Flight servicing

Question 1

What is Flight Servicing

Answer 1

collection of preventative maintenance activities required to determine an aircraft’s condition prior to, or on completion of, a period of flying

it is an (ESS) task where the tradesman assumes the responsibility of 1st and 2nd Sig.

It comprises of a series of visual checks for obvious signs of unserviceability and the checking/replenishment of oil levels. Military policy dictates that an aircraft cannot fly unless it has current flight servicing.

Question 2

What are the different types of FS?

Answer 2

AF, BF and TR servicing

in operational environments where A/C are on high alert at all times you also have (TFS) and (DFS)

you can also use these with both FS regimes
Replenishment Servicing (RS)
Essential Check Servicing (EC) Operational Re-arm (ORA)
Post-Taxi Recovery (PTR)

Question 3

What are the validity periods of FS and where are they laid down?

Answer 3

specified by the PT in the Topic 2N Policy Leaflet 001 SPS as follows:

AF = 120 hours (5 days) or 5 or 12 flying hours depending on sight glass (12=filled to spill, 5=above normal mark but not fill to spill).

BF = MUST take off within 24 hours (Mil Cam can approve 48hrs)
•
•
TR = MUST take off within 6 hours of commencement and must be carried out within 6 hours of landing. Is valid for 5 or 12 flying hrs depending on sight glass.

Question 4

what is an AF, BF and TRS

Answer 4

AF must be carried out immediately after a flight, maintenance does not invalidate an AF but 700C co-ordinator may determine a AF need to be done,

BF carried out as close as possible prior to the A/C taking off but can be done as an AF/BF

TRS done when an A/C is expected to take off immediately after flight, valid as long as BF,
bust be done within 6 hours of of landing

Question 5

Where does the tradesman sign for his FS and what does his signature indicate?

Answer 5

Signs for completing the FS i.a.w 5B1 in appropriate block of MF705
Completes any oil replenishment entries as required on MF737
Any hand tools, used for aspect of flight servicing he has undertaken, have been accounted for.
Check for, and sign for complying with on completion, any supplementary flight servicing tasks on the MF705(SSC) Supplementary Flight Servicing Certificate. Where applicable, Supervisors signing for 2nd signature responsibilities on supplementary flight servicing tasks are to hold authority level C

Question 6

When signing on Flight servicing certificate what does FSC Flight Servicing
Coordinator must satisfy himself that has occurred?

Answer 6

1. An entry has been raised in the Aircraft Maintenance Log (MODF707A) for each fault found during the flight servicing.
2. The flight servicing has been completed satisfactorily
3. The appropriate columns have been completed in the Supplementary. Flight Servicing Certificate (MOD F705(SSC)).
4. If applicable, flight servicing details have been updated in the appropriate Information
   System (IS).
5. The recorded fuel state meets the figure requested for the next planned sortie.
6. The flying hours and component running hours recorded in the flying log and/or equipment-running log have been calculated correctly from the previous sortie details and the totals prior to that sortie.
7. A careful check of oil state figures have been made, paying particular attention to the
   amount put in. Merlin uses litres maximum usage 0.25 Ltr per 1 flying hour – Table in rear of 700 section 4 and RTI 1216D refers.

Question 7

What forms are associated with FS?

Answer 7

MF 705 – Flight Servicing Certificate
MF 737 – Oil Replenishment / Sampling Record
MF 705 (SSC) – Supplementary Flight Servicing Certificate MF 705 (SSR) – Supplementary Flight Servicing Register

Question 8

What publications are involved with FS?

Answer 8

5B1 – Flight Servicing Schedule, details the checks/replenishments to be carried out. The 5B1 should be drawn on all occasions when flight servicing is carried out on 846 using box tally (Order 6.3 Bk2 Pt2 Chap3 Sect4)
5A2 – Hazard and Maintenance Information
MF700C – MF705 (SSR) details any requirements for supplementary FS

Question 9

If a fault becomes apparent whilst taxiing on the line / dispersal, but is repaired in
Situ, does the AF/BF remain valid?

Answer 9

Yes, unless the pilot signs the aircraft back over to engineering charge / PT1 entry. However, the duty engineer level G or Aircraft commander will have the ultimate authority and decide whether to:
Carry out full flight servicing
Carry out partial
Carry out no further flight servicing

Question 10

When can flight servicing be waived?

Answer 10

Flight servicing should only be waived if specifically authorized by the TAA (via the Topic 2(N/A/R)) and it is operationally essential to generate an aircraft.

Question 11

Who can waiver flight servicing?

Answer 11

Provided the conditions above are met, flight servicing between successive flights may be waived on the authority of:
1 A person holding authority level J (which must include MAP-H21).
2 A person holding authorization MAP–H21 when no authority level J is available,
countersigned by the Aircraft Commander.
3 The Aircraft Commander in consultation with an authority level J.
If the decision to waive FS is taken the flight servicing block on FSC is to be annotated and signed with the mandatory statement:

Question 12

What is partial FS and when is it carried out?

