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November–December 1991
De-icing and Anti-icing Are Major Safety Factors in Winter Operations 17 pages. [PDF 47K]
The fluid formulations are changing, the application equipment is improving and every season brings new developments to airports worldwide; extensive information is currently available on the subject. The aviation mechanic is usually the individual assigned the responsibility to properly carry out deicing or anti-icing operations, and should be aware of the various factors affecting successful completion of preparation for flight in winter weather conditions. This discussion will highlight some of the recent developments in this field of knowledge.
September–October 1991
Safe Disposal of Toxic Waste Created by Maintenance Activities 17 pages. [PDF 66K]
The fuel drained from the sumps during preflight checks and maintenance, the oil drained from the powerplants during periodic checks and even the detergent and rinse water used to wash the aircraft are potentially damaging to the environment, if they are not properly treated and disposed of. Some of the more toxic chemicals and residues of various maintenance activities are dangerous to the health of the technician, and certainly are also hazardous to the environment if not handled and disposed of in accordance with appropriate standards.
July–August 1991
Human Factors in Aircraft Maintenance and Inspection 16 pages. [PDF 45K]
Human factors and their influence on flight safety are usually associated only with pilots and flight operations. In the maintenance area, a mistake or omission by a technician is frequently viewed as a not unexpected “technician error.” The fault, in fact, may have been a human factors-based error, in an area that has received less attention by researchers in human factors. Yet, the errors could impair the safety of flight as much as those in flight operations that, heretofore, have received the most attention and research.
May–June 1991
Lightning Literacy For Ramp Personnel 20 pages. [PDF 70K]
Aviation technicians and ramp service personnel are particularly vulnerable to lightning hazards when working outside during periods of storm activity. In order to minimize these risks, it is prudent that technicians have a reasonable understanding of the causes and effects of lightning and be aware of some recent developments in lightning detection and alerting technology.
March–April 1991
The Mechanic and Metal Fatigue 16 pages. [PDF 52K]
In order to more readily detect indications of fatigue failures and assure that the aircraft is airworthy and safe for operation, it is important that the technician have a good understanding of the metal fatigue phenomena, its causes and what can be done to prevent it. The formal study of the causes and mechanisms of fatigue is called “fracture mechanics,” but this discussion will touch on only the very basic aspects of this branch of engineering knowledge.
January–February 1991
How to Work Safely With Composite Materials 20 pages. [PDF 71K]
A composite is an engineering term for a material consisting of various combinations of alloys, fibers, resins, fillers, plastics, solvents, and adhesives, combined to produce the desired strength and characteristics needed for the application. It is the harmful side effects of these various components that present additional hazards and risks for the technician working with composite materials.