AMU June July12

Proud Supporters of PAMA & Canadian AME Associations
Transport Canada Approved for R/T
10th Anniversary Issue !
Recurrent Training Exam
2012
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June - July 2012 Volume 11/Issue 1
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AMU is Ten
Departments
4 4 6 Upcoming Events Advertisers Index STCs & New Products
ep, were survivors, and we are celebrating our 10th birthday. Ive written more about this momentous occasion on page 10. This is also our annual recurrent training exam issue. Youll find the exam inserted in this magazine. Canadian readers complete it, send it back to our office for marking, and if you pass, (theres no reason not to; its an open book exam) you will be credited with time toward your recurrent training requirement. This is also the beginning of the busy summer season for many in the aviation industry. It can mean long hours of work, crazy shifts, and sleep deficit. This can be a recipe for mistakes so keep your wits about you, slow down for a minute and have a second look, and remember all you have learned about human factors connected with this. Meanwhile, lets take this opportunity to pat ourselves on the back once again. Too seldom in this industry are maintenance people given their due and we are often viewed as a necessary evil. As I write the first draft of this while sitting on a park bench overlooking Vancouver Harbour, a deHavilland Beaver has splashed down in front of me. These things are going all day every day between here and Vancouver Island and many of them are 60 years old and have been operating in a hostile saltwater environment for decades with rarely a hiccup. Try to tell me that maintenance technicians dont work miracles. Now theres a helicopter approaching on its scheduled flight from Victoria. Once again this goes on all day every day and never makes the news. These uneventful crossings are made possible by competent maintenance professionals doing their, sometimes difficult, jobs well. Whenever there is an incident involving an aircraft, any sort of incident at all, it is all over the media. Yet we seldom hear about incidents because they seldom happen. How unlikely is it that we can speed through the sky at all, never mind safely, yet we, as teams of professionals, have pulled this off. Congratulations to all concerned! Ian Cook, Editor
10 Industry Forum 22 AME Association and PAMA News 39 Classified 42 AMU Chronicles By Sam Longo
Features
Our 10th Anniversary Issue
By Norm Chalmers
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Pull-Out Section
10 12 18
Clarifying More Regs
AMU is viewable online: subscribe and download at www.amumagazine.com
The Mighty Martin Mars, Part 3

By Mike Broderick
2012 Recurrent Training Exam

By Rob Kornfeld
Turbine Engine Parts: Cleaning Deep Microwave Landing Systems Explained

By Gordon Walker
26 30 34
Making the Connection

By Stuart McAulay
AirMaintenance Update
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ISSN 1703-2318
AIRMAINTENANCE UPDATE
Upcoming Events
CANADA Alberta International Airshow July 21 22, 2012 Lethbridge, AB www.albertaairshow.ca 50th Abbotsford Airshow August 10 12, 2012 Abbotsford Airport, BC www.abbotsfordairshow.com Atlantic Canada International Airshow August 25 26, 2012 Summerside Airport, PEI www.airshowatlantic.ca Canadian International Airshow September 1 3, 2012 Exhibition Park Toronto, ON www.cias.org Ontario AME Symposium October 17 19, 2012 Delta Meadowvale Resort and Conference Centre Mississauga, ON www.ame-ont.com UNITED STATES EAA Airventure Oshkosh July 23 29, 2012 Wittman Regional Airport Oshkosh, WI www.airventure.org 56th Annual ACPC Air Carriers Purchasing Conference August 18 21, 2012 Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino Las Vegas, NV www.acpc.com AOPA Aviation Summit October 11 13, 2012 Palm Springs Convention Center Palm Springs, CA www.aopa.org/summit NBAA 65th Annual Meeting and Conventioin October 30 November 1, 2012 Orange County Convention Center, Orlando Executive Airport Orlando, FL http://www.nbaa.org/events/amc/2012/ INTERNATIONAL Aviation Expo Europe June 22 24, 2012 Bitburg Airport Germany www.expo.aero/europe/ Irish Business Aviation Convention June 27 28, 2012 Shannon, Ireland http://www.miuevents.com/ibac Farnborough International Airshow July 9 15, 2012 Farnborough UK http://www.farnborough.com/airshow-2012 Shanghai International General Aviation Show August 28 30, 2012 Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Conventioin Center Shanghai China www.sh-aero.com/en/
Advertisers Index
APS Brakes / Aero Incorporated ............ 9 Aeroneuf Instruments Ltd ...................... 27 Aerosmith Heli Service .......................... 14 Aviall ...................................................... 43 Canadian Aero Accessories Ltd ............ 7 Canadian Airframe Solutions Inc ........... 15 Canadian Propeller Ltd .......................... 27 Casp Aerospace Inc .............................. 36 Concorde Battery .................................. 35 Condor Aircraft Accessories ................. 16 Eagle Fuel Cells Inc ................................ 8 Gregorash Aviation ............................... 17 Hartwig Aircraft Fuel Cell Repair ........... 32 Hope Aero .............................................. 5 MARSS ................................................. 33 NAASCO ............................................... 13 Okanagan Aero Engine Ltd ................... 13 Perimeter Aviation ................................. 32 ProAero Engines Inc. ............................ 37 Progressive Air ...................................... 31 Rapco Inc .............................................. 2 SIL Industries ........................................ 19 Schweiss Bi-fold Doors ......................... 15 Superior Oil Coolers ............................. 16 Thunder Bay Aviation............................ 29 U.S. Air Tool Company ......................... 28 Universal Aero Engines Ltd .................. 33 Vector Aerospace ................................. 44 Western Propeller Company Ltd .......... 14
STCs & new products

Concorde announces Augusta AW139 as a replacement for Nickel Cadmium batteries
Concorde Battery is pleased to announce AW139 FAA, Transport Canada, and Brazil ANAC approval to replace standard nickel cadmium batteries with Concordes sealed lead acid recombinant gas (RG), absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries. The 27AH nickel cadmium auxiliary battery is replaced with a 27AH sealed lead acid battery, and the option to convert the 44AH nickel cadmium starting battery with Concordes RG-380E/44L or the higher capacity RG-380E/60L. The higher capacity RG-380E/60L is constructed with additional plates and is designed to increase cranking power, faster starts, and less engine wear. For more information visit www.concordebattery.com
AeroLEDs receives PMA Certification for Landing Light

AeroLEDs Sunspot 36HX landing light has received PMA certification. Powered by new LED technology, the Sunspot will last 50,000 hours, allowing pilots to fly with the light on at all times for enhanced visibility. The light also comes with wig-wag or pulsing capability and is so bright that it can be seen at great distances in daylight when the aircraft is not visible. Sunspot landing lights have been used for years in experimental and LSA aircraft and tower personnel have reported that their wig-wagging can be seen much further away than with incandescent bulbs. For more information visit www.AeroLEDs.com
Enstrom 480B Agricultural Spray System certified in China

Enstrom Helicopter Corporation and Isolair Inc. recently received Chinese certification for the Innovator II 3900-480 spray system. The lightweight system fits all Enstrom 480 and 480B models, and can be quickly installed or removed for ease of use. The launch customer in China for the Isolair spray system was long time Enstrom customer Wuhan Helicopters, who recently purchased a new 480B helicopter specifically for agricultural spraying. For more information visit www.enstromhelicopter.com
Larson announces Updated Explosion-Proof Fluorescent Light Cart

Larson Electronics Magnalight.com has announced the release of an updated version of their popular wheeled cartmounted explosion-proof fluorescent paint spray booth light. The EPLCD-48-2L-100 paint spray booth cart light is designed to provide a full-powered yet mobile light source that can be easily maneuvered about the work area. Larson Electronics has updated this fluorescent paint booth light with a new cart design that adds even better mobility and protection as well as increased functionality. For more information visit www.magnalight.com
DART announces Auxiliary Fuel Tank for AS350 and EC 130

DART Helicopter Services has announced FAA approval of its newly improved auxiliary fuel tank for the AS350 series of aircraft and the EC 130 B4. This tank provides additional fuel capacity that can be transferred to the main tank in order to extend the aircrafts operational range. After initial installation, the tank is easily removed and re-installed. Additional provisions kits may be installed in other aircraft to allow the tank to be quickly transferred. Additionally, access panels have been added for improved ease of maintenance. For more information visit www.darthelicopterservices.com
FAA Grants Vision 1000 STC for AgustaWestland Helicopters

MSP Aero has announced that the FAA has granted a Supplemental Type Certificate for the Appareo Vision 1000 Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) device on AgustaWestland AW109/119 series rotorcraft. The Vision 1000 is a part of Appareo Systems ALERTS family of FDM products. ALERTS - Aircraft Logging and Event Recording for Training and Safety - is a comprehensive FDM system designed for light and legacy aircraft. For more information visit www.mspaero.com
To announce your STC or new product, email a JPG photo and a product description to [email protected] or [email protected]
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Industry Forum
ROLLS-ROYCE ACHIEVES NEW TRENT 1000 MILESTONE
MONTREAL QC, May 8, 2012 Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has successfully completed the first run of an upgraded version of the Trent 1000 that will be the launch engine for the latest member of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner family, the 787-9. The Trent 1000 Package C program will provide 74,000 lbs. of thrust for the 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, which is due to enter service with Air New Zealand in 2014. Trent 1000 Package C engines will also begin powering 787-8 aircraft that enter service in 2014. The engine began running on a test bed in Derby in April and completed an extensive test program over a period of eight weeks. Two Trent 1000 Package C engines are now being built for initial flight testing on the Rolls-Royce 747-200 flying test bed, with a three-month program scheduled to begin in the summer, which will optimize a new advanced turbine case cooling system to improve efficiency. Rolls-Royce will deliver production standard Trent 1000 Package C engines to Boeing from 2013 to support its 787-9 flight test program. Trent 1000 Package C has been optimized to deliver a fuel burn improvement of one percent over the Package B engine standard. The Trent 1000 powered the Boeing 787 Dreamliners entry into service with All Nippon Airways in October 2011 and has now completed more than 7,000 flying hours with a 99.9 percent dispatch reliability a record for a widebody engine. For more information visit www.Rolls-Royce.com. sional Australian airline and air charter business based in Cairns, Queensland. StandardAero was selected to maintain the engines on their fleet of Bombardier Q300 DHC-8s. The work will be performed at StandardAeros Winnipeg, Canada and Tilburg, The Netherlands, turboprop engine facilities. For more information visit www. standardaero.com.
PEERLESS ANNOUNCES SIx NEW VERTICAL MARkET ECOMMERCE STORES

BETHPAGE, NY, March 27, 2012 Peerless Electronics, Inc., a major factory authorized, stocking distributor of electromechanical and interconnect products for aerospace and avionics, has launched its new online eCommerce Vertical Market. Peerless customers will save time, view at-a-glance status and find it easier to shop online from product catalogs tailored to their specific
STANDARDAERO SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH SkYTRANS

TEMPE, AZ, May 21, 2012 S StandardAero announced today that it has signed an exclusive long-term service agreement with Skytrans, a profes-
industry from Peerless large inventory of electro-mechanical and interconnect components. Each online product includes specs, technical descriptions, manufacturer hyperlinks, photos (many with zoom-in capabilities) and drawings/PDFs to assist customers in selecting the right parts for their application. Peerless stores offer widely sought and hard to find products such as switches, relays, circuit breakers, contactors, connectors, terminal blocks, splices, heat shrink tubing and indicator lights and fuses. Their lines include Honeywell Sensing and Control, Sensata Technologies, and Dialight. To see the online store, go to www.peerlesselectronics.com
CRS JET SPARES CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY

