Fitting aircraft interior panels and soft furnishings
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to install and fit aircraft interior panels and soft furnishings, 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 components to be fitted. The panels and trim to be fitted will include items such as ceiling panels, window panels, side panels, dado panels, power support units, hard (PVF) trim, carpets, vinyl floors, blinds, curtains, decorative panels and seat covers. The fitting activities will include making all necessary checks and adjustments to ensure that the panels and trim are correctly positioned, aligned and secured, and that they function as per the specification.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the fitting 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 need to ensure that all tools, equipment and materials used in the fitting are correctly accounted for on completion of the activities, and must complete all necessary job/task documentation accurately and legibly.
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 fitting techniques and procedures to aircraft interior panels and soft furnishings. You will understand the panel and trim system being fitted, and its application, and will know about the relevant fastening and securing devices, in adequate depth to provide a sound basis for carrying out the activities and ensuring that the work is to the required specification.
You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the fitting activities. 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
- 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 practices and procedures that you need to observe when working with aircraft interior panels and soft furnishings (including any specific legislation, regulations/codes of practice for the activities, equipment or materials)
- the health and safety requirements of the work area in which you are carrying out the activities, and the responsibility these requirements place on you
- the hazards associated with fitting aircraft interior panels and soft furnishings, and with the tools and equipment used, and how these hazards can be minimised
- the protective equipment that you need to use for both personal protection (PPE) and protection of the aircraft
- the interpretation of drawings, standards, quality control procedures and specifications used for the fitting activities (including BS and ISO schematics, symbols and terminology)
- the panels and soft furnishings to be fitted, and their function within the particular system
- the various mechanical fasteners to be used, and their method of installation
- the importance of using the specified fasteners for the particular activity, and why you must not substitute others
- the methods and techniques that are used for different types of jointing of soft furnishings
- the quality control procedures to be followed during the fitting operations
- procedures for ensuring that you have the correct tools, equipment, components and fasteners for the fitting activities
- the techniques used to position, align, adjust and secure the panels and trim to the aircraft without damage
- methods of lifting, handling and supporting the panels and trim during the fitting activities
- the use of various seals, sealant, adhesives, and the precautions to be taken when using them
- the procedure for the safe disposal of waste materials
- how to conduct any necessary checks to ensure the system integrity, functionality, accuracy and quality of the installation
- how to recognise fitting defects (such as cosmetic appearance, poor seals, misalignment, ineffective fastening, foreign object damage, or contamination)
- the importance of ensuring that the completed installation is free from dirt, swarf and foreign object damage
- the tools and equipment used in the fitting activities, and their care and control procedures
- 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
- problems that can occur with the fitting operations, and how these can be overcome
- the recording documentation to be completed for the activities undertaken
- 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 during the fitting of the interior panels and soft furnishings:
- ensure that you have the correct documentation for the fitting operations (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 fitting activities take place
- 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
Fit three items of panel system from the following:
- ceiling panels
- side panels
- power support units
- window panels
- dado panels
- hard trim (PVF)
Fit two items of trim system from the following:
- carpets
- blinds
- decretive panels
- vinyl floors
- curtains
- seat covers
Apply all of the following fitting methods and techniques:
- positioning and aligning
- functional checks
- manual handling
Use three of the following types of jointing techniques:
- nuts/bolts
- adhesive spray
- screws
- hand gluing
- quick-release fasteners
- hook and loop fastening
- adhesive brush
- heat gun
- carpet iron
- adhesive tapes
Carry out all of the following quality and accuracy checks during the fitting activities:
- cosmetic appearance
- accuracy of furnishing lines
- freedom from damage
Fit aircraft interior panels and soft furnishing 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 flight 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