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Removing and replacing components of aircraft cabin systems, equipment and furnishings

URN: SEMAE3150
Business Sectors (Suites): Aeronautical Engineering Suite 3
Developed by: Enginuity
Approved on: 2021

Overview

This standard identifies the competencies you need to carry out the removal and replacement of components of aircraft cabin equipment and furnishings, in accordance with approved procedures. It covers both fixed wing and rotary winged aircraft, and includes a range of equipment associated with seating, standard and executive (VIP) furniture, luggage racks, galley cubicles and equipment, toilet cubicles, panels, soft furnishings, safety equipment, power supplies and in-flight entertainment equipment, as applicable to the aircraft type.

You will be required to select the appropriate tools and equipment to use, based on the operations to be performed and the components to be removed. The removal and replacement activities will include taking all necessary safeguards to isolate the equipment, support and lift removed and replaced parts, replacing faulty equipment at component or unit level, setting and adjusting replaced components, and leaving the equipment in a safe condition and ready for testing.

Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the removal and replacement activities undertaken and to report any problems with these activities that you cannot personally resolve, or that are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You must ensure that all tools, equipment and materials used are correctly accounted for on completion of the activities, and that all necessary job/task documentation is completed, accurately and legibly. You will be expected to work with a minimum of supervision, taking personal responsibility for your own actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out.

Your underpinning knowledge will provide a good understanding of your work and will provide an informed approach to applying the appropriate removal and replacement techniques and procedures to aircraft cabin equipment and furnishings. You will understand the removal and replacement methods and procedures and their application, along with the systems maintenance requirements. You will know how the cabin equipment functions, the common problems that can occur, the purpose of the individual components and associated defects, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the removal and replacement activities and for ensuring that the equipment is replaced to the required standard. In addition, you will have sufficient knowledge of these components to ensure that they are fit for purpose and meet the specifications, thus providing a sound basis for carrying out the replacement.

You will understand the safety precautions required when working on the aircraft cabin equipment and furnishings. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout and will understand your responsibility for taking the necessary safeguards to protect yourself and others in the workplace.

Notes To display competence in this standard, it is necessary to both remove and replace components of aircraft cabin equipment and furnishings. You must remove components; however, you may fit a replacement component where the original was previously removed by another person.

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

  1. work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
  2. follow the relevant aircraft manuals and publications to carry out the required work
  3. establish and where appropriate, mark component orientation for re-assembly
  4. ensure that any stored energy or substances are released safely and correctly
  5. carry out the removal and replacement activities, within the limits of your personal authority
  6. remove and replace the required components, using approved tools and techniques
  7. take suitable precautions to prevent damage to components and the surrounding structure
  8. complete the relevant documentation, in accordance with organisational requirements
  9. label and store (in an appropriate location) components that require repair or overhaul

  10. dispose of waste materials and scrap components, in accordance with safe working practices and approved procedures

  11. leave the aircraft and the cabin system in a safe and appropriate condition, free from foreign object debris and in a condition ready for testing

Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

  1. the specific safety practices and procedures that you need to observe when working on aircraft cabin equipment and furnishings (including any specific legislation, regulations/codes of practice for the activities, equipment or materials)
  2. the importance of maintenance on, and impact upon (extended twin operations procedures) ETOpS systems, legislation and local procedures
  3. the safety procedures that must be carried out before work is started on removing cabin equipment and furnishing components (such as displaying warning notices, isolating systems, draining and depressurising systems)
  4. the hazards associated with removing aircraft cabin equipment and furnishings, and with the tools and equipment used (such as lifting and handling, misuse of tools) and how to minimise them and reduce any risks
  5. the requirements and importance of understanding and applying human factors as defined by the regulatory requirements and the potential impact if these are not adhered to

  6. the protective equipment that you need to use for both personal protection (PPE) and protection of the aircraft

  7. what constitutes a hazardous voltage and how to recognise victims of electric shock

  8. how to reduce the risks of a phase to earth shock (such as insulated tools, rubber matting and isolating transformers)

  9. how to extract and use information from aircraft manuals, history/maintenance reports, flight logs, physical layouts, specifications and other documents needed in the removal and replacement process

  10. how to carry out currency/issue checks on the specifications you are working with
  11. terminology used in aircraft cabin equipment and furnishings and the use of diagrams and associated symbols
  12. the techniques used to remove cabin equipment and furnishing components from the aircraft, without damage to the components or surrounding structure
  13. the importance of applying electrostatic discharge (ESD) procedures when working on sensitive equipment or devices

  14. the various mechanical fasteners that will need to be removed and replaced and their method of removal and replacement (such as threaded fasteners, special securing devices)

  15. the various types of electrical connector that are used, methods of unlocking, orientation indicators and locating and locking in of the connections

  16. methods of lifting, handling and supporting the components/equipment during the removal and replacement activities
  17. the importance of ensuring that the work area is free from dirt, swarf and foreign object damage, and of ensuring that any exposed components or pipe ends are correctly covered/protected
  18. the need to correctly label and store components that require repair or overhaul and to check that replacement components have the correct part/identification markings
  19. how to reconnect components into the system (such as the use of gaskets/seals and jointing/sealing compounds; ensuring correct tightness of pipe fittings, eliminating stress on pipework and cable connections; carrying out visual checks of all components)
  20. how to make adjustments to components/assemblies to ensure that they function correctly (such as seat recline mechanisms, settings travel and working clearance)
  21. why electrical bonding is critical and why it must be both mechanically and electrically secure
  22. why securing devices need to be tightened to the correct torque, locked and labelled and the different methods that are used
  23. the tools and equipment used in the removal and replacement activities, and their calibration/care and control procedures