FORT LAUDERDALE FL, April 25, 2012 CRS Jet Spares, a leading business aviation aftermarket parts supplier, is celebrating their 30th year in the business aviation industry. Started in 1982 by founder and C.E.O. Armando Leighton, Jr., the company quickly grew from its beginnings in the Leightons garage to a 43,000 square foot facility in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Today CRS stands as one of the leading after-market spare parts support facilities in the world and has earned its reputation by giving corporate flight departments, both large and small, a high level of personalized service, reliable products and by offering over $60 million of fully traceable new and overhauled components. As a leader in the industry in the United States and Canada, CRS over the past few years has begun an aggressive global expansion initiative that has included increased support of Europe, Asia and South America. As CRS grows in age and scope, their goal remains to
provide the best service and quality spares for the business aviation community. For more information visit www. crsjetspares.com.
SENECA SIGNS AGREEMENT OVER JAzz CADET PROGRAM

TORONTO ON, April 18, 2012 Third-year Seneca Bachelor of Aviation Technology students will be eligible for the Jazz cadet program that includes direct entry into the airlines hiring pool. All qualified third-year students will be offered an interview with Jazz, and successful candidates will become Jazz/ Seneca cadets in their fourth year. As they maintain the required academic and flight line achievement throughout their fourth year, upon graduation and successful completion of Jazz Aviation LPs tests and evaluations, they will be entered into the Jazz hiring pool. Senecas Bachelor of Aviation Technology program is unique in Canada, providing a curriculum and the application of theory to aviation. Find out more at www.senecacollege.ca. n
GALMENA AND ExECUJET MIDDLE EAST SIGN SERVICE AGREEMENT

GENEVA, May 15, 2012 GALMENA WLL, a joint venture formed between GAL Aviation Inc., a member of the GAL Group of companies in Canada, and MENA Aerospace Enterprises WLL of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has signed a new service agreement with ExecuJet Middle East, an authorized service facility for four major business aircraft manufacturers. The two companies will deliver an all-inclusive cabin interiors service to major OEMs and their existing client bases. GALMENA and ExecuJet Middle East will market work packages for interiors and major components through the refurbishment center in Bahrain and will conduct on-field activity at ExecuJets facilities at Dubai airport. Specifically, GALMENA will develop and administer an aviation interior fabrication and refurbishment centre for business and VIP aircraft interiors in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and will operate a refurbishment and installation workshop for business and VIP aircraft interiors in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. ExecuJet Middle East will provide workshop space in its hangar at Dubai International Airport for a regional satellite centre for the GALMENAs products & services. For more information visit www.galaviation.ca or www.mena.aero
Feature
AMU is 10 Years Old !
Thats right. Were celebrating our 10th birthday with this issue.
Deciding which issue should be our 10th anniversary was a bit arbitrary, as the very first issue of AirMaintenance Update Volume 1, Issue 1 was published in March 2002. Publication was a bit sporadic in the early days as we attracted writers and advertisers, and our general direction had not yet fully been established. The reason we chose the June/July issue, though, will be explained soon. Now, on the cover of Volume 1, Issue 1 is a collage of aviation-related photographs. In a square at the very centre of this collage, though, are the words, Inform, Communicate, Educate. Although weve gone through a number of changes, these things still represent the basic mandate of this magazine. Our primary role is still, through our expert contributors, to help
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inform and educate those in the aviation maintenance field. And if along the way we do a bit of entertaining, well, thats a bonus, but not our primary purpose. An important aspect of the magazine, right from the beginning, was to publish an annual exam based on the articles from the previous year and to have this exam approved for recurrent training. The first of these exams was in the March/April 2003 issue. We were on our way. It wasnt until a year later, though, that publishing AMU bi-monthly became fully established, and also that the exam became an established part of the June/July issue. This is the reason weve called this June/July issue our 10th anniversary one. It also means that the exam is in this issue.
The Contributors
Of course a magazine could not exist without contributors. Someone has to create the material that makes up its pages. I could take up this whole column listing the people who have shared their knowledge and expertise over the years, so I wont do that. All our contributors over the years are very much appreciated. I will mention some of our long-term, regular providers of editorial material though. Sam Longo began his AMU Chronicles column in the June/July 2003 issue and has been with us ever since. Sam draws on his many years of experience to create a last page column to entertain us. Mike Broderick first appeared in the February/March issue of 2004 and has been in pretty much every copy since then. Mikes ability to turn potentially dry material into humorous easy reading while keeping it educational is much appreciated. Stuart McAulays diverse experience has allowed him to provide numerous articles on a wide variety of subjects, and Gord Walkers easy-going approach to his features on aircraft systems is always a great addition to the magazine. A recent and very popular addition to the magazine is Norm Chalmers. Norms many years of experience in the field, followed by a career with Transport Canada, has given him an overview of the operator-regulator relationship second to none.
the industry as presented on these pages keeps you up to date on aspects of the aircraft maintenance field, which keeps you coming back to read more, if all goes according to plan.
Where are We Going?

Well, as far as providing relevant, upto-date, educational material, we are staying the course. But wed like to do more, particularly in the area of providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information. For example, in Norm Chalmers article in this issue, he speaks of the disconnect between the Transport Canada headquarters in Ottawa and the regions, and also about the nebulous nature of some regulations. They are open to interpretation by individual inspectors. Now, most Transport Canada inspectors are simply doing a job that must be done. The general public would accept nothing less. However, the vague
nature of some regulations leaves room for bullies to interpret them as they see fit and simply harass operators over things that were perfectly acceptable a short time ago. Wed like to hear about these instances. Let me know about specifics, and we can put it in print. If others are having the same sorts of problems, they may not feel so alone. With any luck we can get a dialogue going that includes Transport Canada or the FAA if American readers choose to take part in this. Once again, we are a journal for and by the aviation maintenance professional and if, in our journalistic capacity, we can dig into some of these issues, well, wed love to. There is now a place where you can air your issues and maybe, just maybe, we can help make some changes. So, thank you again for your support of this publication, whether by reading it, advertising in it, or contributing to it. Heres to the next 10 years! Ian Cook, Editor
The Advertisers
The advertisers make it all possible. Without them the funds would not be available for anything else. As this is a publication by and for aviation maintenance professionals, advertisers know the focus of it and can direct the advertising to these people. Of course, this also means, for the reader, that ads are an appropriate venue to promote your business, and businesses can connect with each other by seeing what other companies provide in terms of products ands services.
The Readers (last but not least)

It would all be pointless if no one read the magazine. Your interest in following
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The Regs
Clarifying More
BY NORM CHALMERS Pacific Airworthiness Consulting
Back in December of 2011, Harald

Leukefeld, owner/manager of Orca Airways located at Vancouver Airport (YVR) South and a director of PAMEA, sent us an e-mail regarding the general apathy in the industry, but encouraged me to continue writing to the silent majority. Thanks for that, Harald. In his letter, Harald identifies numerous topics of interest. In this issue Ill address one of his issues which is, as he put it, Aviation trades apprenticeship programs particularly the lack of follow-up training such as is common practice in the automotive, diesel, and carpentry trades. It seems that things are gradually getting better in this area. In British Columbia, the government has moved forward in this with the guidance of the good people at Transportation Career Development Association (TransCDA). This was done despite the general lack of support from industry. There is now a proper apprenticeship program being implemented like the ones other industries have. Now it is up to aviation training institutes to adapt and modularize their programs to meet industry needs. You, including every employer and apprentice in BC, ought to become familiar with how this program works and how you can save money. The details are
available at the TransCDA web site. Search the internet with the words transcda and aviation and then follow the links. Regarding follow-up training that Harald mentioned, the requirements for this are found in CAR 573.06(2) and in Standard 573.06(2). CAR 573.06(2) states that the program shall include initial training, updating and other training necessary,..., to ensure continued qualification that is appropriate to the function to be performed or supervised. Standard 573.06 provides the detailed standard specified in the CAR as follows:
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(2)The training program shall include: (b) update training to ensure that personnel remain competent and are made aware of any change to their area of responsibility; (c) additional training where it is shown to be necessary by a finding made under the quality assurance program or required due to changes in the regulations, applicable standards, or company procedures; and (5) Until such time as it is revised through an assessment made in respect of the quality assurance program required by section 573.09 of the CARs, the initial cycle for update training shall not exceed three years. Other than the three years requirement, this does not provide any measurable benchmark or standard to assist the approved maintenance organization (AMO) to set up a recurrent training program. I stated in one of my previous columns that I would not quote the regs here, but at times it will be necessary to do so, as in this case, to help point out the nebulous nature of the Transport Canada (TC) Regulation By Objective approach to writing the CARs. The intent is that organizations be allowed to devise creative, practicable, appropriate, workable ways of meeting the requirements. I equate this to replacing speed limit signs to the words DRIVE SAFE and leaving it up to police constables to enforce it. The actual result of this approach is that we have Regulation By Directive at the local TC Office level. Often, a helpful Civil Aviation Safety Inspector (CASI) specifies what you will write in your Maintenance Policy Manual (MPM).
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Although this is contrary to national policy, it means that you do whatever makes TC happy and gets your MPM approved. Airworthiness Notice AN C012 states TC reviews AMO policy to ensure that each aircraft type or aeronautical product being maintained is supported by a program that addresses both initial and up-date technical training. Unfortunately, this does not recognize that TC actually approves your MPMs, and herein lies the hook. The Transport Canada pre-approved Small Operator Maintenance Control Manual (MCM) specifies a minimum of 12 hours update training for each three-year period. That time is evenly divided into three areas: Operators Procedures with four hours, CARs with four hours, and Each Aircraft Type with four hours. This MCM is only for commercial operators with three or fewer small piston-engined aircraft, but the 12hour requirement might be extrapolated to reach reasonable amounts for larger operators. For AMOs, this is not any help. In the Transport Canada Pacific Region, many MPMs have been approved prescribing that AMEs receive a minimum of 24 hours of recurrent training every year. Using the three-year period prescribed in CAR 573.06(5), that would be 72 hours in a three-year period. An accepted method of meeting this is through an in-house self-study approach using various authoritative and applicable aviation publications. Good sources for this include regulatory stuff such as changes to the CARs and the voluminous update and advisory materials produced by various aviation regulatory authorities. Other sources include manufacturers maintenance publications, such as manual revisions and service bulletins. Still more sources that must be mentioned in this are the general technical publications epitomized by Air Maintenance Update (AMU) which has been accepted by Transport Canada as filling a niche. That 24 hours per year works out to two hours per month, or about six minutes per day. Many aviation maintenance professionals already exceed this. To rally this potential as a positive contribution to your training program records, first you must select the source documents that are relevant. Take each document morsel and attach a paper signature sheet to it, identifying the subject document and the amount of accredited time that will be recorded as being recurrent/update training. This means that management needs to read the material first to arrive at an appropriate time credit. Each employee then signs this record as having read and comprehended the subject content. To further benefit from this, you can organize it by having everybody read the document at the same time, then discuss it until everybody is clear on the subject material. This can fulfil the regulatory requirement and the need to be aware of current and future changes in our industry. Harald gave me a list of other topics that I will hold onto and address in the future if I live long enough, given the volume and extent of his list. The next topic is regarding the various responsibilities that managers in TC approved organizations take. I address my comments primarily to accountable executives but other managers and employees ought to be aware of these weighty responsibilities.
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During the last couple of decades of the 20th century, management responsibility came to the front as an issue due to investigations into accidents in various industries. The petro-chemical industry had some major accidents causing huge damage. There were numerous leaks, explosions, and well blowouts that resulted in deaths, injuries, and massive environmental and economic problems. Those disasters led to extensive governmental investigations into the causes. Often, the chain of contributing factors led to a CEO. The study of organizations and human factors in industrial settings became the topic of choice of numerous expert reductionists around the world. This dissection and reduction of every facet of those management systems resulted in numerous theories as to the causes of accidents as well as profitable careers for numerous degreed theoretical reductionists. It has also resulted in the emergence of Safety Management Systems. A significant part of SMS is the concept of the accountable executive at the top of a management system to be responsible for the compliant functioning of the system. As the title suggests, this person can be held accountable for the actions of the organization. In aviation, ICAO became enamoured with SMS and implemented recommendations that every nation enact SMS requirements. In 2005, Transport Canada plunged into this with a significant expenditure of energy that put most other TC programs into limbo-land. In 2005, CAR 1 Subpart 6 (106) was enacted. Until then the only people to hold responsible were those identified in the approval for portions of the organization, such as the Operations Manager, Chief Pilot and Person Responsible for Maintenance (PRM). This made it difficult if not impossible to hold an individual responsible for the lack of administrative and financial support to those subservient identified persons. The Certificate Holder is often mentioned in the CARs, but often that turned out to be a corporate entity and not a person. CAR 106.02, implemented in May 2005, requires the Certificate Holder to appoint an individual as accountable executive to be responsible for operations or activities authorized under
the certificate and accountable on their behalf for meeting the requirements of these regulations. The regulation goes on to require that No person shall be appointed . . . unless they have control of the financial and human resources that are necessary for the activities and operations authorized under the certificate. That means that the accountable executive is responsible for everything, including the responsibilities of the certificate holder. As one of my clients succinctly put it, the accountable executive is the one who goes to jail. Although this has not been put to the test of a justice system to my knowledge, it does paint a graphic picture of the possibilities. Under both CAR 573.03 and CAR 706.03, the holder of the certificate (meaning the accountable executive) must perform a series of tasks: appoint a PRM, ensure that this person performs all of the PRMs required duties, provide the financial and human resources necessary to meet requirements, ensure that audit findings are corrected and review the SMS program.
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That is a mouthful of requirements, and I advise all accountable executives to have a good read of the applicable CARs and standards, noting use of the word shall. Establish your management systems to ensure that all requirements are met and documented. Ensure that the PRM is providing the required information to you. In addition to accountable executives, the following is addressed to the attention of the rest of the managers in your organizations: If, during a persons working career in aviation, one develops an aviation record that, in the view of Transport Canada, identifies one as a miscreant or rogue (my wording) then banishment from being a principal in any aviation organization in Canada or holding any aviation document is a possibility. The Aeronautics Act in sections 6.71 and 7.1, when combined with CAR 103.12 regarding principals, allows the minister to refuse to issue, to suspend or to cancel any certificate if the minister considers it to be in the public interest. This is a seriously heavy hammer and could only be used in the most serious of cases of disregard for rules and safety. Even at that, the possibility is no fun to think about. To digress, in this column, I occasionally slam the Minister of Transport for actions or inactions. My comments are aimed at the monolithic TC entity and not at individuals. Most TC employees are hard-working, public-spirited individuals struggling within the system. With that in mind, TC Headquarters manifest lack of awareness of regional activities and problems is apparent in almost every subject area. The results of that are unfortunate for the aviation industry and for the CASI working in the regions. The upside of that dilemma is that it provides me with fodder for this column, so I thank the minister for keeping those barriers to communication high and strong. On that uplifting note, I bid you goodbye until next time. Be good. NOTE TO READERS: Please be aware that I am not a lawyer or legal expert. What I write in my column is not legal advice nor legal opinion. If you face a legal issue, you must get specific legal advice from a lawyer and preferably one with experience in the aviation matters in your own country. NORM CHALMERS worked with Transport Canada as an Airworthiness Inspector for 25 years. Before this, from 1967 to 1983, he worked in the aircraft maintenance industry in and around Western Canada and in the Arctic. His industry experience includes the operational maintenance of normal and commuter category aircraft and smaller transport category aircraft in the corporate sector as well as several years working in major repairs in the helicopter sector. As an Airworthiness Inspector, he has been responsible for most duties related to the position, including the approval of all aspects of maintenance, manufacturing, training, and responsibilities related to distribution organizations. Norm now operates Pacific Airworthiness Consulting; www.pacificairworthiness.ca. n
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Feature
The XPB2M-1/-1R aka
the Martin Mars
Par t 3
BY MIKE BRODERICK, Helicopter Engine Repair Overhaul Services
Welcome back. I appreciate you showin

up again. So, whadaya say we continue our discussion on the Mighty Martin Mars, OK? OK. Today we are going to find out what life in the 21st century has been for our two 20th-century airplanes, highlighting some major changes to them, which began in 2007. This is when Forest Industries Flying Tankers Ltd. (later called Timber West), decided to leave the firefighting business and put the two ladies on the market. The Coulson Group of Companies was the successful bidder and became the new owner. With their bid, they kept the
two remaining Mars from heading to a museum, which is what the other 24 prospective buyers had intended. Coulson knew that these aircraft were not only unique, but that they also had lots of life left as effective aerial assault fire fighters. We will see how Coulson has proven that this twin sister act is not just a pair of energetic senior citizens grasping for media attention. By way of calculated modifications to the aircrafts avionics instituted by Coulson, Hawaii and Philippine are performing, even flourishing at the highest level (no pun intended) in their altered profession as airborne fire fighters. We will
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learn that Coulson didnt stop with improvements to the aircraft; they studied and applied the science of aerial application of fire retardants. And in taking this course of action, Coulson has proven with empirical data a fact they always knew: that the Martin Mars can handle a forest fire like a mother handles a recalcitrant child with strong discipline delivered with a temperate yet powerful approach. So go fill the coffee cup and we will begin Part 3, which concerns the influence that Coulson Flying Tankers has had on the lives of the Sisters Mars Hawaii and Philippine. And, what better way to begin our discussion than with some cocktail knowledge (CK)? Now, unless you were a part of the British Columbia lumber industry or the Canadian aerial fire-fighting community, it was not well known that the Mars sisters were more than a couple of World War II aircraft struggling to stay in the game. Nothing could be further from the truth. In their 50-year history of fighting fires for the BC forest industry, they had flown over 4,000 missions. In over 2,400 of these missions they extinguished the fire on the first day. In over 800 flights, it took them two days to do the job. Based on historical data, each plane can make a drop every 15 minutes. Working in tandem, this equates to 7,200 US gallons (27,276 liters) every seven minutes, and each drop can cover an area of up to 4 acres (1.6 hectares). The aircraft can also carry up to 600 US gallons (2,270 liters) of foam concentrate. Not bad for a couple of World War II converted cargo air craft struggling to stay relevant.
How They Do It
The most frequently asked question regarding the Mars is How do they pick up their water? Well, remember we saw last time that the fabricated scoops located on the bottom of the fuselage are mechanically articulated by the captain from their retracted position within the fuselage down into the water. But what takes place in the cockpit to make sure they get the scoops into the water to maximize their proficiency at picking up the water is perhaps the most demanding task in terms of teamwork among the crew. The captain executes a normal landing, keeps the aircraft on the step, and allows the speed to decrease to 70 knots. He then passes engine power to the flight engineer and selects the scoops to the down position. The ram pressure for injecting the water into the tanks is such that the aircraft is taking on water at a rate in excess of a ton per second. To account for this added weight, the flight engineer must advance the throttles to maintain a skimming speed of 60-70 knots to ensure the aircraft remains on the step. Pick-up time is, on average, 25 seconds. When the tanks are full, the captain will raise the scoops, call for takeoff power from the flight engineer and carry out a normal loaded takeoff. Once airborne, the foam concentrate is injected into the water load (normally, 30 US gallons of concentrate into the 7,200 US gallon water load) where it is dispersed and remains inert until the load is dropped. Once dropped, the tumbling action of the escaping foam causes expansion, which converts the water load into a foam load. (Continued on page 37)
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Western AME Association

Presidents Message
Rod Fisher President 2012
First let me introduce myself to those of you who dont know me. I started my aviation career in Sioux Lookout in 1971 and followed the norm of moving and dragging my family along to various provinces. However, most of the time was spent in La Ronge, and I am presently employed at Air Tindi a division of Discovery Air in Yellowknife. I will be taking over from Peter Jenkins as president, to whom we all owe a profound thanks and also to his previous executive for their diligent and hard volunteer hours in the past. The new board that was elected to term at the AGM in Edmonton in conjunction with the symposium and we had our first meeting on May 10, 2012. The minutes are posted on the WAMEA web site. A number of topics were discussed and the enthusiasm of the new board of directors showed. There seemed to be a general feeling that we could be more effective by joining forces with the other regional associations to form a national association with representatives from all provinces. This would give more power to lobby government and advise on industry regulatory requirements. Opinions were expressed as to how we can attract more interest in young people to choose aviation as a career, how we can rebuild membership, as well as how we can continue to make our website more user friendly. There was also discussion on how to provide more services to the AME and better ways to keep membership updated on changes in regulations and events going on in our region. We are already working on Maintenance Symposium 2013 and will strive to make it successful and informative. Any positive suggestions as to what you feel would be beneficial to next years symposium, or what we may have overlooked are always appreciated. The association is also working on getting the air maintenance technician recognized as a Red Seal program recognized by the provinces, as well as possibly recognizing parts persons and flight coordinators as part of the aircraft maintenance field of associated professionals. These two entities, while seeming unrelated to maintenance in general, are closely integrated and have a large impact on how effective we are as maintenance professionals. Summer float season is fast approaching, which brings many additional challenges where maintenance is concerned. Under the umbrella of aviation safety being implemented by the safety management systems of our companies, it is sometimes difficult to realize that the same rules imposed in the hanger apply on the docks and in the field. Regulations are imposed for our, and the flying publics safety, but perhaps need some tweaking to make them workable. Regulations are not going away and we need to be of the mindset that they can work if properly tuned to individual circumstance. I look forward to serving the industry over the next term and look forward to helping promote the needs of the air maintenance engineer. This is your association and we would like you to use it to its full potential. I would like to encourage all members to surf our website, find a director you feel you can contact with your concerns, and to try to persuade fellow engineers to realize that there are benefits to belonging to this fine organization. Create a safe day.
ATLANTIC AME
WESTERN AME
Atlantic AME Association

