Flight Safety Foundation Aviation Mechanics Bulletin 2002

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November–December 2002

Personal Protective Equipment Prevents Workplace Injuries 24 pages. [PDF 201K]

For maximum effectiveness, protective equipment must be appropriate for the environment in which it will be used, must fit the wearer correctly, must function well and must cause minimum discomfort.

September–October 2002

Report on A320 Decompression Faults Maintenance Personnel’s Work on Air Packs 24 pages. [PDF 398K]

The report by the U.K. Air Accidents Investigation Branch said that trouble-shooting failed to detect damage to an air-conditioning pack and that maintenance personnel used an unapproved technique to reattach a disconnected duct.

July–August 2002

Improved Understanding of Human Factors Could Reduce Foreign Object Damage 24 pages. [PDF 240K]

A U.S. Federal Aviation Administration report provides guidelines for reducing maintenance-related foreign object damage through the application of human factors best practices.

May–June 2002

MELs for Corporate and Business Aircraft Guide Deferred-maintenance Decisions 24 pages. [PDF 240K]

A minimum equipment list (MEL) provides a common basis for maintenance technicians and pilots to determine whether an aircraft can be operated safely — and legally — with inoperative instruments/equipment.

March–April 2002

Improperly Installed B-747 Panels Separate on Takeoff 24 pages. [PDF 540K]

Maintenance technicians found minor localized damage to the no. 3 engine bypass-duct internal surfaces and to the trailing edge of the right-center wing-flap extension after the airplane completed an intercontinental flight. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said that two of three engine gas-generator fairing panels caused the damage when they were released and ejected forcefully.

January–February 2002

Internet Provides Information Tools for Maintenance Technicians 24 pages. [PDF 124K]

Used carefully, some sites on the World Wide Web can provide speedy access to much of the information that technicians need to perform their jobs. Other sites, however, may include inaccurate or misleading information. Guidance from information specialists can help maintenance personnel evaluate the sites and determine which ones will serve them best.