Carrying out maintenance on aircraft electrical/electronic systems by component replacement
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to carry out electronic component replacement on commercial, military or light aircraft, both fixed wing and rotary, in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to select the appropriate tools and equipment to use, based on the maintenance activities to be carried out, and to check that they are in a safe and serviceable condition. You will be required to prepare the aircraft for work, and this will involve obtaining permission to work on the aircraft, ensuring that all safety pins and warning notices are in place, and ensuring that the relevant systems are in a suitable condition for work to be undertaken. The maintenance activities will involve the replacement of a number of electrical, electronic or avionic modules or components from the following systems: power and distribution, lighting, engine control and indication, flight control, Pitot static, radar equipment, navigational equipment, communication equipment, defensive aids, undercarriage, and cabin equipment such as for catering and entertainment.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the maintenance activities undertaken, and to report any problems with these activities that you cannot personally resolve, or are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You will be expected to work either with a high level of supervision or as a member of a team, and you will take personal responsibility for your own actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out. You must demonstrate a significant personal contribution during the team activities, in order to satisfy the requirements of this standard, and competency in all the areas required by the standard must be demonstrated.
Your underpinning knowledge will be sufficient to provide a sound basis for your work and will provide an informed approach to applying the appropriate maintenance techniques and procedures. You will have a basic understanding of the systems being maintained, and their application, and will know about the maintenance equipment and fastening devices, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the activities to the required specification.
You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the aircraft maintenance operations, especially those for isolating and depressurising equipment, and for protecting yourself and others from injury. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout and will understand the responsibility you owe to yourself and others in the workplace.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
P1 work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
P2 follow the relevant maintenance schedules and prepare to carry out the required work
P3 carry out the maintenance activities within the limits of your personal authority
P4 carry out the maintenance activities and component replacement in the specified sequence and in an agreed time scale
P5 report any instances where the maintenance activities cannot be fully met or where there are identified defects outside the planned schedule
P6 complete and store all relevant documentation in accordance with organisational requirements
P7 dispose of waste materials in line with organisational and environmentally safe procedures
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
K1 how to work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
K2 the authorisation you require to commence work on the aircraft
K3 the hazards associated with working on aircraft systems (particularly high energy ignition units) and how they can be minimised
K4 the importance of wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and of keeping the work area clean and tidy
K5 the maintenance schedules and servicing specifications that are used during servicing and maintenance, and the importance of following the procedures listed in these documents
K6 the basic principle of operation of the equipment/circuits being maintained, and the purpose of individual components within the circuit
K7 the electrical components to be replaced, and the methods of replacement
K8 electrical bonding/earthing specifications, and their importance
K9 how to take electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions, and why are they needed
K10 the application and use of a range of electrical components
K11 the adjustments/corrections/tuning required to the components that have been removed/replaced
K12 how to check that the replacement components meet the required specification/operating conditions
K13 how to identify the components to be used, and how to ensure that systems are not contaminated
K14 the quality control procedures to be followed during the maintenance procedures
K15 how to conduct any necessary checks to ensure the system integrity and functionality
K16 the issues that can occur with the servicing and maintenance activities, and how these can be overcome
K17 the importance of correct securing and locking of connections
K18 the importance of tool control, and company tool control procedures
K19 the methods and equipment used to maintain aircraft systems, and how to check that the equipment is within its current certification dates
K20 the tools and equipment used in the maintenance activities, and their calibration/care and control procedures
K21 the importance of ensuring that, when the maintenance is completed, the aircraft is free from dirt, swarf and foreign objects (FOD)
K22 the disposal methods for waste oil, fuel, other liquids and waste
K23 issues with the maintenance procedures, and the importance of informing appropriate people of defects
K24 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
K25 the extent of your own responsibility, 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 aircraft electrical, electronic or avionic maintenance activities:
- use the correct issue of the aircraft servicing or maintenance schedule
- adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations and procedures to realise a safe system of work
- check the calibration dates of tools and equipment to be used
- return all tools and equipment to the correct location
- leave the work area in a safe and tidy condition
- Prepare the aircraft for work by carrying out all of the following:
- obtain clearance to work on the aircraft, and observe the power isolation and safety procedures
- identify defects for maintenance and ensure the aircraft is fit for maintenance from the aircraft documentation
- ensure that relevant safety warnings are in place
- ensure that appropriate safety locks/pins are in place
- check that the relevant systems are in a condition for work, and for component replacement to take place
- Carry out component replacements on three of the following aircraft electrical, electronic or avionic systems:
- aircraft power and distribution
- radar
- lighting
- navigation
- engine control and indication
- communication
- flight control
- defensive aids
- Pitot static
- undercarriage
- cabin equipment (such as catering, entertainment)
- Carry out ten of the following maintenance activities, as applicable to the equipment being maintained:
- isolating power
- removing excessive dirt and grime
- dismantling equipment to unit/component level
- use of special-to-type tools
- proof-marking/labelling of components/units
- de-pressurisation of the system
- replacing all damaged or defective units/components
- reassembly of the equipment/system
- replacing damaged wires or cables
- reconnecting electrical connections
- replacing damaged or defective connectors
- making fluid connections to components
- checking the integrity of all connections
- looming of cables
- checking the integrity and security of earth bonding
- inspecting and cleaning sensors
- tuning or making routine adjustments to components
- servicing battery systems
- securing components using mechanical fasteners and applying bolt locking methods
- making electrical connections (such as soldering, splicing and crimping)
- making static or functional checks of completed systems
- Replace a range of electrical, electronic or avionic modules/components, involving the disconnection and reconnection of eight of the following:
- mechanical units
- quick release fasteners
- electrical connectors (such as terminal blocks, male to female plug-in connectors)
- backplate connectors
- Pitot/static connectors
- radio frequency (RF) connectors
- fluid system connectors (such as pipes, unions, hoses)
- switches (such as micro, pressure)
- avionic units
- earth and bonding leads
- mechanical controls (such as actuating mechanisms, brackets)
- other specific components
- Carry out maintenance work which complies with one of the following standards
- Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)/European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
- Ministry of Defence (MoD)
- Military Aviation Authority (MAA)
- Aerospace Quality Management Standards (AS)
- customer standards and requirements
- Federal Aviation Authority (FAA)
- organisational standards and procedures
- BS, ISO or BSEN standards and procedures
- manufacturers standards and procedures
- Complete the relevant paperwork, to include one from the following, and pass it to the appropriate people:
- maintenance schedule/log
- job cards
- aircraft service/flight log
- other specific recording method