Recommissioning a passenger jet - what's involved?
Discussion
As per the subject. What goes in to recommissioning an airframe of a passenger jet that's been in storage for a few years?
How quickly does it become financially inviable?
How about when it goes into storage what steps are taken?
I'm curious as the last time I drove past Bournemouth Airport there was an A340 (I think) cargo converted passenger jet parked up. Is it still there?
How quickly does it become financially inviable?
How about when it goes into storage what steps are taken?
I'm curious as the last time I drove past Bournemouth Airport there was an A340 (I think) cargo converted passenger jet parked up. Is it still there?
breamster said:
I'm curious as the last time I drove past Bournemouth Airport there was an A340 (I think) cargo converted passenger jet parked up. Is it still there?
Don’t think it was parked up. They fly in fairly regularly to and from China.Found this info on how they change them from passenger to cargo.
“ European Cargo’s fleet is made up of former Virgin Atlantic and Etihad Airbus A340 passenger aircraft. Its first conversion is an ex-Virgin A340-600, once the world’s longest airliner stretching to 75.4metres (247ft) and capable of carrying up to 370 passengers.
The conversion process has involved the removal of all bulkheads, rear galley and toilets and replacing them with 39 pods in six different sizes. Each pod is covered by a fire containment bag tested to withstand a lithium battery fire for six and a half hours.
Any fire can be contained to a single pod, safeguarding the rest of the cargo and aircraft, and enabling a safe diversion to a suitable landing location, even during long trans-oceanic flights.”
There are various levels of parking and storage all detailed in the manufacturers maintenance manual. Over C***d we were "parking" some aircraft at quite a low level of storage where we would give the aircraft a check over every week or so. This would be something like power it up, check levels and pressures, do any time required maintenance or tests and make sure all appropriate covers and blanks were fitted. Even so, bringing one back out to service could take a couple of days to do all the checks.
For deeper, longer term "storage" it depends for how long and what level you have gone too. I know of aircraft that were put out to various facilities around the world and it would take a couple of weeks to get it out again. I know of A380's that were ferried, gear down to a suitable base where gear swings (jack the aircraft and do gear retraction functional tests) had to be carried out so that the system was exercised, functioned and leak checked before an inflight retraction was allowed. Hydraulic and oil seals can dry out. Pitot static systems may need flushing to remove any condensation moisture etc,. Engine runs are usually required to make sure they make their parameters. Fuel tanks may need treatment due to microbiological growth in fuel residue. Check around the flight control actuators for obstructions particularly bird's nests. Replace any parts that may have gone time-ex in storage. Some stuff can be deferred until it reaches a maintenance base and it flown under a special permit. It is a pretty extensive process.
When I was in the RAF, I helped bring some VC10s out of storage at Abingdon for a gear down ferry flight to Filton for tanker conversion. I was basically fitting engines, sending the aircraft to Filton, remove the engines for transport back to Abingdon, and do it all again. That was all done under special permit and only remember pretty low level stuff being done just to get it there. 30 years ago though now, so I've probably forgotten most of what was done.
For deeper, longer term "storage" it depends for how long and what level you have gone too. I know of aircraft that were put out to various facilities around the world and it would take a couple of weeks to get it out again. I know of A380's that were ferried, gear down to a suitable base where gear swings (jack the aircraft and do gear retraction functional tests) had to be carried out so that the system was exercised, functioned and leak checked before an inflight retraction was allowed. Hydraulic and oil seals can dry out. Pitot static systems may need flushing to remove any condensation moisture etc,. Engine runs are usually required to make sure they make their parameters. Fuel tanks may need treatment due to microbiological growth in fuel residue. Check around the flight control actuators for obstructions particularly bird's nests. Replace any parts that may have gone time-ex in storage. Some stuff can be deferred until it reaches a maintenance base and it flown under a special permit. It is a pretty extensive process.
When I was in the RAF, I helped bring some VC10s out of storage at Abingdon for a gear down ferry flight to Filton for tanker conversion. I was basically fitting engines, sending the aircraft to Filton, remove the engines for transport back to Abingdon, and do it all again. That was all done under special permit and only remember pretty low level stuff being done just to get it there. 30 years ago though now, so I've probably forgotten most of what was done.
Tony1963 said:
Watermead said:
30 years ago though now, so I've probably forgotten most of what was done.
About 40 years ago?Edited by Tony1963 on Wednesday 28th May 03:30
The ferry flights of the ex-BA Vicky-10's from Abingdon to Filton took place between July 1990 and July 1991.
So, the last one left Abingdon, almost 10 years after it landed there.
Edited by aeropilot on Wednesday 28th May 15:37
In civvie st that sort of mission would entail a one-off CAA Permit to Fly, generally used for things like unpressurised flight or gear down with a temporary repair after an incident. Full return to service would involve any tasks in the Maintenance Program triggered by calendar e.g. a C check after 2 years plus reversal of any long term storage inhibiting. Obviously a Permit to Fly would also require the latter.
Watermead said:
There are various levels of parking and storage all detailed in the manufacturers maintenance manual. Over C***d we were "parking" some aircraft at quite a low level of storage where we would give the aircraft a check over every week or so. This would be something like power it up, check levels and pressures, do any time required maintenance or tests and make sure all appropriate covers and blanks were fitted. Even so, bringing one back out to service could take a couple of days to do all the checks.
For deeper, longer term "storage" it depends for how long and what level you have gone too. I know of aircraft that were put out to various facilities around the world and it would take a couple of weeks to get it out again. I know of A380's that were ferried, gear down to a suitable base where gear swings (jack the aircraft and do gear retraction functional tests) had to be carried out so that the system was exercised, functioned and leak checked before an inflight retraction was allowed. Hydraulic and oil seals can dry out. Pitot static systems may need flushing to remove any condensation moisture etc,. Engine runs are usually required to make sure they make their parameters. Fuel tanks may need treatment due to microbiological growth in fuel residue. Check around the flight control actuators for obstructions particularly bird's nests. Replace any parts that may have gone time-ex in storage. Some stuff can be deferred until it reaches a maintenance base and it flown under a special permit. It is a pretty extensive process.
.
Where I used to work we had an old Tristar that was in for storage while it's sale went through.For deeper, longer term "storage" it depends for how long and what level you have gone too. I know of aircraft that were put out to various facilities around the world and it would take a couple of weeks to get it out again. I know of A380's that were ferried, gear down to a suitable base where gear swings (jack the aircraft and do gear retraction functional tests) had to be carried out so that the system was exercised, functioned and leak checked before an inflight retraction was allowed. Hydraulic and oil seals can dry out. Pitot static systems may need flushing to remove any condensation moisture etc,. Engine runs are usually required to make sure they make their parameters. Fuel tanks may need treatment due to microbiological growth in fuel residue. Check around the flight control actuators for obstructions particularly bird's nests. Replace any parts that may have gone time-ex in storage. Some stuff can be deferred until it reaches a maintenance base and it flown under a special permit. It is a pretty extensive process.
.
The engines themselves were inhibited so weren't run but we had to to do '7 day checks' which involved jacking up the wheels to rotate them to stop flat spots. All levels and pressures were checked.
Then we used to do 28 day checks, which involved towing the aircraft out and powering it up using the APU and exercising the controls. You had to do it slowly as the hyd pump couldn't keep up with all the flow!
When the aircraft was finally delivered the engines were de-inhibited, aircraft was jacked and gear swung including emergency free falls and a whole load of functions were carried out from testing the RAT to thrust reversers.
As you say anything out of time or date was replaced, quite a bit of lubing was done and a thorough check for FOD, nests and rodents.
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff