Using Approved Tools and Ground Support Equipment for Maintenance
Special tools or Ground Support Equipment (GSE) may be required to perform some maintenance tasks. Airbus provides a list of approved suppliers for GSE or tools in the Tools and Equipment Manual (TEM). GSE or tools from suppliers that are not listed in the TEM may be offered to Operators and maintenance organizations as alternatives. However, these alternative GSE or tools may not always be designed or manufactured to meet the technical, quality, and safety requirements of Airbus. This article describes events where the use of unapproved GSE or tools led to serious incidents. It explains why it is important to only use GSE or tools from approved suppliers to ensure safe aircraft maintenance and operations.
Safe Oxygen Servicing
Oxygen is a vital gas, but when combined with a source of heat and flammable material, it can cause a significant fire hazard. This risk increases in an oxygen-enriched environment and can even lead to an explosion. Oxygen servicing requires specific safety precautions to avoid any hazardous situations. This article explains how a fire can start in the presence of oxygen and highlights the safety precautions that must always be followed whenever working on oxygen systems.
Proper Landing Gear Servicing for Safe Operations
Proper servicing of landing gear is obviously important to ensure proper landing gear operations during takeoff and landing. It is equally important to ensure proper retraction and extension to prevent potential interference with other aircraft systems in the case of abnormal landing gear conditions.If the landing gear servicing tasks are not properly performed, issues can occur such as struts seized in a retracted position and strong vibrations that can affect the function of avionics equipment. This article provides a description of best practices that maintenance crew can apply when performing the landing gear servicing tasks, with a focus on the shock absorber and the importance of regular lubrication.
Take Care of Your Brakes
All Brakes are subject to wear. Some brakes may also experience oxidation which can lead to brake rupture. In the case of a brake rupture or if brakes are too worn, the aircraft braking performance is reduced. This can result in a runway overrun if the full braking capacity is required such as during a rejected takeoff with an aircraft weight at or close to the maximum takeoff weight. Brake rupture can also lead to damage that can cause a brake fire due to hydraulic fluid coming into contact with hot parts.This article describes carbon wear and oxidation phenomena. It recalls the maintenance procedures used to identify worn or oxidized brakes, flight crew procedures, and good practices to prevent brake wear and oxidation.
Fuel Microbiological Contamination Treatment
An aircraft fuel tank provides the perfect conditions for microbiological contamination to develop, especially when operating in hot and humid environments. Problems caused by microbiological contamination of fuel can range from inaccurate or erroneous fuel quantity readings to structural corrosion and engine fuel supply difficulties caused by clogged fuel filters. As a result, if treatment is not correctly applied, microbiological contamination can also cause significant safety issues. This article describes why prevention is important and focuses on why it is essential to follow the maintenance procedures when treatment is required.
Good Quality Hydraulic Fluid for Safe Operations
Several cases of uncommanded spoiler extension were reported to Airbus in recent years. Investigations showed that a high acidity level of the hydraulic fluid was a contributor to these events. This article recalls the importance of checking the quality of the hydraulic fluid and describes the improvements made to the AMM/MP procedure to perform hydraulic fluid analysis and reduce buildup of acid in the fluid. It also recalls some good practices to prevent hydraulic fluid contamination during maintenance or servicing operations.
Prevention of EGT Overlimit Events
A number of engine Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) overlimit events at takeoff were reported to Airbus, including dual events leading to a significant increase in flight crew workload at low altitude. This article recalls the importance of monitoring the EGT margin of each engine to detect any degradation in engine performance early, and provides recommendations to Maintenance, Flight Operations, and flight crews to prevent EGT overlimit events. It also reminds us of what to do in the case of an EGT overlimit indication at takeoff.
Landing with Nosewheels at 90 degrees
In the past few years, several events occurred involving landing with the Nose Landing Gear (NLG) wheels turned to 90° from the aircraft centerline. The investigations identified the root causes, which were different for each event. Mitigating actions were developed and deployed accordingly. This article describes the outcomes of investigations into several events of aircraft landing with NLG wheels at 90° and shows why they are not related. It also recalls the corrective actions and existing operational recommendations to prevent any recurrence.
System Reset: Use With Caution
A system reset is not always the quick fix that it may seem. Performing an inappropriate manual system reset in flight can seriously impair the safety of the flight. Multiple system resets on the ground without performing the necessary troubleshooting actions can also have serious consequences.This article addresses when system resets are applicable and how to perform them correctly.
Ensuring a Correct Aircraft Technical Configuration
Flying on an aircraft with an incorrect aircraft technical configuration can cause unexpected system behaviors that could lead to an accident or a serious incident. This can occur when an aircraft is dispatched with hardware or software that is not authorized to be installed on that aircraft. Incorrect technical configuration or documentation can also create inconsistency between the documentation and the actual aircraft technical configuration.This article recalls the key aspects of technical configuration management. It highlights the importance of checking the Part Number (P/N) of the hardware and software and describes the tools that Airbus has developed to help operators make sure that they install the appropriate P/N on their aircraft.