(Newswire.net — December 16, 2016) — An aircraft is built to last for decades. However, the lifespan of an aircraft can be measured by the number of take-offs and landings it has made, not by the number of years it has spent after being manufactured.
While some aircrafts have been flying actively for the past 20 to 30 years, some have not lasted more than a decade and this boils down to the maintenance culture of the aircraft owners.
Although an aircraft can work for a certain period of time without a major breakdown, there’s a continuous need to perform maintenance activities to prevent tragic failures. This is because aircraft accidents are usually fatal.
Here are 4 aircraft maintenance tips that will not only prevent catastrophic failures but will also extend its lifespan.
Replace weak or faulty components
As expected, the components of an aging aircraft will experience wear and tear due to continuous usage. The mechanic is expected to make a checklist of these components before maintenance and fix them appropriately.
It is important that the aircraft parts are of high quality to avoid an unexpected breakdown. You need to identify a reliable dealer in airplane supplies with a track record of experience and credibility.
Clean the engine compartment
The engine is one of the most important parts of the aircraft. Without a sound engine, flying an aircraft would be a huge risk. While you might be wondering how difficult cleaning an aircraft engine would be, this process could prove seamless if you have what it takes to do it.
Essentially, you’d need a pair of hand gloves, goggles, and the cleaning agent which is mostly Varsol. However, you must be careful not to allow water or the chemical to come in contact with the electrical components such as bus bars, fuses, connectors, starters, and alternators.
You must also keep the vacuum pumps dry, keep the vents through and free from blockage, lubricate bearings and hinges, and ensure that none of these components pulls out during the cleaning exercise.
Clean the aircraft
Ideally, a thorough cleaning should be done to both the interior and exterior parts of an aircraft. As you know, an aircraft isn’t corrosion friendly, so make it a point of duty to clean the dirty airframes properly.
Here, you’ll need water, towels, paint sealant, degreaser, wash soap, Plexiglas cleaner, advanced polymers, and wax. It is advisable to use your bare hands where necessary in place of towels and scrubbing pads. But you should remember to keep your water hose handy because you’ll need abundant water to flush out the thick dirt.
Refinish the aircraft exterior
Refinishing the aircraft exterior has to do with the removal of oxidation and stained paints on the exterior part of the aircraft. The procedure helps to improve the aesthetic value of the aircraft because it gives it a shining appearance.
A non-abrasive cleaner is the best agent to use. This should be carefully applied so as not to remove part of the underlying paint. Once the stains have been removed and a fresh glossy paint has emerged, you should protect the finished surface with acrylic resins which have the ability to withstand harsh aviation environments.