Lecture Notes: Aircraft Maintenance and Safety

Introduction

Health Checks: Passenger planes undergo frequent inspections more than most passengers.
- A Check: Initial walk-around inspection.
- B and C Checks: More intensive, performed at set intervals.
- C Check: Involves hundreds of man-hours; crucial for safety.
Complexity of Modern Aircraft
- Example: 737 has over 360,000 parts vs. Wright brothers’ aircraft with 1,500 parts.
- Every component must function correctly; a missing screw can jeopardize safety.

Flight 261 crashed due to a malfunction in the horizontal stabilizer.
- Investigation Findings: Jack screw was not lubricated; maintenance records showed falsification due to pressure to cut costs.
Regulatory Response: FAA orders checks on MD-80s; Alaska Airlines found to have inconsistencies in maintenance frequency.

Accident Overview: Crashed due to a faulty repair of the rear pressure bulkhead.
- Investigators found insufficient rivets in the repair, leading to structural failure.
- The faulty repair was undetected due to inadequate inspection methods.

Incident caused by a propeller blade failure due to fatigue and maintenance oversights.
- Previous cracks were not properly addressed during inspections.
- Corrosion: Caused by moisture that led to deterioration of the propeller material.

Swiss Air Flight 111 fire caused by an aftermarket entertainment system.
- Investigators found flammable insulation contributed to the rapid spread of fire.
- Highlighted the risks of retrofitting older planes with new systems.

Response to accidents led to tighter inspection regulations and processes.
- Improved training for maintenance personnel and enhanced inspection techniques.

Overall importance of thorough maintenance in aviation.
Despite accidents, aviation remains one of the safest modes of transportation.
Continuous learning and improvements in maintenance practices are crucial for safety.