/landing cycle, or days. The unscheduled maintenance is done when pilot-identified defects or the airworthiness directives (AD), or any sang.
License vs unlicensed AMMTEs
The license standards for maintenance was first published by ICAO in 1948 in Annex 1. but all the AMMTEs working on-site don’t carry license as the license is not required to perform aviation maintenance. They work under the supervision of a licensed holder and he has the authority to sign a maintenance release.
To earn a license, the trainee must complete practical training which he gets under the supervision of licensed AMMTEs. Then he has to pass the written examination. These AMMTEs become eligible for license between 2-4 years as this trade needs advanced knowledge with high technical skills. In some countries around 7 years to earn the right to certify for AMMTEs.
Maintenance work environment
The maintenance work environment consists of a line, base, and shop.
- Line maintenance
Maintenance during the aircraft’s active service which includes daily checks, turnaround maintenance, and short interval checks.
- Base maintenance
Maintenance When the aircraft is no longer on line, it comes to the hangar. The work involves corrosion control, painting, or engine changes, among other modifications.
- Shop maintenance
The damaged parts are brought to their specific shops for performing maintenance which are avionics, engine, electronics, or other components-related shops.
Approved maintenance organization
The approved maintenance organizations (AMOs) are those which give maintenance services to air operators. The requirements for AMOs are mentioned in Annex 6 and it must be approved by CAA and the approval is also limited based on the particular section the AMOs covers. For example, if the AMOs are approved for aircraft structure then it will only cover the aircraft structure part. Same as if some AMOs is approved for avionics then they won’t be repairing engine parts. The CAA also has to appoint the license holder professional that has the authority to sign the maintenance release. Maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) is the common use word for Maintenance organization.
Managing maintenance disruptions
In this industry, a single aircraft has a wide range of impacts on the entire organization. Therefore, each company tries to optimize the use of each of its aircraft. Firstly, there is no chance of any disruptions appearing but if any things happen ever the reason, for the disruptions are seen in various ways.
- The minimum equipment list identifies the necessary parts in the aircraft that allow the aircraft to safely make its operations.
- Line replaceable units (LRU) are those parts, that don’t require a lot of affords and time. They are removed and replaced quickly and easily.
- Equipment redundancy- these are the back units. If some things fail to operate the other will take over. For example, most aircraft have both a primary and a backup radio in the cockpit.
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