Aircraft Maintenance and Structures - Assignment Example

Aircraft Maintenance and Structures The weight and balance check on the aircraft is of paramount importance in the actual operation and maintenance. With the safety being the paramount reason, the ease to operate is based on the balance of its body and the content. With the consideration of the datum, an extra weight results in positive momentum and vice versa and the center of gravity being the middle of the nose heavy weight and the tail heavy weight. This is to mitigate against any possibility to rotate in either nose down or nose up manner (Baker et al 2012, 39). Different aircrafts have different maximum take-off weight depending on the size and purposed. The ability to withstand this weight depends entirely on its maximum landing weight and maximum take-off weight. The main reason for its weight check is to determine the basic empty weight and determine where and how it balances on these conditions. This is also achieved by determining the empty weight and center of gravity (GüEmes 2006, 47). Being a cumbersome exercise to undertake, especially its either wings or tail dragger, there might be need to determine the middle of gravity and balancing the aircraft might necessitates the need for extra support, this weights that are used to support in the actual weighing process must be exempted from the weight of the plane by determining the tare weight. This is the final weight of all equipment’s that are used up the machine and deducting the weight of the supporting tools to arrive at the actual aircraft weight (Baker et al 2012, 45). The center of gravity being at a point next to the datum on helicopters and small aircrafts, the larger planes middle of gravity is determined in relation to the size of its wings. The wing being the width and the leading and the trailing edge is factored to determine the mean aerodynamic chord and aid in determining the midpoint of gravity too. In attempt to weigh the aircraft and determine its center of gravity, a technical responsibility is taken. This is access to information for the purpose of balance and weighs data. This include aircraft specifications, aircraft operation limit, aircraft flight manual, aircraft weight and balance report and aircraft type certificate data sheet (GüEmes 2006, 57). Before releasing an aircraft to operation, there are several documents which need to be consulted and fully taken into consideration. Pilot operating handbook gives one of the basic requirements that must be fully adhered before the plane is released to the field to carry its routine (Pardalos et al 2009, 330). Weight and load of the machine are two most critical issues observed in pilot operating handbook. It shows the maximum weight that the craft can carry along as well as luggage that can be transported with the passengers at the same time. This minimizes the dangers of overloading the plane thereby ensuring safety which important factor to getting more customers each day. Load in the aircraft must be disposed properly. There should be appropriate and sufficient place to which luggage is placed in the airplane. Aircraft cannot be released to operation if only the passenger’s seats and space are properly made. Since you cannot know which type of load will be transported each particular day, getting a good place to store them during transit is of great importance (Pardalos et al 2009, 335). Equipment and cargo in the plane also need to be well secured to avoid shifting. This is where a different passenger moves another person’s property to another place mainly as a result of confusion maybe with his/hers as a result of improper placement of those goods. Storage section in the plane therefore need to be well protected and equipped to avoid these problems (Kim 2006, 370). Emergency exits and lifesaving equipment also need to be available. During flight, one cannot determine when and where an accident could occur; taking the appropriate precautions could in some way improve safety of passengers (Shelley et al 2007, 272). Exits should not be blocked and passengers should be able to move freely inside the aircraft. Emergency tool boxes and first aid kits must be available Towing is the process of attaching one object to the one with intent to pull it along behind the other object. In most cases, land vehicle, mostly trucks are the towing source. There are other towing vessels such as the animals, people or tractors. The term is commonly used when moving disabled or sized vehicle by the use of a wrecker which is normally a truck in most cases (Shelley et al 2007, 275). One of the many potential problems caused by towing on aircrafts is the impact of its extended operations on the life of a landing gear and the nose structure. Long distance towing and high frequencies as per the Logan could increase in a substantial manner the towing load portion of the nose landing gear fatigue load spectrum. As a result, the increase will significantly reduce the intensity of the fatigue life of the aircrafts nose landing gear (Garland et al 1998, 591). On the other hand, a concern on the extensive towing operations, procedures and limitations are on a legal par with the taxing convention under the aircraft power. Also, the procedures and limitations may be needed for the guarantee of the required safety levels (Baker & Jones 1998, 67). On the financial effect, a full-scale towing was extended to and fro the LAX runways. In the report, the authors concluded that there was a possibility of net cost saving, the additional crew cost in regard to the slower towing operation being more than the compensated figure from the savings in aircraft fuel costs and also with the engines off during the towing (Garland et al 1998, 597). Towing on a heavy snow is extremely risky and can cause fatal accidents on the runways. There is always a possibility of skidding out of the runway (Crane 1999, 23). In the year recent incident, a Delta Airlines Flight 4100 hit the runway 22 at 8 a.m. and skidded of the runway ending up in a snow bank. Safely dispatching an aircraft i. Flights are not allowed to travel off water shores way above gliding distance. ii. Before take-off, pilots need to check the ground of the airplane, equipment’s and what it contains inside should be properly it fly. iii. For any major accident and incident all pilots are expected to give information to the management by calling emergency number provided. iv. Trainees (students still learning to be pilots) are not allowed to start the plane unless in the presence of instructor. v. Students still learning to fly a plane are all expected to arrive early before down. vi. All safety precautions are well put in place to mitigate any danger in case it arises. References BAKER, A. A., ROSE, L. R. F., & JONES, R. (2002). Advances in the bonded composite repair of metallic aircraft structure. Amsterdam, Elsevier. GÜEMES, A. (2006). Structural health monitoring 2006: proceedings of the Third European Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring held at the Conference Centre, Granada, Spain, July 5 - 7, 2006. Lancaster, Pa, DESTech Publications. PARDALOS, P. M., CHAOVALITWONGSE, W. A., & FURMAN, K. C. (2009). Optimization and logistics challenges in the enterprise. Dordrecht, Springer. SHELLEY, C. H., COLE, A. R., & MARKLEY, T. E. (2007). Industrial firefighting for municipal firefighters. Tulsa, Okla, PennWell Corporation. GARLAND, D. J., WISE, J. A., 1944-, & HOPKIN, V. D. (1998). Aviation human factors. Mahwah, NJ, Erlbaum CRANE, D. (1999). Airframe / structures. [S.l.], Aviation Supplies & Acade. BAKER, A. A., & JONES, R. (1988). Bonded repair of aircraft structures. Dordrecht, M. Nijhoff. KIM, Y., SHEEHY, S., & LENHARDT, D. (2006). A survey of aircraft structural-life management programs in the U.S. Navy, the Canadian forces, and the U.S. Air Force. Santa Monica, CA, RAND. http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2006/RAND_MG370.pdf. Read More