Maintenance Practices: Inspection, Documentation and Release
The maintenance process
Understand the flow from scheduled maintenance through inspection, rectification, and release. Know the difference between a scheduled and unscheduled task, and between an inspection and a check. Understand the role of the maintenance programme, the approved data used, and the meaning of a finding versus a defect.
Documentation and control
Know the purpose of the work card, the non-routine card, and the technical log entry. Understand how a defect is raised, deferred, or cleared, and the requirement for a CRS after maintenance. Know the rules for independent inspection and duplicate inspection of critical systems, and the control of serialised components and life-limited parts.
Tooling and calibration
Understand the calibration system, the identification of out-of-calibration tools, and the recall of work done with them. Know the correct use of test equipment and the importance of recording results.
Traps
- Assuming a task is complete when the work is done; the release and records are part of the task.
- Forgetting that a duplicate inspection needs two competent persons and is recorded.
- Mixing up a serviceable tag with a CRS; the tag alone does not release the aircraft.
Rule of thumb
Trace any maintenance task through four gates: approved data, competent person, correct tooling, and recorded release. If any gate is missing, the task is not complete.