Installing aircraft mechanical fasteners
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to install aircraft mechanical fasteners, in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to select the appropriate tools and equipment to use, based on the operations to be performed and the type of mechanical fasteners to be installed. The mechanical fasteners to be installed will include hollow and solid rivets, threaded fasteners, anchor nuts, pins and other locking devices. You will need to use a range of techniques to prepare, install and check that the mechanical fasteners are installed to the required specification.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the installation activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the activities, materials or equipment used that you cannot personally resolve, or are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You will also be required to seek approval, where appropriate, to rectify any faults in the installation of the fasteners.
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. Where team working is involved, you must demonstrate a significant personal contribution during the team activities in order to satisfy the requirements of this standard, and you must demonstrate competence in all the areas required by the standard.
Your underpinning knowledge will be sufficient to provide a sound basis for your work, and will provide an informed approach to applying installation techniques and procedures. You will understand the mechanical fasteners being installed, and their application, and will know about the tooling and ancillary equipment, materials and consumables, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the activities and for ensuring that the fasteners are installed to the required specification.
You will understand the safety precautions required when installing the fasteners, and when using the installation equipment. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout, and will understand the responsibilities you owe to yourself and others in the workplace.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- work safely at all times, complying with health and safety legislation, regulations directives and other relevant guidelines
- follow all relevant drawings and specifications for the installation being carried out
- use the correct tools and equipment for the installation operations and check that they are in a safe and usable condition
- install, position and secure the equipment and components in accordance with the specification
- ensure that all necessary connections to the equipment are complete
- deal promptly and effectively with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved
- complete relevant paperwork and pass on to appropriate people
- check that the installation is complete and that all components are free from damage
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the specific safety precautions to be taken whilst installing the mechanical fasteners (including any specific legislation, regulations or codes of practice relating to the activities, equipment or materials)
- the health and safety requirements of the work area in which you are carrying out the installation activities, and the responsibility these requirements place on you
- the hazards associated with installing mechanical fasteners, and with the tools and equipment used, and how they can be minimised
- protective equipment that you need to wear for both personal protection (PPE) and protection of the aircraft
- the importance of working to the installation instructions and appropriate specifications
- why you must obtain design approval before removing and replacing any faulty fasteners
- the purpose and use of joint sealing agents and anti-electrolysis barriers, and the precautions to be taken when using them
- regulations concerning electrical bonding and anti-electrolysis barriers
- the various types and ranges of screwed fasteners used on aircraft fittings, and the methods of installing them
- the types and applications of aircraft rivets, and the advantages of hollow rivets over solid rivets
- the reasons for using screw fastenings rather than rivets
- the purpose and use of a countersink cage
- the various locking devices used with fastenings
- the purpose and use of locating dowels, gripping pins and gauges, when carrying out fastening operations
- the procedures to be adopted when removing rivets and other fasteners
- the term `quilting', its occurrence and avoidance
- `bolt break offs' and where they occur
- how to check that riveting guns, power tools and attachments are in a safe and usable condition, and the action to be taken in the event of identifying defective equipment
- types of gauges used to measure angles, depths, countersinks and torque
- how and why tools are calibrated, and how to check that the tools you are using are within calibration dates
- the recording documentation to be completed for the installation activities undertaken and, where appropriate, the importance of marking and identifying specific pieces of work in relation to the documentation
- the extent of your own responsibility, and whom you should report to if you have problems that you cannot resolve
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Carry out all of the following activities during the installation:
- ensure that you have the correct documentation for the installation of the fasteners (such as drawings, job instructions, aircraft standards)
- adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, COSHH, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations
- ensure that all tools and equipment used are within current calibration dates
- maintain safe access and working arrangements for the area in which the activities take place
- deal with defects in fasteners, components and equipment, in accordance with specified procedures
- dispose of waste items in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner, in line with company procedures
- return all tools and equipment to the correct location on completion of the activities
- leave the work area in a safe condition and free from foreign object debris
Install mechanical fasteners, to include four of the following:
- hollow rivets
- threaded fasteners
- pin clips
- anchor nuts
- solid rivets
- split pins
- pip pins
- collared fasteners
- nappy pins
- wire locks
- other specific fasteners
Use four types of equipment from the following:
- gauges for intrusions
- jigs
- riveting guns (appropriate to rivet type)
- gripping pins and location dowels
- drills and tools with attachments
- clamps
- redline templates
Use four of the following installation methods and techniques:
- countersinking
- solid riveting (single and double handed)
- milling rivets
- blind riveting
- wire locking
- through hole
Make two types of connection from:
- wet assembly
- panels
- structures
- dry assembly
- skins
- repairs
Install fasteners in compliance with one of the following standards:
- Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
- Ministry of Defence (MoD)
- customer standards and requirements
- Federal Aviation Authority (FAA)
- company standards and procedures
Complete the relevant paperwork, to include one from the following, and pass it to the appropriate people:
- build records
- log cards
- job cards
- aircraft log
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Additional Information
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