Answer 12

An AF’s validity is unaffected by maintenance activities, however a BF/TR’s validities are invalidated by further maintenance if the maintenance has disturbed or affected the systems already checked during FS e.g. the re-establishment of a hydraulic level.
In such an instance a level G (WCPO) may decide to carry out partial FS on the affected system. Partial FS does not increase the validity period of the current FS.
The carrying out of partial FS is annotated and signed on the MF705 (flight servicing certificate) with the mandatory statement:

Question 13

Do all maintenance activities carried out post BF/TR, invalidate a BF/TR?

Answer 13

Not necessarily. If it is believed the current FS has not been invalidated e.g. replacing tail wheel lock, the WCPO can decide that no further FS is required. In such cases the MF705 is to be annotated and signed with the mandatory statement:

Question 14

What is continuous charge?

Answer 14

Used on aircraft when there is a requirement to land, possibly stop their engines, change crews, refuel, start their engines and take-off again in order to complete a particular mission.
During the period of continuous charge, the aircraft and any FS requirements remain responsibility of the aircraft commander throughout the sortie and not the maintainers

Question 15

How is an aircraft prepared for continuous charge?

Answer 15

A BF is to be carried out and signed for in the normal way on the MF705.

In addition a MF705C is to be raised and placed in the section 4 of MF700C.

A F705E is raised and taken with the aircrew so they can make a record of any Flight Servicing.

MF705C contains a/c serial number, next maintenance due in flying and calendar hours, and serial number of MF705 which contains BF signatures.

MF705E contains a/c serial number, serial number of MF705 which contains BF signatures, AFS expiry in flying and calendar hours, next calendar based maintenance due, next flying hours based maintenance due and how often TR servicing is due.

Question 16

What is the maximum time an a/c can remain on continuous charge?

Answer 16

Assuming no maintenance is due and the aircraft has a fresh AF/BF, a Merlin can remain on continuous charge for a maximum of 12 flying hours, at which point the expiry point of the AF is reached.

Question 17

What are the aircrew to be aware of during continuous charge operations?

Answer 17

They are responsible for all FS
There is no limit on the amount of crew changes but all entries must be recorded The responsible aircrew member may leave the aircraft between flights but retains his responsibility as Specialist User Officer
Loading/unloading of expendable stores may take place as long as recorded in correct documentation
The oncoming aircrew may accept faults arising during a sortie without rectification activity from the maintenance organization. Any acceptable faults are to be recorded on the MF705C.
Pre-flight maintenance/role change activities can be carried out during periods of continuous charge if authorised by level G623 (WCPO). These may take place with a/c rotors running.

Question 18

What maintenance can be carried out during continuous charge?

Answer 18

Minor corrective maintenance rectifications agreed with the aircraft commander beforehand. Any forecast preventative maintenance e.g. asset activities would result in cessation of continuous charge.
Also refuels, oil replenishments, TR servicings, role changes etc.

Question 19

Who’s responsible for the aircraft during continuous charge?

Answer 19

Aircrew, specifically aircraft commander signing for aircraft on MF705C

Question 20

Where are the regulations for continuous charge laid down?

Answer 20

MAM-P

Question 21

When is continuous charge broken?

Answer 21

Scheduled maintenance becomes due
Flight servicing becomes due
Responsible aircrew member transfers charge back to the maintenance organisation
A fault occurs which is not accepted by the next responsible aircrew member

Question 22

What actions are carried out on completion of continuous charge?

Answer 22

MF700C is updated with flight servicing that was carried out whilst aircraft was on charge
All accepted faults are transferred to the MF707A
Sortie details updated in GOLDesp

Question 23

How would an Aircraft on CC be cleared for flight after minor fault rectification?

Answer 23

When the responsible aircrew member has signed the acceptance certificate on the MOD Form 705, no further maintenance is normally to be carried out on that aircraft. However, if a fault becomes apparent after a responsible aircrew member has accepted an aircraft, and then only at the specific request of that aircrew member, an appropriate tradesman may attempt limited corrective maintenance on the aircraft or its installed equipment. If, for any reason, supervision of that limited corrective maintenance is not practicable, the work must be carried out by a self-supervisor holding authority level D. Corrective maintenance of pre-flight faults is normally undertaken only on unarmed aircraft unless otherwise authorized.

Question 24

Pre-flight accepted faults

Answer 24

The responsible aircrew member may accept pre-flight faults for the subsequent flight. If a pre- flight fault cannot be corrected and that aircrew member does not accept the fault, the aircraft must be declared unserviceable and returned to the responsible maintenance organization

Question 25

What are Occasions for flying with FULLY COORDINATED open Work Orders? (BRd 767
NAO 4340)

Answer 25

Deferment of faults during a period of planned flying – Placed in PT3 e.g picked up from AR
Flight Test- where subject to diagnosis or test during test flight which may continue further maintenance on completion, therefore continuing on same MWO and keeping continuity of work.