ASAP AM Spares Blog

The importance of regular aircraft maintenance is not up for debate. Just as important as MRO are the tools that make it possible. While there are certainly a wide variety of highly-specialized tools used in aircraft maintenance, simple tools can often get the job done. General purpose tools include hammers, mallets, screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, and drivers. In this blog, we will discuss these tools and provide some explanation of what they are and how they work.

When was the last time you took your car in to the shop? Routine checkups are an important part of ensuring your car will run reliably. Similarly, aircraft must routinely go through standardized examinations called base maintenance. Base maintenance includes any modifications, repairs or alterations to the airframe, power plants, aircraft propellers, instruments, flight inspection equipment, avionics, test equipment, and any other aircraft accessories.  

There is a library of resources on and offline on how to replace car tires, as well as how to maintain them, and what to look out for when selecting new tires. But when it comes to information on aircraft tires, there aren’t as many resources or information readily available. It’s doubly important to know how to maintain your aircraft tires because the process can be lengthy and far more expensive than replacing car tires. Read on below for more information on aircraft tire maintenance and selecting new tires. 

Every part of an aircraft has a specific function, and with that function, specific maintenance requirements. The Federal Aviation Authority mandates regular maintenance and inspections of all aircraft, with some parts being required to be replaced after a certain number of hours in flight, no matter their current condition.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation; they are responsible for the oversight and regulation of aviation within the United States, as well as operation of the National Airspace System (NAS). The primary responsibility of the FAA is to ensure the safety of civil aviation. Their regulation responsibilities also encompass the following: development of aeronautics, operation of air traffic control and navigation systems for civil and military aircraft, regulation of U.S. commercial space transportation, and the development of programs to mitigate aircraft noise and other environmental effects of aviation. The FAA also controls the construction and operation of airports; adding to the list of complex responsibilities. 

Downed planes are costly planes. Aircraft on ground (AOG) situations cost money to buy replacement parts, to pay mechanics and engineers, to pay for inspections, to pay for terminal usage while the plane is downed, etc.; and none of that money is being made if the plane can’t fly, costing even more money. So, it makes sense that the MRO business would be booming, standing to profit tremendously from saving airliners from AOG situations. And, it would make even more sense that the aviation MRO services & industry is currently embroiled in fierce competition to innovate and evolve.

Just as automobile companies lease cars, aircraft companies lease commercial aircraft. There are over 10,000 leased aircraft throughout the world, with Asia being the most popular region in terms of leases. Since 2008, the number of leased aircraft has gone up more than 50%, especially in Asia. The number of re-deliveries has been steadily increasing, and so has the number of repairs that need to be completed.