12
GA
/ Vol. 5 / No.4 / APRIL 2013
by Dainius Sakalauskas, Deputy Head of
FL Technics Training
Airline News
As air operators seek to streamline
their avenues of expenditure,
increasing attentiona is being paid to
the role of knowledge engineering
in high frequency maintenance of
aircraft parts and components. In line
with this, a recently published study
commissioned by Susana Ferreiro,
a computer engineer of Donostia-
San Sebastián, addressed several
factors of assistance to air operators
in reducing their maintenance costs
and improving air safety in the
long term. The research focused on
high frequency maintenance issues
including the degradation of aircraft
brakes, the appearance of burrs during
the manufacture of components and
the deterioration of oil quality used
in lubrication. The results of the
study provide topical value to fleet
managers seeking to optimise their
maintenance expenditures while
offering sound reasoning in support
The role of knowledge
engineering to improve
aircraft maintenance
of improved standards of flight safety.
Irrespective of the fleet scope,
maintenance costs routinely account for
anywhere between 10 and 45 percent
of annual operating expenses. In any
case, this equates to a substantial outlay
for air operators. As no reasonable
fleet manager would permit a drop in
maintenance standards in an effort to
reduce costs, many are turning to the
role played by knowledge engineering
in order to sustain a healthy level
of competitiveness. This study was
interesting from the point of view
that it applied techniques based on
artificial intelligence, data mining and
machine learning to enhance certain
elements of aircraft maintenance.
Although it is too early to tell whether
this study will hold a major bearing
on changes to aircraft maintenance
practices, we are always open to new
ideas aimed at addressing lingering
problems within the aviation industry.
Managing brake wear limits for
aircraft landing gear entails routine
line inspections of the assembly.
Organised as part of the European
TATEM project for increasing aircraft
operability by managing the time and
cost outlay for scheduled maintenance,
the study made use of algorithms
to model solutions to the predictive
maintenance of aircraft brake wear.
Specifically, the research looked into
estimating the wear of individual
brake components in order to plan
an effective allocation of resources.
This in turn would allow maintenance
to be deferred to optimal locations
(and times) as well as improve flight
punctuality by lessening delays
caused by corrective maintenance.
Additionally, the research sought
solutions to controlling the emergence
of burrs during the manufacture of
aircraft parts. As mandated by the
aviation industry, burrs (a material
edge disturbance often caused by
drilling) must not exceed 127 microns.
The study aimed to develop a process
whereby checks carried out for
material burrs could be optimised
by using the internal signals of a
drilling machine to detect in real
time when the burr limit has been
exceeded. The process routinely and
wholly applied to control material
burring could thus be applied
only when actually necessary.
Perhaps more notably however,
the research proposed a model for
detecting the extent of oil degradation
(used in component lubrication)
without the costly requirement for
laboratory testing. It focused on
spectrometric techniques to determine
the basicity of the oil and thereby
advise on its current state. As the
properties of oil deplete over time,
its monitoring is vital to ensure
effective lubrication of various aircraft
components. The method allows
for a sensor to be incorporated into
what is being monitored, making
expensive lab testing near redundant.
Improving aircraft maintenance
with a view to improved standards
in air safety is fundamental to all
involved in the industry. Indeed, over
time, errors made during routine line
and base maintenance have contributed
either directly or indirectly to almost
12 percent of airliner accidents
across the globe. While significant
improvements have been made in this
sector, such errors continue to impose
a financial burden on airlines on the
basis of unforeseen flight delays and
cancellations. It is therefore essential
for maintenance organisations to keep
abreast of changes aimed at improving
workplace practices in order to
ensure they remain competitive. ˇ
The first A350 XWB MSN001
now showing its completed wings,
has moved to its next phase of
ground testing, from Roger Béteille
A350 XWB FAL "Station 30" to
the Clément Ader area "Station
18" in Toulouse. The aircraft is
structurally complete and shows
the installed winglets, belly fairing
panels, main landing gear doors.
The aircraft has recently
completed successfully a series
of indoor ground tests including
stability tests on `movable' elements
such as rudder, elevators, ailerons
and wing spoilers and landing gears
extraction/retraction. The next steps
which will take place outdoors at
Station 18 will include three planned
families of tests: Fuel tanks testing
including levels, flows, sealing
and internal fuel transfer functions;
pressure testing of the fuselage;
and radio equipment testing. ˇ
First A350 XWB with wings complete emerges
for outdoor testing
hansel@doholdings.co.za
CHARTER
Companies - SA
Company
Code Telephone
E-mail
Virginia Airport - Durban
Rand Airport - Germiston
Grand Central - Midrand
Lanseria Airport
OR Tambo International - Johannesburg
KZN Aviation
Capital Air (Pty) Ltd
Jemax Aviation (Pty) Ltd
Swift Flight (Pty) Ltd
DO Charter
Federal Air Charters (Pty) Ltd & Bateleur Air Charter
Freedom Air
Powered Flight Charte
rs
031
011
011
011
011
011
012
078
564 6215
827 0335
805 0682
701 3298
659 2229
395 9000
751 1157
460 1231
mel@kznaviation.co.za
tanya@capitalairsa.com
fjoubert@jemaxaviation.co.za
info@swiftflite.co.za
hansel@doholdings.co.za
magda.baillie@fedair.com
info@freedomair.co.za
martin@poweredflight.co.za
< 20 Pax
> 20 pax
Biz J
ets
V
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.
Long-Range
Fr
eight
Helicopter
Special Ev
ents
Saf
er
o Char
ters
Contracts
Air
craft Sales
Sur
v
e
ys
Maintenance
Aerial Photogra
ph
y
Air
craft Leasing
Security Based (armed)
Line Inspections
Lodge T
ransf
ers
Expor
t Docs and Clearing
Hangarage
Air
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Wonderboom airport - Pretoria