  24. the need to control and account for all tools and equipment used during the removal and replacement activity

  25. the problems that can occur with the removal/replacing operations and how these can be overcome

  26. the recording documentation to be completed for the activities undertaken and where appropriate, the importance of marking and identifying specific pieces of work in relation to the documentation

  27. the procedure for the safe disposal of waste materials, scrap components oils and fluids
  28. the extent of your own authority and to whom you should report if you have a problem that you cannot resolve

Scope/range

Scope Performance

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  1. Carry out all of the following during the removal and replacement activity:

    1. obtain clearance to work on the aircraft and observe all relevant safety procedures
    2. obtain and use the appropriate documentation (such as job instructions, aircraft manuals, technical instructions and other relevant maintenance documentation)
    3. adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, COSHH, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations and procedures to realise a safe system of work
    4. obtain the correct tools and equipment for the activity and check that they are in a safe, tested and usable condition and within current certification/calibration date
    5. ensure the safe isolation and where appropriate, draining of the equipment before removing it
    6. ensure that all relevant safety devices and mechanical/physical locks are in place (where appropriate)
    7. where appropriate, apply electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection procedures
    8. use approved removal and replacement techniques and procedures at all times
    9. ensure that components and surrounding structures are maintained free from spillages, damage and foreign objects
    10. return all tools and equipment to the correct location on completion of the activities

  2. Remove components from three of the following aircraft cabin equipment and furnishing systems and replace components from three of the following aircraft cabin equipment and furnishing systems:

    1. cabin furniture   
    2. cockpit furniture    
    3. luggage and storage systems
    4. toilet equipment   
    5. panel systems  
    6. auxiliary equipment
    7. galley equipment
    8. decorative trim and covering
    9. safety equipment
    10. fresh water     
    11. waste/foul water

  3. During the activities identified in scope 2 above, you must cover the removal and replacement of the following:

Major cabin equipment and furnishings: Remove and replace three of the following:

1.  seating (such as crew and passenger)
2.  water compressors   
3.  window panels
4.  cabin furniture (such as standard and executive (VIP))
5.  galley equipment      
6.  entertainment equipment
7.  flooring (such as carpets, vinyl)  
8.  food preparation equipment
9.  water heaters
10.  panels (such as ceiling, side, floor, soft panels) 
11.  beverage machines  
12.  fresh water storage                                                       
13.  power support units    
14.  waste water storage
15.  cabin dividers/removable bulkheads 
16.  freight rollers/power drives  
17.  sanitary units and fittings
18.  equipment consoles              
19.  static line cables
20.  storage units (such as luggage racks, overhead storage, dog boxes)
21.  other specific components

Other cabin equipment and furnishings: Remove and replace four of the following:
22. fire extinguishers/blankets         
23. galley storage boxes  
24. seat covers
25. passenger restraint kits       
26. oxygen bottles   
27. hard trim
28. emergency escape/survival equipment
29. pipes and hoses          
30. curtains/blinds
31. aero medical equipment (such as first aid boxes, stretchers)
32. specialist life saving equipment (such as defibrillator, airway kits)

  1. Carry out all of the following removal and replacement activities:

    1. disconnecting electrical connections (where appropriate)
    2. replacing all `lifed' items (such as seals, filters, gaskets)
    3. ensuring that any part dismantled components are secure/supported
    4. positioning and aligning replaced components
    5. applying and removing covering/protection to exposed components, wires, pipework or vents  
    6. making mechanical connections        
    7. making electrical connections (where appropriate)
    8. checking components for serviceability         
    9. replacing damaged/defective components    
    10. tightening fastenings to the required torque
    11. labelling (and storing in the correct location) components that require repair or overhaul
    12. setting, and adjusting replaced components (such as travel, working clearance)
    13. applying bolt locking methods (such as split pins, wire locking, lock nuts)
    14. securing components using mechanical fasteners and threaded devices
    15. applying bolt locking methods (such as split pins, wire locking, lock nuts)

  2. Remove and replace aircraft cabin equipment and furnishings in compliance with one of the following:

    1. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)/European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
    2. extended twin operations procedures (ETOpS) (where appropriate)
    3. Ministry of Defence (MoD)
    4. Military Aviation Authority (MAA)
    5. Aerospace Quality Management Standards (AS)
    6. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA)
    7. BS, ISO or BSEN standards and procedures
    8. customer standards and requirements
    9. company standards and procedures
    10. aircraft manufacturer's requirements

  3. Complete the relevant paperwork, to include one from the following and pass it to the appropriate people:

    1. job cards
    2. computer records
    3. aircraft service/flight log
    4. aircraft log book
    5. permit to work/formal risk assessment

Scope Knowledge

Values

Behaviours

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You will be able to apply the appropriate behaviours required in the workplace to meet the job profile and overall company objectives, such as:

  • strong work ethic
  • positive attitude
  • team player
  • dependability
  • responsibility
  • honesty
  • integrity
  • motivation
  • commitment

Skills

Glossary

Links To Other NOS

External Links

Version Number

3

Indicative Review Date

2024

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

Enginuity

Original URN

SEMAE3150

Relevant Occupations

Engineer, Engineering, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies, Engineering Technicians

SOC Code

5234

Keywords

Aeronautical; engineering; aircraft cabin systems; equipment; furnishings; luggage racks; galley cubicles; toilet cubicles; panels; soft furnishings; safety equipment; power supplies