Presidents Notes
by Ben McCarty
The 34th ARAMC was a huge success with a record number of displayers and delegates. If you missed this conference you missed an excellent event. Even the weather was cooperating at 27 degrees all during the conference. The organizing committee was co-chaired by Anneke Urquhart and Jim Power who worked with Jason Crowell, Natalie Duschenes, Brenda Huber, Gerald Mallon, Butch McKay and Pat Smith. They are all to be congratulated on preparing and delivering a perfect show from start to finish. The opening of the conference had a new addition of Product Promotion where several displayers were given five minutes to promote their products and services. This was very well received and gave the exhibitors and the delegates networking opportunities. Also new this year was a Silent Auction that continued through the conference until the closing on Friday afternoon. The Technical Program included the following: Aircraft Battery Maintenance, Propeller Familiarization, CAR 521 and SDR Reporting, Vibration Analysis, Root Cause Analysis and Corrective Action, Engine Ignition Systems, The Basis of Oil Analysis.
Awards Banquet
Always a big attraction, the awards banquet was very well attended, with 250 people who enjoyed a great meal and good entertainment by Bill Reid. Allen Chaulk acted as master of ceremonies during the awards presentation in his even inimitable way. The winner of the Aviall Canada award for outstanding AME was presented to Pat Greene of Plaza Corp. in Fredericton. Pat has had a very impressive career in aviation maintenance and is well respected by his employees and his peers. The Roger Richard Memorial Award, which is given to a retired AME who has had a distinguished career, was awarded to
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Bob Caresfield recently retired from NS Lands Forests. Bob had a long and eventful career and is very deserving of this award. The Nfld Govt Air Services Memorial Award is given to an individual or corporation who has shown outstanding support to the aviation industry and the AME Association. Everyone was very pleased to see Anneke Urquhart be presented with this prestigious award. Her career has been devoted to aviation with PAL and Sobeys Ltd., not to mention the wonderful contributions she has made to the AME Association over the years. Her leadership and attention to detail has been recognized by all of her peers and the members and director of the AME Association (Atlantic). Our sincere congratulations go to each of the 2012 award recipients, and also a sincere thank you to Bob Pardy who was the Award & Chairperson this year. Each year the AME association presents a $1,000 bursary to a student in the maintenance program at a regional college who has demonstrated excellence during his or her last year. This year the bursary was awarded to Eric Arnold of the College of the North Atlantic. Congratulations, Eric, and good luck.
modate members and increase attendance. A new set of officers was elected by acclimation for 2012-2013; Vice President: Eli Huber, Treasurer: Jason Crowell, Director: Bob Parody, Director: Dave Hall. The Second team 2013 are: President: Ben McCarty, Secretary: Dan Lacombe, Director: Mel Crewe, Director: Jacques Richard The 2012 ARAMC Committee would like to thank the following supporters of the 2012 Aircraft Maintenance Conference: 3-Points Aviation GasTOPS, Action Aero Inc., Hope Aero, Aerotee Engines Ltd., I.M.P. Aerospace, Air Dynamics Co. Ltd. Interfast Inc., Atlantic Avionics Inc., Jazz Aviation LP, Atlantic Hardchrome, Kadex Aero Supply, Aviall Canada Ltd., Leggat Aviation, Aviation Solutions Inc., Lycoming Engines, Aviation Unlimited Inc., Mint Turbines LLC, AvTec Aero, NDT Products Ltd, Maintenance Peck Aero, Barry Controls/ Permanon Aircraft, Hutchinson Aerospace Supershine, Boomer Technical PPG, Aerospace Resources Ltd., Precision Aero Components, Canadian Institute for Precision Design, NDE (CINDE) Engineering Solutions, CanJet Quality NDE Ltd., CASP Aerospace Inc., Rideout Tool & Champion Aerospace Machine Inc, Concorde Battery, Corp Satair USA Inc., DSS Aviation Ltd., Sobeys Aviation, Emergency Parts, Trikon Technologies, Logistics Tronair Inc., Execaire Division, Tulmar Safety Systems of IMP Group, Universal Helicopters, Exploits Valley Air Vector Aerospace, Services Ltd., Western AvionicsAvmax, Fine Line Silkscreening Group Inc. Ltd., Wright Instruments.
HPIAM
On the Wednesday prior to the conference, the AME association presented a one-day HPIAM refresher course prepared by Norbert Belliveau and delivered by Lorne Amos in Gander; 23 students attended the course. Lorne and Norbert plan on presenting ithe course again in Moncton in 2013 just prior to the 2013 ARAMC.
2012 Membership
There was a modest increase in membership this year from 93 to over 100. We expect a few more renewals still to come.
RASC
Regional Aviation Safety Council meetings are held twice a year in St. Johns and Halifax in the spring and fall. We have asked TC to include a number of aircraft maintenance subjects on the agenda; this will open an avenue for a better dialogue on maintenance concerns between industry and TC. I encourage you to attend these meetings and to participate, and to contact us with proposed agenda items.
TC/AME Association Meeting

On March 22nd the AME Association Board of Directors met with Keith Whalen, Associate Director Operations Atlantic Region, and Dave Alston and Charlie Warren, Technical Team Leaders from Transport Canada. The meeting was arranged to discuss the apparent lack of communications between TC and the aviation industry in recent months. An agreement was reached to try to improve communication and to hold information sessions and/or meetings to establish a better working relationship between the two parties. This would include collectively informing industry of TCs expectations, the PVI System of auditing and the CAP process and follow-up. The RASC (Regional Aviation Safety Council) meetings could be used as a forum for maintenance meetings between industry and TC. TC indicated that they will use a risk-based surveillance program to determine frequency of PVIs. They also indicated that typical findings in the regions were related mainly to QA activities, maintenance schedules not being current, and indefinite processes and records. TC does not see any further SMS activity until at least 2015.
2013 ARAMC
The 2013 ARAMC will be held at the Beausejour Hotel in Moncton, N.B., on Thursday and Friday, April 18th and 19th. Jacques Richard will chair or co-chair the conference. He is very interested in hearing from anyone who would like to volunteer to work on his 2013 Organizing Committee. Good luck, Jacques, and we look forward to seeing everyone in Moncton in 2013.
TC Paperless Distribution
Register on line at www.tc.gc.ca/e-news to get the following by e-mail: News releases, Aviation Safety Publications, Feedback, Canadian ADs, AIM TP14371, Aviation Safety Letter TP185, Advisory Circulars
2012 Golf Tournament

The 18th Annual AME Association (Atlantic) Golf Tournament will be held at the Magnetic Hill Golf Club on August 20th at 1 p.m. The registration forum is in the online newsletter. All green fees and cart rentals are to be paid when registering. Note: This is a two-person team best ball tournament.
AGM
Minutes of the AGM have been sent to the members by email. There was some disappointment in the number of attendees at the AGM, so in the future, we may arrange a meeting time that will better accom-
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AME Association of Ontario
2283 Anson Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5S 1G6 tel: 1-905-673-5681 fax: 1-905-673-6328 email: [email protected] website: www.ame-ont.com
Dear Members: Heres just an example of whats in store for us in 2012: Industry Canada issued new corporate governance rules for not for profit organizations. That means well have to do a gap analysis of our current bylaws so that we can be in compliance for the 2014 deadline. Luckily weve been doing our homework and this will not be such a daunting task. The Canadian Federation of AME Associations is moving forward with the concept of one national AME association across Canada. Their annual general meeting will be held in Toronto in October. Now thats an opportunity to get involved. Theres talk of combining the current M1 and M2 licences into one category. The jungle drums tell us a lot of debate is taking place on this topic. If you have an opinion, do let us know. And even with all the change thats going on, we had accomplishments from 2011 to be proud of: 1. the 37th annual Ontario AME Symposium and Workshop in October. This years is looking to be even better 2. The Northwestern Ontario AME Workshop held in Thunder Bay 3. 3 human factors courses. Most notably with Air Georgian 4. Ryan Gomes won the bronze metal in aircraft maintenance at the World Skills Competition held in London, England. Ryan is a frequent volunteer for the association 5. John Longo won the Gordon Rayner award. Wilson Boynton was honoured with the Robert McCombie award. And Jeff Runciman went home with the Clare Leavens award We invite you to become actively involved. And be part of positive change. Sincerely Board of Directors
License Combining
The AME Association of Ontario would like to thank the membership for their feedback regarding the combining of the M1/M2 AME license. The premise for replacing the M1 and M2 categories with a single M license is to give the AME a broader scope of qualifications and to permit greater transportability during his/her career. Keep in mind that the AME would still have to demonstrate the training and knowledge requirements before exercising the appropriate privileges of the license. There would be no loss in privileges for current AME license holders. This topic is still only in the discussion stage as there has been no formalized agreement to proceed further at this point. If this is a topic that you would like to comment upon then please forward your thoughts or concerns with the association.
ONTARIO AME
Golf Tournament
The Northwestern Ontario Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Committee will be hosting its 12th annual golf tournament at the Dragon Hills golf club in Thunder Bay on July 13, 2012, and everyone is welcome to attend. The trade show in Thunder Bay will be held November 15 and 16, 2012. For more information, please contact your Northern Director, Marty Gibson at [email protected] or 1-807-474-4559.
Bravatech
The AME Association of Ontario has engagerd the services of Bravatech Ltd. for the maintenance of our website (ame-ont.com). Our goal is to provide timely and current information as well as member blogs, communication with the associations Board of Directors, etc. Please let us know what you would like to see on our website, and check us out once in a while for our progress.
PAMA SOCAL
PAMA SoCal Chapter

March 2012 Meeting Wrap
Thank you Brian Omahen Few were spared from sharing the spotlight with dinner host and technical presenter Mr. Brian Omahen, EVP of HRD Aero Systems at the March 13th SoCal Chapter meeting at the 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant in Van Nuys. Brian kept the audience thoroughly on their toes and entertained with product demo participation and cool prizes for pop quizzes on the Use, Management, and Maintenance of Safety Survival Equipment. Brian reviewed, in part: fire extinguisher data tag information and proper installation and shipping (remember to shunt the caps); oxygen bottles including how to don and ship assorted types of masks, cap leak periods and squibs, new ATA shipping requirements and overhaul procedures; safety briefing cards (make sure they are specific to the aircraft); life vest types, color coding and donning including a live inflation demo. Brian ran through some great tips for lifesaving carry-on items and travel attire, situational awareness of cabin surroundings, and sobering facts on improving survivability in the event of ditching. Brians presentation was warmly received, and he invited all to visit HRDS website and to contact HRD directly with questions or to set up demonstrations and training at their Valencia facility. Many thanks to Brian and all at HRD for the time and expense put forth for a great dinner, presentation and scholarship raffle prize donations. Visit www.hrdaerosystems.com
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Chapter President Greg Potter presided over the general meeting, covering news, events, guest introductions, the 2012 scholarship applications posting, and the 2012 Chapter Board of Directors elections. Many thanks to Board Assistant Luisa Benin for coordinating all ticket sales for the evenings scholarship raffle drawing.
$265 for the March 2012 SoCal PAMA Scholarship Fund Raffle Drawing
Thank you chapter supporters: AeroNasch/Jet Brella, Aviall Van Nuys, Business Aerotech, Consolidated Aircraft, Corporate Air, Gulfstream, HRD Aero, Kansas Aviation, SoCal Jets, Rotorcraft Support, Triumph Instruments. All proceeds from raffle ticket sales benefit the SoCal PAMA Scholarship Awards Program.
ALEA W. Regional Conference: Sept. 46, San Diego, CA; ALEA.net l AEA W. Regional Conference: Sept. 1113, Reno, NV AEA.net l Reno Air Races: Sept. 1216, Reno, NV; Airrace.org l AOPA Aviation Summit: Oct. 1113, Palm Springs, CA; AOPA.org l IA Training Rotorcraft Support: TBA, Burbank, CA; 8189977667 l NBAA Annual Convention: Oct. 30Nov. 1, Orlando, FL; NBAA.org l Western Museum of Flight: Monthly, Torrance, CA; WMOF.com
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SoCal PAMA Board of Directors

Greg Potter, President; [email protected] Bill Johnston, Vice President; [email protected] l Dan Ramos, Treasurer/Website/Broadcasts; [email protected] l Gail Erwin, Secretary/Newsletter/Website; [email protected] l Glenn Beckley, Sgt. At Arms; [email protected] l Chris Cancelosi, Meeting Coordinator; [email protected] l Warren Horton, Meeting Coordinator; [email protected]
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Looking For That Special Talent?

