Man Repairing an Aircraft


Aircraft maintenance is the most important aspect of aviation, as is the making of the aircraft itself. Maintaining an aircraft involves the processes of inspection, fixing (repairing), making adjustments to the plane's original plan (modification), and total overhauling of the aircraft. These things are necessary to ensure an aircraft's airworthiness, safety assurance, and reliability.
Meeting all these requirements ensures that the aircraft complies with all the necessary standards to enhance the safety of passengers, property, and the aircraft itself. Meanwhile, in this article, we will not just talk about aircraft maintenance; we will also talk about the types of maintenance and the careers available in the maintenance sector of aviation.

Types of Aircraft Maintenance

In this section, we will talk about the various types of maintenance an aircraft undergoes so as to be airworthy, reliable, and suituable for the safety protocols and standards necessary in the aviation sector.

1. Predictive Maintenance

Just like the name implies, you are predicting (with the aid of tools) when certain parts of the aircraft may fail.
This is done by conducting a thorough analysis of an aircraft. This is done to prevent avoidable accidents that the plane may have. When this is done, those areas or parts found wanting will be quickly changed.

2. Heavy Maintenance

This is mostly referred to as the C and D checks by aeronautical engineers. This is the dismantling of the aircraft or parts of it. When this is done, things like fatigue of the plane's structure is checked and worked on if there is a need. Another thing being looked out for is corrosion.
Maintenance of this magnitude is done in a hangar in an airport with the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities or at a designated location meant for aircraft maintenance.

3. Scheduled Maintenance

This is the strict adherence to a planned maintenance table. This revolves around flight cycles (landings), flight hours- this can be either 600 hours of flight time, which falls under the "A checks."
Another maintenance schedule is planned to be done every 6 years- this type of maintenance is mostly referred to as the "D checks" as it focuses on the total overhauling of an aircraft. The D checks' maintenance falls under the Heavy maintenance.

4. Line Maintenance

This is a routine check on an aircraft. This is done both before and after a flight. It is a daily routine, as inspections are carried out by conducting checks for fluid leakage, refueling, minor or light repairs, just to be sure that an aircraft is in good shape to fly.

5. Unscheduled Aircraft Maintenance

An aircraft is a machine, and it is bound to break down unexpectedly, as a result, making plans for unscheduled repairs or fixing is so expected.
There are instances of incidents that will make a pilot divert to a nearby airport for safety, so as to fix any issue that arose during the flight. So when things like this happen it alters the maintenance plans of the authorities in charge of the aircraft.
Aircraft maintenance is the one important aspect that has kept most airlines in business. There are some airlines that have kept to their policy of having one aircraft type or model; the reason for this decision is to make easy to maintain their planes. A lot of airlines have spent a fortune training their mechanics, technicians, and engineers on the repair of a particular aircraft.
In addition, it becomes easier and cheaper to stockpile spare parts if an airline sticks to a certain type or model of aircraft.

Careers in Aircraft Maintenance

There are lots of opportunities in maintaining an aircraft. This is because all over the world, there are very few people going into the aviation industry as mechanics. Also, a lot of airlines are complaining that lots of their aircraft being sent for maintenance are yet to come back due to the backlog of planes in the queue waiting to be fixed.
Even some plane manufacturers have cried out that they have hundreds of planes that are waiting to be fixed, it could take upto 2030 to clear the backlog.

1. Avionics Technician

This career is all about technicians whose jobs are to fix the electrical issues of an aircraft or to install an electronic system in an aircraft. Also, the job of an avionics technician is to either install or fix the communication, navigation, and radar systems of an aircraft.

2. Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT)

This career is filled with people mostly regarded as aviation generalist as they have expertise in diagnosing the problems the aircraft have, and they are also skilled at fixing the electronic system of the plane. They are good at dismantling the structural part of the plane and fixing it back.

3. Inspection Authorized Mechanic (AI)

This career is dominated with high ranking (A&P) mechanics whose job is to conduct a thorough inspection on a plane- this can be done yearly or quarterly. Also, the supervising technicians or engineers are fixing or repairing an aircraft.

4. Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic (A&P)

This is an important certificate an AI must possess before he will be regarded in this field. Anybody who refers himself as an aviation engineer or mechanic must have this certification before he can secure a job in this field.
A career in the aviation sector is not limited to being a pilot or an air hostess. Lots of opportunities are in this industry, and it is up to you to figure out the area you believe you are best suited for.