W Orking In airports

TOUCHDOWN
Aircraft
Servicing and
Maintenance
Engineers
Wendy Allen and
Kirsty Twynan
Wendy and Kirsty are part of a team of engineers
who undertake regular checks and servicing of
aircraft – to make sure that they are safe to fly.
Explain your work
K: It’s our job to make sure that all parts of the
aircraft are checked and any necessary repairs
carried out. That includes both the exterior –
undercarriage, wing flaps, fan blades, etc – and the
interiors such as the seating, doors, floor and
panelling.
I’m a licensed engineering technician, and work
as a supervisor and inspector of work. I identify any
faults with the aircraft, delegate and co-ordinate the
work of several aircraft mechanics, and then check
that the work has been completed to the proper
standards.
W: I’m one of the guys! I’m an aircraft mechanic
and I fix faults. For example, an inspection may
have shown that some bearings need changing in
the doors, or seal replacements are needed. I follow
the appropriate job card, which lists the faults, tells
me exactly what work to do and gives me an
estimate of how long the job should take. When
I’ve completed the work Kirsty inspects it.
a bit more involved – we check all the aircraft’s
functions, perhaps do an engine change, and repair
or replace parts of the undercarriage, flaps, wings,
wheel brakes or fuselage, for example. A ‘D’ check
is a much more in-depth and structural inspection
and can take us six to eight weeks to complete.
What are your
backgrounds?
K: I did mechanical engineering (aircraft) at Brunel
College. I came here as a mechanic, completed onthe-job
training and was promoted after a year.
W: I’ve worked here for nearly two years. Prior to
that I was a mechanic in the RAF for nine years.
What have you been doing
today?
K: I came in at 6.30 a.m. and received a handover
of the night’s work. I carried out some inspection
work, sorted out some spares, organised the work of
the mechanics in my team, and then carried out
some checks. I’m working on doors at the moment
– making sure that they are opening and closing
properly, the pressurisation is working as it should
and any defects are being put right. This afternoon
I’ll be working on the engines. Both engines will be
taken off the aircraft and each part thoroughly
checked. If I find a major problem, I may have to
organise and oversee a complete engine change.
W: Today I’m working on the ‘internals’ of the
aircraft – not my favourite! We have to take out all
the seats, the windows and the floorboards so that
the aircraft’s structure can be checked and any
faulty parts repaired or replaced. It’s a dirty job!
Is it all routine
maintenance?
W: No. We occasionally get ‘casualty’ aircraft –
where we don’t know quite what the problem’s
going to be. For example, last week we found
ourselves picking bits of flamingo out of an engine!
Birds can cause a lot of damage so we had to insert
a probe into the engine to make sure everything
was okay.
What hours do you work?
K: We work seven-and-a-half hour shifts, with a
break every two hours or so. There are plenty of
opportunities for overtime. You have to be flexible
– working throughout the night to fix a casualty
aircraft if necessary.
What do you enjoy most?
W: The teamwork – it’s mostly guys here, but we
don’t find that a problem! Also, it’s great not
having to work behind a desk.
K: This is a great job – if you think you’re
interested just go for it! The aircraft industry is so
varied and there are lots of opportunities. Once
you’re qualified/licensed you can work all over the
world. That’s my ambition. And ultimately I’d love
to work in crash investigation, which would involve
learning to fly.
GETTING IN
Airlines and aircraft maintenance companies may
offer traineeships or Modern Apprenticeships (or
equivalent). Schemes include on-the-job
training and attendance at
college/training school. Trainee
mechanics can specialise in avionics
or in airframe and engine. Entry
qualifications vary, but GCSEs/S
grades (with maths and science)
or relevant GNVQs/GSVQs are
normally required.
After an average of four years’ experience
/training and exams, apprentices become
licensed technicians.
It is also possible to enter with equivalent
training with the armed forces
(like Wendy), or after a full-time
course in a relevant engineering
subject (like Kirsty, whose course
included attaining licensed status).
WHAT SKILLS AND
QUALITIES DO YOU
NEED?
● Practical skills – working
with your hands, using
tools and equipment.
● Common sense, tackling
jobs logically.
● Study skills – if you want
to progress.
● Good at solving
problems.
● Able to work carefully
and safely.
● Confident in your work.
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What sort of checks are
you doing?
K: It depends on the type of aircraft and whether it
is in for a ‘heavy’ or a ‘light’ check. Aircraft come
into the hangar for checking when they have flown
a certain number of hours; and they are booked in
for heavy maintenance depending on their
maintenance schedule. (The Civil Aviation
Authority sets intervals for servicing different
types of aircraft.)
For example, we do an ‘A’ check after an aircraft
has flown 200 hours. This takes up to two days and
involves light routine maintenance and servicing of
the engines. A ‘C’ check (after 3000 flying hours) is
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AIRPORTS