Send postings to [email protected]. Include company name, logo, position title, location of position, and contact information The SoCal chapter offers employment and educational opportunity postings free of charge to the aviation maintenance community worldwide.
Website
Advertise your company and support SoCal PAMA: $50 for 12 months. Contact Gail Erwin or Nikki King via email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Welcome Board Assistants: Sgt. At Arms Tina Campos, Clay Lacy Aviation; Raffle Ticket Sales Luisa Benin, Clay Lacy Aviation; Website Admin/SoCal PAMA News: Nikki King, ExtraordNAir; Phil Samuelian, Samco
PAMA Mission Statement:
Industry Events 2012

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ALEA Convention: July 1114, Reno, NV; ALEA.org
To promote continuous improvement in professionalism and recognition of the Aviation Maintenance Technician through communication, education, representation and support.
Central Ohio PAMA

Ohio Aviation Association Featured at May Meeting
Our May meeting was held at Lane Aviation and featured a presentation by Alan Harding about the Ohio Aviation Association. Founded in 1965 as the Ohio Airport Managers Association, the OAA is a nonprofit corporation committed to airport development and safety in Ohio. They support Ohios aviation community through education, communication, advocacy and partnerships. We also had a special guest, Author Richard Barrett, who has just published the book Aviation in Columbus. Richard signed copies of his book that were available for purchase at the meeting. The social gathering started at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m. and Alans presentation began immediately after. We want to thank Alan (who is from Central Ohio and has long been an advocate for our aviation community) for his presentation and the organizations efforts promoting aviation in Ohio. This was the last meeting before our summer break. Our next event will be the Central Ohio Aviation Golf Outing, September 7th, and our next regular meeting will be October 9th. Were looking for sponsors and/or presenters for our October and November meetings. If youre interested, send us an email to [email protected]. Check back for the start of registration for COAGO 2012! Hope to see you there.
CENTRAL OHIO
PAMA Climbs Higher After 40 Years

PAMA unveiled its new 40 Years and Climbing logo which celebrates the organizations four decades of representing aviation maintenance technicians. COPAMA joins in the celebration as we complete our first decade of operation this fall. Stay strong, AMTs, and keep climbing.
April Meeting Featured Tim Sokol FAASTeam

Our April meeting featured Tim Sokol, our FAASTeam Program Manager, as the chef of some fine barbequed brisket. The dinner was topped off with a special cake to commemorate Cliff Kelling receiving the Charles Taylor Award at last months symposium.
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The evenings events started with the social gathering at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. Gene Sprang started the meeting after dinner and reviewed the symposium and upcoming events, which include the 70th Anniversary Gathering of the Doolittle Raiders and Alan Harding who will be next months speaker on the Ohio Aviation Association. Tim started his program by giving Cliff the more than 30 letters of recommendation and a Blue Ribbon copy of all this FAA historical records. After Cliff received a round of applause from the meeting attendees, Tim continued with his presentation, Aviation Maintenance: Past, Present and Future. He gave examples of the challenges that tech-
nology presents in aviation maintenance, from the early experiments of the Wright Brothers to the composite structures and electronic controls of today. We want to thank Tim for his huge personal contribution to the evenings events, both by his presentation and the food. Those who signed up will receive a certificate good for one hour for Wings Program or IA renewal credit. Our prize raffle brought the meeting to a close. Please check our website as more information is received for posting. Photos are available to view at the Photo Gallery page.
PAMA Cincinnati
Important Miscellaneous
Cincinnati States Ed Weichold brought out his class. Way to go, Ed. Thanks for bringing them and letting us get to know and meet them. Your class couldnt have been introduced to a finer group of people. Ideas are needed for the October IA Seminar, or maybe you have wishes on information you would like to get. Weve had a riveting hands-on experience in 2010 with rivets, and a fascinating experience handling fasteners in 2011. What type of experience would you like to see this year? Where do you feel you are lacking knowledge or a reminder/refresher? Dont forget the heated talk about hot air balloons. his satisfaction. (you didnt expect me to let that go did you?) Congratulations gentlemen.
PAMA CINCINNATI
Membership Dues
Membership dues for 2012 are $10 for Regular Membership, $5 for Student Membership and are payable at this months meeting. Don will be more than happy to take your money and mark your name off the list. Also remember the $3 for supper, and a couple bucks for the mystery prize and for 50/50.
Web
OATS is once again back up and running on the web. The address is https://oatsline.com. Thanks to Don Streitenberger and James Dawson. Way to go, gentlemen. Thanks for your hard work. Hey, check out the Maintenance Skills Competition pictures. This competition took place in Las Vegas (no, it was a maintenance competition). If you dont believe me just look at the pictures.
Company Members
We appreciate the support from our company members: Aero Battery, Inc; J.R. Ries & Associates; Aviall; The Kroger Company; Cintas Omnicare Inc.; Chemed/Jet Resources; Proctor & Gamble Co; Executive Jet Management Tool Testing Lab, Inc; Great American Insurance.
Contact Information
If you need to contact the OATS officers, email Gary Goodpaster at [email protected], Don Streitenberger at [email protected]. Do you have something you would like to include in the Monthly newsletter? E-mail me at [email protected] or Karin Hartman at [email protected]. Remember: Dont be afraid, volunteering can become exciting.
Prize Winners
Februarys prize? Well, for the door prize of a Kroger gift certificate, Garry Meyer can now purchase his groceries for the week. Jim Riece was our Mysterious Prize winner. Not only was the sweet tradition continued with marshmallow eggs (I think they had chocolate all over them) but he also got a screwdriver and a measuring tape to measure
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HARTFORD-SPRINGFIELD
PAMA Hartford-Springfield
CT Aero Tech Students Attend Pratt & Whitney Customer Training
On April 25th, 11 Powerplant students from Connecticut Aero Tech accompanied by their instructor Charles Hilton completed an eightday training course on the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 94 high-bypass turbofan engine. Many thanks go out to the courteous staff at the Pratt & Whitney East Hartford Customer Training Center. As one of the individuals privileged to attend this training, I join my peers in extending a special thank you to both Julio Leroux and Jerry Howell for providing such valuable hands-on training in a clean, knowledge rich and professional environment.
Mechanics Creed
UPON MY HONOR, I swear that I shall hold in sacred trust the rights and privileges conferred upon me as a certified mechanic. Knowing full well that the safety and lives of others are dependent upon my skill and judgment, I shall never knowingly subject others to risks which I would not be willing to assume for myself, or for those dear to me. IN DISCHARGING this trust, I pledge myself never to undertake work or approve work which I feel to be beyond the limits of my knowledge nor shall I allow any non-certified superior to persuade me to approve aircraft or equipment as airworthy against my better judgment, nor shall I permit my judgment to be influenced by money or other personal gain, nor shall I pass as airworthy aircraft or equipment about which I am in doubt either as a result of direct inspection or uncertainty regarding the ability of others who have worked on it to accomplish their work satisfactorily. I REALIZE the grave responsibility which is mine as a certified airman, to exercise my judgment on the airworthiness of aircraft and equipment. I, therefore, pledge unyielding adherence to these precepts for the advancement of aviation and for the dignity vocation
June Chapter Meeting

June 12, 2012 at 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Embraer Executive Jet Service, Perimeter Rd, Windsor Locks, CT 06096
Chapter Meeting by the Pool

September 11, 2012 at noon, Daves House, 1765 New London Turnpike, Glastonbury, CT 06033. Date and time subject to change.
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UPDATE is Transport Canadaapproved for recurrent training. This is our 10th exam, published annually in our June-July anniversary issue, in accordance with our agreement with Transport Canada. The exam consists of questions based on articles appearing in all six issues from the past year: June-July 2011, Aug.Sept. 2011, Oct.-Nov. 2011, Dec.-Jan. 2012, Feb.-March 2012, and April-May 2012. You will require all six issues in order to write the exam. If you are missing any issues, call us at (604) 214-9824 or email us at [email protected], and we will mail them to you at a cost of $6.95 per magazine postpaid. A 75% pass rate is required in order to qualify for your 16 hours toward RT. The questions in the exam are arranged in order of their appearance in AirMaintenance Update according to issue and individual article. The exam can also be downloaded as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file via our website: www.amumagazine.com. Answers should be printed in the spaces provided and must be drawn directly from the text of the articles in order to be considered correct. All questions requiring a longer answer than the space allowed must be typewritten on a separate sheet of paper. Completed exams should be submitted to: AirMaintenance Update, Suite 2 203, 4360 Agar Drive, Richmond, BC, V7B 1A3.
IRMAINTENANCE
The exam must be postmarked no later than October 31, 2012. We will mark your test and return it along with documentation supporting your submission. We will keep a copy of your written test and results on file for future reference, and a copy will be forwarded to Transport Canada. Once again, good luck to all participants! Your Contact Information For a prompt and accurate response to your 2012 Exam answers, please fill in the following information (print clearly) Name ................................................................................................ Address ............................................................................................ ............................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................ Phone ............................................................................................... Email ................................................................................................
June July 2011 (Volume 10/Issue 1)
The APU Explained
2) What are auxiliary power units? .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. ...................................................................................... ...................................................................................... ........................................................................................
The Dog Days of Summer

might see/feel.
........................................................................................ 3) When are APUs most extensively? ........................................................................................ 4) If an APU equipped aircraft has self-contained airstairs is ground support required for its operation? ........................................................................................ 5) Is a constant speed drive required on an APU to maintain a steady 400 Hz electrical output? ........................................................................................
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1) Name five signs of heat-associated problems a person 1. ............................................................................................. 2. ................................................................................ ............. ................................................................................ ............. 3. ............................................................................................. ................................................................................ ............. 4. ............................................................................................. ................................................................................ ............. ................................................................................ ............. 5. .............................................................................................
6) Name two disadvantages to using a main engine to provide electrical power during ground operations. 1. ............................................................................................. ................................................................................ ............. 2. ................................................................................ ............. ................................................................................ ............. 7) Why, in some cases, can an APU be used to power an aircrafts entire electrical system on the ground but only a portion of it in flight? .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. ...................................................................................... ......................................................................................
3) Name two materials that hard lines may be made of. 1. ............................................................................................. ................................................................................ ............. 2. ................................................................................ ............. ................................................................................ ............. 4) Are flexible lines life limited? ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ 5) Why do flexible lines require a more detailed inspection than rigid lines? .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. ..................................................................................................
Aug. Sept. 2011 (Volume 10/Issue 2)
6) Who determines line life limits? ........................................................................................ 7) Name five maintenance procedures that are critical to ensuring reliability and durability of hose assemblies. 1. ............................................................................................. 2. ................................................................................ ............. 3. ............................................................................................. 4. ............................................................................................. 5. ............................................................................................. 8) Name two sources of maintenance data for hoses if the manufacturers data cannot be found. 1. ............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 2. ................................................................................ ............. ................................................................................ ............. ................................................................................ ............. 9) Name 11 inspection points for a flexible hose. 1. ............................................................................................. 2. ................................................................................ ............. 3. ............................................................................................. 4. ............................................................................................. 5. ............................................................................................. 5. .............................................................................................
Got a Good Line?
1) Name two types of aircraft lines. 1. ............................................................................................. ................................................................................ ............. 2. ................................................................................ ............. ................................................................................ ............. 2) Name three things that determine the type of line that will be used in a particular aircraft system. 1. ............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. ................................................................................ ............. 2. ................................................................................ ............. ................................................................................ ............. ................................................................................ ............. ................................................................................ ............. 3. ............................................................................................. ................................................................................ ............. ................................................................................ .............
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7. ................................................................................ ............. 8. ............................................................................................. 9. ............................................................................................. 10. ............................................................................................. 11. ............................................................................................. 10) If the manufacturers recommendations are not available, how often must flammable fluid carrying hoses in and engine compartment be replaced? ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ 11) How often must the above hoses be replaced if they are installed in an airframe? ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................
17) Which mechanical instrument is used as a stable source of heading indication? ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ 18) The addition of what device turns a compass system into a slaved compass system? .................................................................................................... ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ 19) What type of gyro is used in an attitude indicator? ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ 20) What type of gyro does a turn and bank instrument use? ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ 21) If the ILS needles are deviated UP and to the LEFT, where is the aircraft? ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................
Cockpit Flight Instruments Explained

aircraft?
12) What is used to measure the air pressures outside of an ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ 13) What term is used for the pressure of the still, ambient pressure outside an aircraft? ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ 14) What term is used for the dynamic, ram air pressure? ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ 15) What two basic instruments use only static pressure? .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 16) Which basic instrument uses both pitot and static pressure? ........................................................................................
The Dope on Fabric

and linen fabrics.
22) State the advantages of Ceconite fabric over earlier cotton ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ 23) What is the typical life of cotton aircraft covering? ........................................................................................ 24) What is used to shrink Ceconite fabric? ........................................................................................ 25) When covering an older aircraft with a newer synthetic fabric, what legal document is required? .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. ..................................................................................................
iii
26) How can the system which is presently installed on an aircraft be determined? .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 27) What tool should be used to shrink Ceconite fabric? ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ 28) What device is used to determine the strength of a fabric covering? ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................ ........................................................................................
5) Who determines which chemicals can be used to wash a compressor? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 6) Does the approved list of these chemicals vary from manufacturer to manufacturer? .............................................................................................. 7) Should tap water be used for compressor washes? .............................................................................................. 8) What are the three steps of a typical compressor wash?
Oct. Nov. 2011 (Volume 10/Issue 3)
.............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 9) When should a compressor wash be performed?
Turbine Engine Hygiene

necessary.
.............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 10) Name the two types of cleaning maneuvers. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. ..................................................................................................
1) State two reasons why compressor/engine washes are 1. ............................................................................................. 2. ................................................................................ ............. 2) State the difference between an engine wash and a rinse. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 3) What is the effect of the accumulation of airborne contaminants on turbine engine components? .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 4) What can be the effect of this contamination in high salt operating environments? .............................................................................................. ..................................................................................................
iv
Tool and Equipment Management
11) State two things a tool left in an aircraft can interfere with. 1. ............................................................................................. 2. ................................................................................ ............. 12) Name a good starting point for managing your tools.. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. ..............................................................................................
Dec. Jan. 2012 (Volume 10/Issue 4)
4) If a French airframe is coupled with an US engine, which countrys ADs must be complied with? .............................................................................................. ..................................................................................................
Superheterodyne Receivers Explained

