Maintaining cargo and accessory compartments on aircraft
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to carry out maintenance activities on aircraft cargo and accessory compartments, in accordance with the aircraft maintenance manual, approved change documentation (service bulletin) and airworthiness requirements. It covers both fixed wing and rotary winged aircraft, and includes equipment mounted on the aircraft and/or contained in the cargo and accessory compartments. The maintenance activities will include the removal, fitting and, where appropriate, testing of a range of equipment. You will be required to select the correct tools and equipment to use, based on the operations to be performed and the equipment to be removed or fitted. The aircraft equipment will include cargo/baggage handling equipment, cargo restraints, sound and heat insulation, removable and fixed cabinets, fire suppressant equipment and other similar equipment. You will remove the required components and fit approved replacements, as appropriate. You will then need to check and adjust the equipment to meet the aircraft maintenance manual, change documentation (service bulletin) and airworthiness requirements.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with the specific practices and procedures identified in the aircraft manual, change/service bulletin documentation and airworthiness requirements for the maintenance 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 thoroughly, 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 maintenance techniques and procedures to aircraft cargo and accessory compartments and equipment. You will understand the removal, fitting and testing/checking methods and procedures, and their application, along with the equipments maintenance requirements. You will know how the 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 maintenance activities, correcting faults and for ensuring that the equipment is maintained to the required standard.
You will understand the safety precautions required when working on the aircraft cargo and accessory compartment equipment, and when using the associated tools and equipment. 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:
- This standard is designed to cover the practical experience requirements of the Airline Transport Association (ATA) Chapter 50 Cargo and Accessory Compartments.
- To display competence in this standard, it is necessary to both remove and fit aircraft cargo and accessory compartment equipment/components. You must remove equipment/components; however, you may fit replacement equipment/components where the original was previously removed by another person. You should also be aware of how to leave a system in a safe condition if maintenance tasks cannot be completed. This covers both the physical systems and the job documentation.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
- follow the relevant maintenance schedules to carry out the required work
- carry out the maintenance activities within the limits of your personal authority
- carry out the maintenance activities, and replace components in the specified sequence and in an agreed timescale
- report any instances where the maintenance activities cannot be fully met or where there are identified defects outside the planned schedule
- complete relevant documentation in accordance with organisational requirements
- dispose of waste materials in accordance with safe working practices and approved procedures
- leave the aircraft in a safe and appropriate condition, free from foreign object debris on completion of the activities
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the specific safety practices and procedures that you need to observe when carrying out maintenance activities on aircraft cargo and accessory compartments (including any specific legislation, regulations/codes of practice for the activities, equipment or materials)
- the importance of maintenance on aircraft cargo and accessory compartments, and impact upon (Extended Range Twin-Engine Operations Procedures) ETOPS systems, legislation and local procedures
- the hazards associated with removing and fitting aircraft cargo and accessory compartment equipment and components, and with the tools and equipment used, and how to minimise them and reduce any risk
- 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
- the protective equipment that you need to use for both personal protection (PPE) and protection of the aircraft
- the importance of aircraft husbandry and of ensuring that, throughout the maintenance activity, the aircraft and work area are maintained free from foreign objects, and the implications of FOD to the safety of the aircraft
- how to extract and use information from aircraft manuals, log books, flight logs, and other documents needed in the maintenance process
- how to carry out currency/issue checks on the specifications you are working with
- the range of cargo and accessory compartment equipment that may need to be maintained/replaced
- the various mechanical fasteners that are used to hold the equipment in place, and their methods of removal and replacement (such as threaded fasteners, special securing devices)
- the importance of using the specified fasteners for the particular installation and why you must not substitute others
- why securing devices need to be locked and labelled, and the different methods that are used to remove and install them
- the torque loading requirements on the fasteners and what to do if these loadings are exceeded or not achieved
- the various types of electrical connector that are used, methods of unlocking, orientation indicators and locating and locking-in of the connections
- the need to take care when removing equipment so as not to cause damage to the equipment or surrounding structure
