Line Maintenance Service and Its Importance

What is Line Maintenance?

Line maintenance includes any work required to be carried out on an Engine in accordance with the aircraft manuals that is performed before the flight in order to ensure that the aircraft is ready to fly. A visual inspection of the aircraft and a review of its aircraft logbook are conducted to check for entries concerning system malfunctions, failures, and other maintenance. Two hours are required to complete the process of rectification of defects and replacement of aircraft components.

It plays a key role in the airworthiness of aircraft. Unlike base maintenance, which is planned ahead and organized sometimes months in advance

Why Maintenance Management is Important?

Your business’s success is directly linked to the efficiency of your maintenance. Taking care of your assets and equipment will help you keep production stable, reduce the likelihood of unplanned downtime, increase reliability and availability, and optimize the quality of your products.

Inefficient maintenance management may increase your repair costs, cause machines to fail, cause delays in shipments to customers, and result in lost revenue. Safety and productivity may also be affected.

7 Objectives of Maintenance Management:

The main objectives of maintenance management are the same regardless of the type of facility you manage. These include:

• Extending the life of your assets
• Reducing the risk of asset failures and downtime
• Scheduling maintenance and allocating your resources more efficiently
• Controlling your costs
• Complying with regulations in your industry
• Ensuring the safety of your workers
• Implementing better policies and procedures

What is Aircraft First Line Maintenance?

Among the ground services used by planes are preflight, between-flight, and postflight inspections, tire replacements, and fuel replenishment. The first-line maintenance department (ground handling companies) does not typically deal with major unserviceable, and hanging facilities are not required for repairs or rectifications.

4 Types of in Line Maintenance:

1. Run-to-failure (reactive maintenance): Maintenance management strategies that don’t pose any safety risks or have a minimal impact on production include using an asset until it fails and then repairing it. This strategy does not require your technicians to perform any maintenance until a failure occurs.

2. Preventive maintenance (proactive): According to the adage, “prevention is better than cure”, so this proactive maintenance strategy is based on this adage. Taking care of the smaller tasks of maintaining your assets and performing regular maintenance allows you to keep them in good working order and reduce the likelihood of unscheduled downtime by scheduling inspections and performing regular maintenance. It might be a good idea to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations in the early days.

3. Predictive maintenance (condition-based): The aim of this strategy is to alert you to the need to perform maintenance on your assets by using monitoring tools. The goal is to be on the lookout for potential problems early and take action before it becomes a major issue.

4. Reliability-centered maintenance: The goal is to use the most cost-effective maintenance techniques in order to maintain productivity while maximizing productivity. You must analyze every asset separately to implement a reliability-centered maintenance strategy, which can be a complex and time-consuming strategy.

What’s the difference between Line & Base Maintenance?

Base maintenance for aircraft, in contrast to line maintenance, involves the removal of the aircraft from ground handling services for a period longer than a day, ranging up to 30 days. As part of this process, the aircraft is secluded from its operating environment in a hangar; various tools, maintenance checking and equipment are needed. As part of maintenance, it is carried out scheduled checks, as well as rectification activities, and defect investigations. As part of base maintenance, structural work, corrosion prevention, refurbishment of interior spaces, and replacement of major components are among the more time-consuming tasks.

Reliability of Technical Dispatch

As part of monitoring an airline’s engineering aircraft & maintenance activities, Technical Dispatch Reliability is one of the most important performance metrics.

Airlines measure the reliability of their technical dispatch system by measuring the utilization of their aircraft and the number of individual delays and cancellations they can attribute to technical issues. We use the IATA delay codes to identify the reasons for delays, and the technical reasons include:

• 41 (TD): Defects on the aircraft
• 42 (TM): Maintenance schedule, late release
• 43 (TN): Non-scheduled maintenance, special checks, and additional work beyond normal maintenance
• 44 (TS): Equipment breakdowns or lack of spare parts
• 45 (TA): An airplane with technical issues is on the ground (ground handling, ramp handling, ground operations), carrying spares to another location (AOG)
• 46 (TC): A change of aircraft is required due to technical issues
• 47 (TL): Planned standby planes not available due to technical reasons
• 48 (TV): Adaptation of schedule cabin configurations

An aircraft’s utilization is typically tracked by tracking how much time is spent in each sector flown. This information can also be retrieved from the flight logbook of the aircraft, as a last-minute solution.

MRO & MRO Maintenance

Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) organizations are essential entities in the Aerospace Industry, able to keep different aircraft and helicopter models airworthy. MRO ensures facilities, equipment, systems and tools are stocked, maintained and safe to use

MRO aircraft maintenance companies are unique companies that specialize in the maintenance of a specific model or family of aircraft, in close cooperation with the aircraft manufacturer to resolve technical challenges and to provide efficient and reliable support for spare parts.

In addition to routine maintenance on the aircraft, maintenance tasks may include replacing parts, overhauling, modifying and repairing components such as wheels, brakes, valves and avionics.

3 Types of Aircraft Mechanics :

In general, there are three types of airplane mechanics: airframe & powerplant mechanics, inspection authorization endorsed mechanics, and FAA-certified repair stations. Here is a list of who to go to and for what.

1. Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics (A&P)

An A&P mechanic must obtain two different licenses in order to work on both the airframe and engine maintenance of an airplane. In theory, an A&P mechanic may work on both the airframe and the engine maintenance of an airplane.

• Airframe Mechanic: When a mechanic holds an airframe mechanic license, they can work on the body of an aircraft. Inspection and repair of the body are not included in engine, propeller, or avionics work.
• Powerplant Mechanic: A mechanic must have this license to work on maintenance of aircraft engines.

However, most mechanics do earn both of these designations, since employers prefer mechanics who are trained and capable of performing specific tasks. This is a path you should consider if you want to become a well-rounded aircraft mechanic who can diagnose and fix a wide range of problems.

2. Inspection Authorization Mechanic (IA)

After a major aircraft repair, an inspection authorization mechanic can return to active service to inspect the aircraft or engine to ensure it is safe to fly. The FAA awards this endorsement to an experienced A&P mechanic.

3. Avionics Technicians

An aircraft’s electronics instruments are maintained and repaired by an Avionics Technician. A radio communications device/instrument, radar system, and navigation guide are essential elements of airplane safety, so this role is crucial for the aviation mechanic. In addition to communicating with other pilots and towers, these electronic systems help airplanes navigate safely and safely.

Aircraft Maintenance Requirements:

Even though different types of aircraft will require different aircraft maintenance, the FAA indicates that aircraft generally require preventive maintenance after every 25 hours of flight operation time and minor maintenance every 100 hours.

• Annual Inspection: A&P mechanics with inspection authorizations, a properly rated certified repair station or the manufacturer of the aircraft must perform this inspection within the last 12 months.

• 100-Hour Inspection: Whenever an aircraft is used for commercial air transportation or flight instruction, it must be inspected within every 100 hours by an appropriate A&P technician, an appropriately rated certificated repair facility or the manufacturer. A 100-hour inspection is acceptable as part of the annual check-up, but not the reverse.

• Daily and Preflight Inspection: As part of the aircraft inspection, the owner or operator may conduct a daily inspection, but if the pilot elects to conduct a preflight inspection, the pilot is responsible for determining whether the aircraft is airworthy.

As an iJET company, we deal with the technical details of all these processes. We plan for maintenance and repair operations in a timely and effective manner due to our expert engineers, technicians, and many other technical support teams. Maintaining safe flight is always our goal through maintaining high quality maintenance.