5) What does the term modulate mean?
Clarifying Some Regs

ADs?
.............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 6) Name three common types of modulation used when dealing with radio transmissions. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 7) Which type of modulation is used by the superheterodyne receiver? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 8) What is the first stage of any radio receiver? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 9) Is a bigger antenna necessarily better? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 10) What is the length of a receivers antenna closely tied to? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 11) What is the the ideal length for an antenna? .............................................................................................. ..............................................................................................
v
1) What is Transport Canadas normal approach to foreign .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 2) What ADs must be complied with on aircraft and other products that are from Canada? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 3) How does the above situation change if the Canadian aircraft has an STC or PMA part that is subject to an AD issued by the FAA? .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. ..............................................................................................
12) What does automatic gain control (ACG) allow? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. ..................................................................................................
Feb. March 2012 (Volume 10/Issue 5)
Air/Ground Sensing Explained
1) If a snag reported by flight crew cannot be duplicated on the ground, what should be checked if the snag could involve wiring or duct work? .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 2) How is most air-ground sensing done? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 3) State two names of air/ground sensing switches. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 4) What is the effect of pulling the landing gear lights circuit breaker on an old Boeing? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 5) Could the amount of heat applied to anti-ice systems cause damage if applied on the ground? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. ..................................................................................................
Many Hands, One Signature
13) Does a maintenance release release an entire aircraft in terms or the pledge of airworthiness? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 14) What are the two main elements of a maintenance release? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 15) What is a conditional maintenance release? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 16) In the above situation, what phrase must be entered as an extension or the maintenance release statement? .............................................................................................. 17) When is an independent or dual inspection required? .............................................................................................. ..............................................................................................
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6) Aircraft damage can occur when the aircraft is tricked into flight mode but what can this also pose risk to? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. 7) If an aircraft with fly-by-wire technology is tricked into flight mode while the engines are running, what might happen? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. ..............................................................................................
4) The rotor of a gyro is mounted on pivoting rings. What are these rings called? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 5) What moves, in relation to the horizon, when an artificial horizon indicates a change of pitch? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 6) What cockpit instrument uses a gyro with a horizontal spin axis? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 7) How must a DG be periodically reset or corrected if an
April May 2012 (Volume 10/Issue 6)
aircraft has a free compass system? .............................................................................................. 8) How is a DG reset if it is a slaved compass system? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. ..............................................................................................
The Importance of Accurate Record-keeping

is not recorded in an aircraft logbook?
1) Will Transport Canada ever consider a job to be done if it .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .................................................................................................. ........................................................................................
9) Name two ways a gyro may be driven. 1. ............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 2. ................................................................................ ............. ................................................................................ ............. 10) On what type of platform are the accelerometers of an inertial navigation system (INS) mounted? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 11) What new technology is beginning to replace traditional gyro technology? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. ..............................................................................................
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Gyroscopic Applications Explained

2) What, bascially, is a gyro? .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. .............................................................................................. 3) What type of gyro is an artificial horizon? .............................................................................................. ..............................................................................................
AMU
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Feature
pp Cleaning Deep p
into cracks for superior brazing preparation
of jet engine turbine parts
By ROB KORNFELD President Hi-Tech Furnace Systems, Inc
In the turbine airfoil refurbishment
business, brazing cracks in investment cast parts made of expensive alloys is routinely required, as hot section jet engine components are damaged due to oxidation, sulphidation, hot corrosion, fatigue, or foreign object damage. However, proper brazing requires that all oxidation first be thoroughly removed from airfoil component surfaces, cooling passages and cracks, which can be very narrow and deep.
Oxide Scale in Airfoil Cracks

While a jet engine is in service, oxide scale forms on the mating faces of cracks that occur in the airfoils. These cracks become packed full of scale, all the way to the tips. It is the goal of the service shop to repair the airfoils by filling the cracks with a braze alloy, but braze alloy cannot flow into cracks that are full of oxide scale. To complicate matters, the alloys used to make turbine airfoils are nickel (Ni) and cobalt
26
(Co) based superalloys that usually contain aluminum (Al) and titanium (Ti) to improve strength. The presence of these elements causes the resulting scale to contain complex spinels that are extremely difficult to remove. At the narrow tip of a crack, scale forms during service. The scale occupies a larger volume than the metal from which it formed. This results in the narrow spaces at the tips of cracks being totally packed with scale and you cannot fill the crack with braze alloy if it is already filled with oxide scale. Traditionally, fluoride ion cleaning has been performed at atmospheric pressure to remove oxidants from components, but metallurgical studies have shown it only works well when cleaning wide cracks. Plus, it can add extra steps to the oxide cleaning process that result from chromium fluoride or chromium carbide build-up during the process. More recently, however, an innovative dynamic fluoride ion cleaning (DFIC) process has offered turbine refurbishment professionals the ability to clean deep, narrow cracks of oxides by cycling between negative, atmospheric and positive pressure for more ideal surface preparation prior to brazing.
Beyond DFIC
The DFIC process, also known as hydrogen fluoride (HF) ion cleaning, involves the reaction of fluorine with various oxides. HF gas can be toxic if it escapes into the atmosphere; however, improvements in gas monitoring sensors and digital electronics, resulting
from its widespread use in the semiconductor industry, have made it safe and reliable for parts cleaning. At temperatures greater than 1,750 F (950 C), the fluoride ion reacts with oxides that have formed on the crack faces in turbine airfoils, converting them to gaseous metal fluorides. This allows them to be easily removed and they depart through the off-gas stream of the reactor. There are significant drawbacks to the early fluoride ion cleaning processes developed in the 1970s, which utilize fluoride compounds in powdered form and perform the work at normal atmospheric pressure. Besides having difficulty penetrating into deep, narrow cracks, the early processes were less flexible and not continuous. They relied on a single charge of powder to produce their HF gas. This often resulted in parts having to be processed through more than one cleaning cycle.
Dynamic FIC
Fortunately, the dynamic FIC process has been proven to be more effective, flexible, and repeatable. What separates the dynamic FIC process from first generation fluoride ion cleaning equipment is that the reaction temperature, fluorine concentration, pressure level, and duration are all independently controlled variables. The sophisticated digital control systems that come with todays equipment can be programmed with hundreds of recipes for cleaning specific alloy types, widths of cracks, and levels of scale and oxidation. During the cleaning process, HF and H2 gas are introduced into the system
Now in
Your solution for Avionics Maintenance Votre solution en Maintenance dAvioniques