- the need to label and store correctly components that require repair or overhaul, and to check that replaced components have the correct part/identification markings and accompanying release documentation
- the need to position, align, adjust and secure correctly the replaced equipment in the aircraft, without damage to the components or surrounding structure
- methods of lifting, handling and supporting the components/equipment during the maintenance activities
- why electrical bonding is critical, and why it must be both mechanically and electrically secure
- how to carry out routine checks of the aircraft cargo and accessory compartments (such as checking the condition and security of cargo restraint equipment)
- why tool/equipment control is critical and what to do if a tool or piece of equipment is unaccounted for on completion of the activities
- the problems that can occur with the maintenance operations and how these can be overcome
- 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
- the procedure for the safe disposal of waste materials and scrap components
- the extent of your own authority and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Carry out all of the following during the maintenance of the aircraft cargo and accessory compartments:
- ensure that appropriate authorisation to work on the aircraft is obtained, and observe all relevant isolation and safety procedures
- obtain and use the correct documentation (such as job instructions, technical instructions, aircraft manuals and maintenance documentation)
- obtain the correct tools and equipment for the activity, and check that they are in a safe, tested and usable condition and within current calibration dates
- 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
- ensure that the relevant safety devices and mechanical/physical locks are in place (where appropriate)
- use approved removal, fitting and testing techniques and procedures at all times
- return tools and equipment to the correct storage location on completion of the activities
- ensure that work carried out is correctly documented and recorded
- ensure that any outstanding tests are correctly documented
Carry out maintenance on three of the following parts of aircraft cargo and accessory compartments:
- cargo compartments
- cargo loading system
- insulation barriers
- accessory compartments
- cargo related systems
Remove and fit four different aircraft cargo and accessory compartment equipment/components:
- removable and fixed cabinets
- panels and fairings
- armour plating/Kevlar
- cargo/baggage handling rollers/drive equipment
- blow-out panels
- fire equipment
- cargo restraint equipment
- cargo restraint nets
- galley equipment
- sound proofing
- insulation materials
- pallet locking system
- liner replacement
- other specific components
Carry out fifteen of the following maintenance activities:
- removing access panels and covers to expose components/fastenings to be removed
- carrying out fault diagnosis and system checks
- preparing the equipment for maintenance (such as isolating)
- disconnecting electrical connections
- replacing damaged/defective components
- removing securing devices and mechanical fasteners
- refitting components in the correct position, orientation and alignment
removal of bonding
supporting equipment to be removed
- positioning and aligning replaced equipment
- dismantling equipment to an appropriate level
- making mechanical connections
- covering (protecting) exposed components, wires, pipework or vents
- making electrical connections
- carrying out bonding
- checking components for serviceability
- torque loading as required
- carrying out any required structural repairs
- carrying out equipment functional checks
- ensuring that replacement equipment is of the correct type (have the correct part numbers)
- labelling (and storing in the correct location) equipment that requires repair or overhaul
- applying bolt locking methods (such as split pins, wire locking, lock nuts)
Service/check aircraft cargo and accessory compartments, to include carrying out four of the following:
- checking the associated structure for integrity
- checking for evidence of leakage or spills
- function check of cargo loading/movement system (such as rollers/drive equipment, locking mechanisms)
- function check of cargo restraint system (such as restraint nets, baggage restraints)
- examining panel systems for damage
- examining insulation systems for damage
- examining seating/stretcher equipment for security and damage
- checking emergency equipment (such as axe/cutters)
- security and condition of panels and fairings
- security and condition of galley equipment
- security and condition of fixed cabinets
- checking placard and marking load requirements
- checking lighting systems
- fire and smoke detection and extinguishing systems
- compartment sealing requirements to smother potential fire sources
Complete the relevant paperwork, to include one from the following and pass it to the appropriate people:
- job cards/work sheets
- computer records
- aircraft technical log
- aircraft cabin log
- aircraft log book
Carry out maintenance on aircraft cargo and accessory compartments in compliance with one of the following:
- Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)/European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
- Extended Range Twin-Engine Operations Procedures (ETOPS) (where appropriate)
- Ministry of Defence (MoD)
- Military Aviation Authority (MAA)
- Aerospace Quality Management Standards (AS)
- Federal Aviation Authority (FAA)
- aircraft maintenance manual/approved change documentation (service bulletin)
- manufacturers standards and procedures
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
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