Documentation for Aging Aircraft Maintenance

An aging aircraft is capable of retaining its airworthiness from an evaluation of the maintenance program that the FAA conducts. After the airplanes 14th year of service (the calendar time elapsed since the FAA issued an airplane its first U.S. or first foreign airworthiness certificate), certain airplanes must undergo inspections and records reviews by the agency who administered the certificate. This action ensures the maintenance of the airplanes' age-sensitive parts and components has been adequate and timely

(U.S. Department of Transportation, 2009). To ensure that this is being conducted properly the FAA takes sample tasks and records for the airplane and then continues to monitor the air carriers' maintenance program.

When the Advisory Circular 120-84 was put into place on Jan 15 2009 it was assumed that airplanes over 24 years would have inspections done during the next available check and then airplanes 14 years or older had a more extensive period of time to comply with the FAA's request. This was to better accommodate the work load of the FAA personnel doing the inspections of the maintenance records. The airline was also able to request an extension of 90 days if there were unforeseen circumstances that would prevent the FAA from being able to conduct the inspection on the scheduled date.

After the initial inspection then the air carrier is expected to schedule with the FAA 60 days prior to the aircraft going into it's next scheduled shop visit where a repeat inspection is expected. The interval is expected to be every seven years which generally means every Heavy Maintenance Visit (either 4C or a "D" check).

During a records review the following information must be made available to ensure compliance

(U.S. Department of Transportation, 2009):

• Total years in service of the airplane;
• Total time in service of the airframe;
• Total flight cycles of the airframe (not required under Part 135.422(d));
• Date of the last inspection and records review required by the Aging Airplane Safety Rule;
• Current status of life-limited parts of the airframe;
• Time since the last overhaul of all structural components required to be overhauled on a specific time basis;
• Current inspection status of the airplane, including the time since the last inspection required by the inspection program under which the airplane is maintained;
• Current status of applicable Airworthiness Directives (AD), including the date and method of compliance (and if the AD involves recurring action, the time and date when this action is required);
• A list of major structural alterations; and
• A report of major structural repairs and current inspection status for those repairs.

This does not include the fact that the Aging Airplane Safety Rule requires certain airplanes from operating unless damage-tolerance-based inspection and procedures are included in the maintenance or inspection program for each airplane in accordance with a specified schedule. The operator is also expected to asses adverse effects of any repairs or alteration on fatigue-critical structures. There are no specifics mentioned in the AC that tell when these inspections are suppose to occur.

Once the aircraft has been determined to be in compliance with all the requirements for an aging aircraft then it is issues a "Result of Aging Airplane Safety Inspection" document to be maintained with the other records to indicate its compliance.

Example of Results Document

U.S. Department of Transportation. (2009, January 15). Aging Aircraft Inspections and Records Reviews. Advisory Circular. Washington, DC, United States of America: Federal Aviation Administration.