Ground Equipment Equipment au sol
600, 3e Avenue, Laval, Quebec, H7R 4J4 Tel: (514) 631-2173 Fax: (450) 627-2199 www.aeroneuf.com [email protected]
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through precision metering, so time and gas concentrations can be precisely controlled. For example, a typical cleaning cycle may begin as 94 to 96% hydrogen. But within that cycle, it may be changed to a 92:8 or 86:14 H2 to HF ratio, depending on the substrate material. Some dynamic FIC systems are designed to perform the cleaning process at sub-atmospheric pressures from 100 to 650 Torr (133 to 867 Millibar) while at processing temperature. By varying the pressure between positive, negative and atmospheric levels, the dynamic FIC
system pulses HF in and out of cooling channels, deep cracks and small holes to more effectively clean oxidized, hardto-reach areas. The dynamic FIC works equally well on a variety of alloys, and allows the operator to cycle between positive and negative pressure to get component surfaces as well as deep cracks and crevices extremely clean. By performing the process under vacuum, in addition to the removal of surface oxidation, aluminum and titanium are depleted from the substrate, creating a denuded zone approximately 0.0005 inches deep.
This results in a buffer. During furnace brazing, residual oxygen in the vacuum chamber can re-oxidize a clean part. The denuded zone gives time to get the braze filler to flow and wick into the cracks before re-oxidation occurs. As an added benefit, the use of HF at sub-atmospheric pressure often eliminates extra steps in the brazing preparation process. Cobalt-based alloys, used to make jet engine turbine airfoils, contain a significant amount of chromium. This can react with fluorine during the process to create a chromium fluoride film on the surface of the parts. Chromium fluoride is the most refractory (temperature resistant) compound of all the metal fluorides. As a result, it does not volatize at the usual temperatures used in FIC. Without the vacuum capability in the cleaning process, the part must then be moved to a vacuum furnace where it is subjected to the higher temperature and lower pressure required until the chrome fluoride volatilizes. However, the resulting fluorides can contaminate the brazing furnace or the vacuum pump, which should be kept very clean and are designed to handle acidic gases. At pressures of about 150 Torr absolute, chrome fluoride will remain gaseous, so areas can be cleaned without depositing a residue on the joint. If any chrome fluoride is created during the process, the control system can be set to subject the part to the higher temperature and appropriate pressure to remove it. Another benefit of the dual vacuum process is that it uses significantly less HF, because oxides are volatilized at a lower temp and concentration of HF when performed sub-atmospherically. Using less HF also reduces the risk of inter granular attack (IGA), which could otherwise chemically alter the microstructure of the metal being cleaned. ROB KORNFELD is President of HiTech Furnace Systems, Inc. of Shelby Township, MI, a provider of Dynamic Fluoride Ion Cleaning equipment. Customers include Pratt & Whitney, Snecma Services, and Lufthansa Technik. For more information, visit www.hi-techfurnace.com or call 586-566-0600; e-mail [email protected]. n
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Feature
((( Mic rowave)))
Landing Systems
explained
BY GORDON WALKER, AME E, Professor of Avionics Centennial College
One of the most impressive feats
performed by the magic of avionics is, in my opinion, the landing of a massive passenger jet in conditions of zero visibility: Zero forward visibility, zero vertical visibility, and yet that monstrous metal tube with four hundred souls on board, can be safely returned to earth from a height of tens of thousands of feet. It should be noted that this type of category III landing can ONLY be conducted by the avioinics/ autoland systems; human pilots are not allowed to attempt such an undertaking (appropriate choice of words, should they try). Clearly then, the electronic approach aids used to enable these zero visibility landings are worthy of some examination. While most of us are familiar with the standard instrument landing systems (ILS) localizer and glideslope, there are some alternative technologies available. Lets have a look at Microwave Landing Systems: Explained. By way of a quick review, recall that the localizer is the approach aid that transmits a radio signal along
the centreline of the runway. This provides the pilot, and the autopilot with the lateral (left/right) steering information required to line up the approaching aircraft with the centre of the runway. The glideslope transmits a radio signal that provides the vertical (up/down) steering information required to set up a nice approach angel (about 3 degrees) and have the aircraft touch down about onethird of the way down the runway. The localizer and glideslope signals are each modulated by 90 Hz and 150 Hz audio tones which will be balanced when the aircraft is on the correct approach course. This system has been highly effective for decades and indeed allows for zero-zero visibility landings. However, there are shortcomings associated with ILS, and new technologies have been developed in an attempt to improve upon these shortcomings. One such technology is the Microwave Landing System (MLS). Those of you who are now growing a little long in the tooth may think Microwave Landing Systems
30
sound vaguely familiar, with good reason. Microwave landing technology appeared on the scene in North America in the early 1980s, heralded as a likely replacement for the aging ILS installations. There was enthusiastic participation in the development of MLS technology, with buy-in from the FAA, NASA, and the U.S. Department of Defense. Indeed, it was intended that MLS be the preferred approach aid for NASAs Space Shuttle program. Torontos Island Airport (now Billy Bishop Airport) was equipped with two MLS installations due to the proximity of the runways to the lakeshore, and the suitability of MLS for both high density commuter traffic, and short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft. MLS works on the principle of transmitting radio beams in the gigahertz range, which scan first in one direction, then back in the other direction. Imagine these beams being transmitted from the right side of the runway toward the left, and referred to as TO scans. Then the scan reverses direction, going from left to right, and is referred to as the FROM scan. The airborne MLS receiver times the interval between when it receives the TO scan and when it receives the FROM scan, in order to determine the position of the aircraft, relative to the runway. (See illustrations at right.) The vertical component on the MLS works in exactly the same way, with an UP scan and a DOWN scan.
31
Timing the interval between when it receives the two scans enables the MLS receiver to determine the aircrafts vertical position relative to the runway. Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) information is added to complete the positional fix. Unlike the ILS, which necessitates all aircraft following the same straight in approach path, MLS allows aircraft to approach the runway from any angle (up to a typical maximum of +/- 40 degrees to the left and right of the runway centreline) and at various vertical approach angles. This is particularly well suited for municipal airports with a high volume of mixed commuter traffic. It means that the Cessna 172 does not have to follow the same approach path as the Airbus 380, and aircraft approaching from different angles can be merged onto the runway, allowing more efficient handling of high volume traffic. The fact that Microwave Landing Systems operate in the gigahertz range means that the problem of interference from commercial FM broadcasts is not a problem as it is with current Localizer frequencies. This also facilitates a greater number of channels being available, reducing problems of overlap in areas which have a high density of instrument approach runways. The higher frequency also means smaller antennas, both on the ground transmitter side, and the airborne installation. With all of these advantages, one would expect MLS to have superseded ILS by now. However, for those of us in North America, it is nowhere to be found. The question is What happened? The answer is GPS happened. At the same time as MLS was being developed, the U.S. Department of Defense was also beginning to utilize the newly developed Global Positioning System (GPS) for navigation and guidance purposes. Initially developed as a purely military tool, GPS was unavailable for civilian use. When it eventually did become available for non-military use, its accuracy was intentionally degraded for fear of its being misused by unfriendly forces. This made GPS unsuitable for precision approaches, and thus MLS still seemed like a good bet to replace ILS. Eventually however, this accuracy offset was removed, and enhancements such as wide area/local area augmentation systems (WAAS and LAAS) were developed, which enabled precision approaches by civilian aircraft. With the availability of accurate, relatively inexpensive GPS receivers, and the fact that airports did not need to install and maintain any ground based equipment, GPS suddenly became far more attractive than MLS. North American users and airports embraced the GPS technology, and MLS installations were mothballed in favour of the satellite based GPS. MLS has now all but disappeared from the North American landscape. But our story doesnt end there. Not all nations are entirely comfortable with having their navigation and approach aids controlled by the United States military. Although access to GPS satellite signals is currently free, there is no guarantee that those signals wont one day become encrypted and a fee charged for their use.
32
Political alliances shift with the times, and not all nations are certain to maintain friendly relations with the U.S. military to the point that they feel comfortable with having to rely on its cooperation in providing accurate GPS navigation. These are just some of the reasons why MLS continues to thrive in other parts of the world. British Airways, which operates most of its flights in and out of foggy old London town, have installed MLS on a large percentage of their fleet. This has resulted in a marked increase in the low visibility landing rate at Heathrow Airport. The small footprint and portability of the ground based MLS transmitters make it a very attractive system for military applications. MLS transmitters can be easily transported to remote military sites, such as deserts, frozen lakes etc., assembled and made operational within a matter of hours by as few as three service personnel. MLS is also well suited to aircraft carrier operations. While GPS rules the skies of North America, Microwave Landing Systems
continue to thrive in many other parts of the world. Will we ever see a return of MLS here in Canada? Lets wait and see what the cost of de-coding pay-per-use GPS signals might be. Q: What are two advantages realized by MLS over ILS due to the higher frequency of operation? GORDON WALKER entered the avionics industry after graduation from Cen-
tennial College in 1980. His career with Nordair, Air Canada, CP Air, PWA, and ultimately Canadian Airlines took him to many remote corners of Canada. Since leaving the flight line to pursue a career as a college professor, Walker has continued to involve himself in the aviation/avionics industry, by serving on several CARAC Committees concerning the training and licensing of AMEs, being nominated to the CAMC Board of Directors, and being elected President of the National Training Association. (NTA). n
33
Feature
Connection
BY STUART McAULAY
making the
ational studies have determined that about 500,000 Canadians are absent from work every day due to some form of mental illness, making this the leading cause of workplace disability in Canada. This sobering fact should raise the concern that many of our workers who do not already fit into this category may be quietly heading there. This applies to the aviation industry as much as any other. Absenteeism in the workplace due to known disabilities requires study to determine how companies can invest in the wellbeing of their people and reverse this discouraging trend. The ability of managers to really understand the reasons for absenteeism is essential to knowing how to deal with these complex issues. Reversing the trend of absenteeism due to mental illness will undoubtedly require a small venture into uncomfortable territory, but the return on that investment should prove to be more favorable than continuing to settle for the unspoken norm. The connection between acknowledging these facts and then ultimately working with them rests primarily with the connection between the employer and the employee. Companies that are willing to accept the realities of mental illness within their ranks will come to realize the relationship between the positive tenets of trust and encouragement and a positive employer-employee relationship. The temptation for each of us to focus only on self-preserving actions to get us through the day is often counter-productive to the potential of individuals working together with other people. Minding your own interests is not the best use of the skills, patience or personality that are essential to those who need encouragement as well as for those who are capable of providing it. Working together has always had its share of conflict and looming dysfunction for most of us, starting in the schoolyard and continuing into the workplace. I believe that there is room for us to invest in the wellbeing of each person within our spheres of influence. This investment in human relationAIRMAINTENANCE UPDATE
ships must be done on the same sort of level as any technical or soft skill if we are to be as productive as we can be in the aviation industry. This will be an uneasy transition until we have established a comfortable starting point in understanding those who struggle with some form of mental illness. The starting point for any initiative is the awareness that an issue exists and then gets an informed response if positive change is to happen. We are acutely aware that absenteeism is a problem for those who work in the hangars, on the ramps, and within the operational sector of our dynamic industry. We deal with covering shifts for each other just like anywhere else; however our approach to productivity must involve our essential human factor elements as well as an attentive ear toward our people. Each person exercises a unique response to his or her working conditions regardless of corporate policies and procedures and therefore harbors certain barriers to performing as expected. Our most common response for struggling workers is to grant them the necessary time off to sort themselves out or allow for medication to work its magic. This is only a short-term, quasi solution to a long-term social concern. Our concern should be to understand why human productivity is getting worse and not better amidst an industry built upon training and safety management principles. Another less obvious contributor to the mental disconnect from work is the ongoing act of showing up for work but not being productive. It is common among those who are suffering with some degree of mental illness yet choose not to disclose their struggle out of fear or embarrassment. I describe the condition as your body being present and accounted for in the workplace yet your mind is somewhere else and seemingly out of your control, resulting in safety risks. You are faced with the everyday stresses as part of the job while not feeling like your normal self and not able to function as you normally would with routine tasks. The added stress of troubleshooting or sorting through complex technical issues
34
that you have been trained to do become secondary to those daily survival instincts. Temporary solutions are possible through work accommodation strategies, yet many of us will not even initiate that discussion with a superior for fear of appearing to be cheating the system, or we may smooth-talk ourselves into an easier set of tasks. This is where management needs to take the lead in recognizing some of the signs of mental illness and develop meaningful training with all staff in an effort to remove the unnecessary barrier of social stigma related to mental illness. The term accommodation, in this case, refers to a change in procedures to make it possible for a person with special needs to do a job. It is an accepted workplace action used to ensure the equitable treatment of people with physical or mental disabilities. The Canadian Human Rights Act explicitly prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of any disability. With that said, we have always had difficulty defining mental health issues because the very nature of them is complex and is not as obvious as physical disabilities. It can be difficult to determine how much an employee should be accommodated based upon their own expression of how they feel. Mental illness symptoms may also be cyclical for many as they go through depressive episodes that may or may not be brought under control within a specific time frame. Also, the side effects of certain medications can impair focus or cause prolonged fatigue. These factors must be considered when assigning tasks to an employee. Other effects of depression in the workplace can include poor memory, reduced psychomotor speed, lack of motivation, poor decision-making, and possible conflict with others. These unwanted traits are frustrating for the employer as well as the employee. The only responsible answer is to expand our thinking and become part of the solution as traditional attitudes are forced to change with a changing workforce. Our industry demands a high level of productivity, and anything less will often not make the grade. It is also clear that many decision-makers have not been equipped to even interpret such a personal disclosure. Thanks but no
thanks becomes the expected response. My ongoing interest in general aviation and desire to increase my knowledge of maintenance led me to do more in the administration area rather than in direct technical roles. This approach is probably the only reason I remained in general aviation as the accommodation strategies toward mental illness are just beginning to gain momentum. I eventually got to a point in my battle with mental illness where I decided that learning more about it would actually help to manage the disability and ultimately lead toward further recovery. I have experienced mental illness in the form of prolonged depression, anxiety, and a degree of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The process of identifying its causes and effects, however, were not as easy as assembling these thoughts after weathering the storm. It has taken a lot of personal reflection, cognitive therapy and perseverance to get to the point where I could examine the issue with greater clarity and objectivity. Some of my personal barriers have included regular loss of focus, procrastinating with tasks or
projects, being easily overwhelmed or discouraged, and even a fear of initiating or returning business related phone calls. While others may relate to some of these feelings, each person will experience their own unique combination of issues based upon their own past history and influencing environments. Personal thought patterns may range from feelings of inadequacy to frequent sadness for no apparent reason, to even contemplating suicide. I still wrestle with some of my personal barriers from time to time, but the outlook is much better with the gradual selection of specific lifestyle changes, the willingness to talk more openly about those changes, and ultimately, using my influence as a writer to encourage others experiencing mental illness to take steps toward recovery. It has also been insightful to take a step back from the need to support each other and determine why many of us have become depressed in the first place. Being depressed is nothing new, but the public response has long been to label people with a mental illness as being inferior and therefore incapable of being
35
productive, either in the workplace or within the community. Medical scientists, in studying the human brain and its response to our environment, have come up with some promising theories, although even some of these are in conflict with each other. However, there are some common physiological threads that point us toward some of the negative stressors that can make us attempt more than we can effectively handle. This is where corporate responsibility must extend beyond the comfort and routine of doing things the way they have always been done. In the increasingly competitive marketplace of aviation, we have been pushing the limits of capabilities in order to gain that slight advantage over our competitors. We are open longer hours, we utilize less staff to do more work, and they in turn are rewarded with overtime premiums and professional advancement as the gateway to earning a good living. It is these very pressures that have backed us into the corner of fatigue management and the only way out seems to be through more programs and
regulations. This cycle of overextending our human efforts seems to have blindly evolved into our present-day predicament of an increasingly apathetic work force. Unfortunately, we have become so focused on staying the course that we have failed to recognize the missed opportunities to nurture the wellbeing of our work force before things got out of control. Our society often relies upon reactive solutions simply because the focus on productivity over people has been grossly overdone. Our increased retreat into mental isolation erodes the very community that we depend on to be the foundation for quality and productivity. There are proven management principles and work accommodation resources available to us now, such as control theory management, where willing organizations purposefully consider the potential of their employees to enhance both individual and corporate success. Several companies are already leading in this area and are making a difference for their people. Any study in mental wellbeing must also include a look at the effect of
stress as both a positive and a negative byproduct in our daily routines. Stress is an accepted part of what keeps us moving and dealing with the circumstances of the day. Positive stress is a good motivator of character and sustenance in the routine of performing inspections, troubleshooting and making good decisions. It causes us to perform our best in service to the company and ultimately the customer whose satisfaction results in our means of income. The problem occurs when too much stress either at work, or combined with other areas of our lives, turns negative and quickly degrades into the type of stress that is the enemy of our happiness. Once we can no longer physically or mentally manage this overwhelming strain in our lives, we succumb to its detrimental effects, including a lack of sleep or relaxation, improper nourishment, and missing the good company of friends and family. In other words, we get too busy to look after ourselves. Our brain then takes over and responds to this perpetual state of overload in the form of depression simply because we are not able to satisfactorily meet our unrealistic expectations day after day. Remember that recognizing some of these effects in our own world should trigger a response that makes things better. I hope to have at least initiated some discussion within the industry with this introduction to the need for awareness and workplace accommodation of mental illness. We have learned through human factors training that, although we cannot change the human condition, we can change the conditions in which humans work. This is applicable to all facets of maintenance activity, including those conditions which permit those suffering with mental illness to feel like they still belong. Our working life is an experience that remains adaptable and therefore demands that we change with the times. Our business strategies, our use of technology, our improved safety record, and our working relationships must all mature based on our past experience. The final part of this series will cover continued strategies for employers and employees as they navigate through the accommodation process. n
36
The Mighty Martin Mars, Part 3 (Continued from page 19)

