7.

20 Maintenance Procedures
7.20.1 Aircraft Maintenance
7.20.1.1 Preface
A major concern of airlines in todays competitive business environment is lowering their aircraft related
operating costs (AROC). AROC falls into six categories:

flight and cabin crews

fuel
maintenance
navigation and landing fees
ownership and spares
depreciation.

There are different ways to reduce maintenance costs. These are:

aircraft design improvements

scheduled maintenance program improvements

improved maintenance documents and training.
To reduce scheduled maintenance activities and simplify the development of maintenance programs, an
analysis logic called MSG--1 was developed in the early 1960s.

7.20.1.7 Additional Maintenance Procedures

must be carried out if aircraft operation deviates from standard rules, or to gain the benefits from certain
improvements. Two examples are discussed below. These are:
extended twin engine operations (ETOPS)
reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM
ETOPS Maintenance
In 1953, the USA developed regulations that prohibited two--engine aircraft from routes more than 60 min
(single--engine flying time) from an adequate airport. These regulations were later formalised in FAR
121.161
By incorporating specific
hardware improvements and establishing specific maintenance and operational
procedures, operators can fly distances up to 180 min from the alternate airport.
ETOPS maintenance approach that can be applied to all commercial aircraft
includes:
engine health monitoring
pre--departure service check
basic and multiple--system maintenance practices
event--oriented reliability program
Engine Health Monitoring
ETOPS maintenance procedures were created to ensure the safety and reliability of
flights operating at extended distances from alternate airports
prevent or reduce the probability of a diversion or turnback with one engine off.
the ETOPS philosophy is a real--time approach to maintenance and includes continual monitoring
of conditions to identify problems before they threaten aircraft option or safety
ETOPS maintenance program
oil consumption monitoring

typical maintenance program requires

checking of engine oil before each flight (or
only once every day)
check of the APU oil even less frequently
(such as every 100 hours).
The quantity of oil added and the flight hours
for each leg are to be noted in the
maintenance logbook
oil consumption rate, i.e. the amount of oil
used per hour of operation on the previous
flight leg,
should be calculated for both engines and
the APU during ETOPS before dispatch onto
the next leg.

engine condition monitoring