And here is some more CK: Flying Tankers completed a test and evaluation of Class A foam in 1986 and began using it with the Mars as a matter of routine in 1987. It has been estimated that the foam capability of the aircraft increases the efficiency of the Mars by at least 30 percent. The ability of the aircraft to drop massive amounts of foam lends itself particularly well to the suppression of urban/rural interface fires and the Mars have excelled in this regard. Now, this just-described cockpit/ crew procedure is repeated for each drop. In other words, this vital teamwork is carried out, on average, every 15 minutes per aircraft. For a gel drop, the concentrate is injected during the scooping process to allow even mixing. Now, that is some impressive flying by the crew. I would bet that for 25 seconds, that has got to be one busy but extremely efficient cockpit crew. The Mars carries a crew of four: Captain, First Officer and two Flight Engineers, all of whom work together as a team to get the job done efficiently and safely. Ever since the loss of the Marianas, the first Mars water bomber in 1961, the Mars operation has been accident-free, both for those flying the machines and also for those working on the ground. The adherence to a set of exacting flight procedures ensures that this enviable record continues. The Mars
are maintained to the highest standards and undergo intensive repair and overhaul each year. It should suffice to say that the people who maintain them also fly in them an added incentive to do their work well. Attention, more CK to follow: So how can you tell the difference between these two aircraft when they breeze by you? Well, the Philippine Mars, S/N 76820, has a white tail, a side drop system, and Canadian registration C-FLYK while the Hawaii Mars, S/N 76823, has a red tail, a bottom drop system and Canadian registration C-FLYL. There you go, some more CK to help gain you notoriety in any adult establishment.
Working for the New Guys

As Coulson soon discovered, taking these ladies out on a fire is not a cheap date. Each aircraft requires a 53-foot NASCAR type trailer with a workshop, welders, and parts. To feed the thirsty Wright R3350-24 engines requires an 8,000-gallon tanker on site. They use a 45 foot bus which serves as both the operational command center and as day quarters for the crew. Rounding out this rolling caravan are two utility trucks, a boat, and another tanker of ThermoGel. Coulson bought the Mars with the purpose of expanding existing contracts, but knew that to keep this business financially solvent they were going to have to pursue new opportunities in the market-
place of aerial fire fighters. It was shortly after the purchase and several meetings with the British Columbia Forest Service that they came to the aforementioned conclusion. Coulson Flying Tankers were awarded a one-year renewable 90day contract for the 2007 fire season. This contract really only recovered a pittance of the cost of operation. It soon became obvious that at least one other customer with either a busier or longer fire season was going to be needed. So they took their story south of the border way south, all the way to San Diego. They picked San Diego because it was a large city with several thousand fire-vulnerable acres and very little air tanker support. Once again, the Coulson team had to sell the benefits that only the Mars team could provide. Five weeks after the sales call on the San Diego Fire Department, a large firestorm broke out in San Diego County. The entire operation lasted 18 days, with the Mars flying 10 missions, (30 hours) and dropping 60 loads. This was a learning experience for Coulson and the Mars girls. They conceded that there was a need to prove why the Mars were serious contenders. Especially where homes and the uninhabited areas interfaced, which is commonplace in California.
Selling the Sizzle with the Steak

Coulson needed to get a better understanding of the technical aspects of the
37
Mars performance and be able to sell it in a technical and measurable manner. In the restaurant business, this is selling the sizzle along with the steak. So, in April of 2008 they asked the United States Forest Service and FPInnovations (FERIC), a Canadian scientific research firm located in Vancouver, BC, to come to Port Alberni airport. Together, Coulson, the USFS and FERIC constructed eight small structures in a grid, and put sensors on the roofs and walls to measure the force as well as the coverage of the water dropped from Hawaii Mars. This test was to make sure that the Mars would be able to safely cover the homes with gel and protect them from a wild fire and to scientifically show the exact coverage of a Mars delivery. Over the course of a four-day period, the Mars made 13 drops and the results were exceptional. They proved that the Hawaii Mars delivered a 2,600-gallon flow rate from the tank and a 3.5acre coverage level. This test allowed, for the first time, a comparison of water drop patterns of their coworkers fixed wing aircraft as well as helicopters. Because of the flow rate and the 7,200-gallon load capacity, the coverage level was superior. Along with this information was the proof that the Mars can make water drops on homes and other structures without damaging them. The key factor is that when the Mars dropped her load at 300 feet above ground level (AGL) and the forward or terminal velocity ended, the flow was very gentle, creating a heavy rain on the structures on the grid. This type of structure protection is exclusive to the Mars and gives Coulson one more item in their list of reasons why the Mars are a vital piece of fire-fighting equipment. As we discussed earlier, Coulson had just proved that the Martin Mars can handle a forest fire like a mother handles a recalcitrant child with strong discipline delivered with a temperate, powerful approach. After the grid testing, Coulson received interim approval to work on the USFS lands for the remainder of 2008. For extra credit and a whole bunch of cool CK, I would suggest you read the report prepared by Wally McCulloch and Colleen Mooney from FERIC. Some
38
really good stuff is in this 27-page report. In June of 2008, Coulson began their second season with the BC Forest Service. The month of June was quiet in BC while the Lake Shasta area in Northern California was getting hit with severe lightning storms. Now all the research work was about to pay off. USFS asked if the Mars would like to take a trip south, and the BC Forest Service agreed to release Hawaii for a limited time to help out their southern neighbors. Well, when they arrived on scene, the wild fire was surrounding the lake. Over the next nine weeks Hawaii moved effortlessly and efficiently, extinguishing one fire after another. Even though the USFS was favorably impressed with operational availability, effectiveness, and the costs per gallons delivered, there was still an attitude that the Mars were too old to fight fires. After all, how long could these 60 + year-old aircraft safely keep up with their younger fixed and rotor-winged workmates? Once again, Coulson needed empirical, scientific data. This time they contacted NASA, which was already working with the USFS on a guide for a continuing airworthiness program for
aging aircraft in the fire-fighting business. The results? Well, my faithful students, we will discuss the results next time. That is when I will get a first-hand look at our two ladies up close and personal. Hopefully there is a ride in my immediate future, so be sure to return next time for our final look at the sisters Mars. Class is now dismissed; thanks for listening and now go forth and use the new CK to your best advantage. MIKE BRODERICK is Vice President of Business Development at Helicopter Engine Repair Overhaul Services (HEROS). Over the past 35 years, he has served as a shop technician, engine shop supervisor, Engine Program Director, Director of Maintenance, Director of Operations, and owner of a Rolls-Royce engine overhaul and MD Helicopter component overhaul shop. He is a certified A&P, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Administration. As well, Mike has been appointed as an FAA representative for the FAA Safety Team (FAAST) and is a member of the HAI Tech Committee. Mike is a regular contributor to Air Maintenance Update. n
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AMU Chronicles
BY SAM LONGO
The Periodic Plebeian Pilot

When queried about my career as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer in casual conversations, people regularly ask if I am also a pilot. My negative response usually surprises and disappoints them as the sparkle of flight fades from their eyes . . .
n the public eye, airplanes are fascinating machines, so by association, the people that get to fly them seem exciting and glamorous. The poor sods that merely repair them are relegated to a sort of necessary evil purgatory on the fringes of all that adventurous airborne excitement. As a young lad, my passion for aviation was intense. I read everything I could get my hands on about aircraft and flying. I doodled dogfights on my notebook covers as my eyes glazed over in French class and often rode long distances on my bicycle, just to hang out at airports. Unfortunately, my dream of becoming a pilot was dashed by my lazy right eye. Undaunted, I decided to follow in the footsteps of my Uncle John and do the next best thing: become the guy that fixes them. That career choice was a good one for me and I have no regrets. It also provided a few fortuitous opportunities to take the controls of various aircraft as a rather ungifted periodic pilot. My first offer to take the controls of an aircraft in flight was as a young apprentice mechanic at Nordair. An older AME/pilot took myself and a few other mechanics up in a rented Cessna Cardinal RG. He graciously let me take the controls as we followed the gentle bends of the Ottawa River, with me struggling to coordinate smooth rudder and aileron control while keeping altitude and airspeed in check. Fifteen tense minutes later, I was more than happy to resume my sightseeing-passenger status. My next chance to play pilot was in a Piper Cub on floats in the northern Quebec mining town of Chibougamau. As detailed in a previous column (Chibougamau, I Do) my good friends father-in-law took me for a flight and insisted I take the controls to appreciate how beautifully his refurbished Cub handled aloft. Being polite, I obliged and the plane flew along splendidly, especially when I left it to its own well-trimmed devices. The beauty of high wing aircraft is their inherent stability. They really fly quite nicely if you just leave the control stick and rudder pedals alone. A few years later, while working at Air Canada, another fellow mechanic had his own Cessna 172, and consequently I once again had a few more chances to try my hand at piloting. Nothing as exciting or dangerous as take-offs or landings, but more time to flail around the sky attempting to hone my
minimal skills at coordinating turns and flying a specific course and heading. Despite my periodic wannabe pilot status, I was beginning to enjoy the time spent aloft and considered myself fortunate to have the opportunity to be a freeloading fringe flyer. My most recent chance to be a reluctant copilot was in a superbly built Seawind amphibian aircraft. Its owner and pilot (another ex-Air Canada technician) had expertly fabricated its composite construction. The performance and climb rate out of Buttonville Airport was truly impressive. The demo flight took us down to the Toronto Island Airport as I took the controls for a short stretch while casually following the clogged traffic stream on the Don Valley Parkway below. With permission from the Island traffic controller, and now under the masterful command of the real pilot, we did a tight circuit around the CN Tower. I could almost read the menu in the towers revolving restaurant. We then got permission for a touch and go water landing in the inner harbour. All things considered, it was a truly pleasant experience with a little more yoke time for me before we touched down back at Buttonville. So, as you can see, the title of this column accurately proclaims my personal reality in terms of piloting aircraft. I am below low in the social status of true pilots, and my skill in that arena is best described as unrefined the absolute definition of plebeian. Despite my on-again off-again thoughts of pursuing my private pilots license, now that I have the time to do so, Im just not convinced it would be worthwhile. Despite the disappointment generated in the public view of me as only a lowly, knuckle-dragging mechanic, in the grand scheme of things, being a periodic plebeian pilot is just right for me. The cost to do it for real is prohibitive and it would certainly curtail cash flow for all my other ongoing hobbies. I say, let the true pilots have all the glory. God knows they deserve it. I have always been proud to be the quiet guy toiling away on the hangar floor fixing all the stuff they break. I suppose I will always be more comfortable with a wrench in my hand rather than a control yoke. Still, life is a funny thing and you just never know what the future holds For more published writing by Sam Longo, please visit www.samlongo.com n
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