Maintenance "Personal Minimums" Federal Aviation Administration DOT/FAA Maintenance “Personal Minimums is directed at the aviation maintenance technician on areas to consider before and after the job task.

Objective: Personal evaluation by the aviation maintenance technician before and after accomplishing a maintenance task. Personal evaluation is the key to maintaining the integrity of the aviation maintenance technician.

Before the task! The following areas should be considered before accomplishing the task to assure the task is completed to the highest level of safety. self explanatory

Maintenance “Personal Minimums” Given a “Personal Checklist” with areas to be considered before and after the job task. The maintenance technician will be able to determine the task was completed to industry standards and self assessment. self explanatory

Do I have the knowledge to perform the task? Formal Training OJT Training Self Study Training specific to the task to be accomplished. Specialized Training Recurrent Training Do I have the knowledge to perform the task? Have I completed formal training or do I need formal? Formal training is vital to maintaining a particular aircraft, engine or component. OJT training is important to gain the experience knowledge of other aviation maintenance technicians. Self study enhances the knowledge level by current changes in technology and new processes and procedures. Specific training supports areas of technology and systems to support maintenance beyond the routine type maintenance. Specialized training supports processes to be used in inspection and maintenance techniques and practices. Recurrent training refreshes the memory and supports the possibility of not forgetting something in the process.

Do I have the technical data to perform the task? Manufacturer Maintenance Manuals Aircraft Specifications/Type Data Sheets Service Bulletins Service Letters Airworthiness Directives Drawings/Blueprints Supplemental Type Certificates Manufacturer Maintenance Manuals support the method, techniques and practices to be applied when performing the task. Aircraft Specifications and Type Data Sheets support the certification requirements the aircraft was certified to. Service Bulletins and Service Letters support the changes or modifications by the manufacturer. Airworthiness Directives support airworthiness issues concerning unsafe conditions. Drawings and blueprints support installation procedures to ensure correct installation. Supplemental type certificates support certification installation of after market products.

Have I performed the task previously? All the elements considered for the task. Routine or complex operation. Do I need training or supervision to complete the task. Regulation requires it. The Federal Aviation Regulations require that the avaition maintenance technician perform the maintenance task at a previous date, under the supervision of another maintenance technician or have formal training to support the job task. Complex operation task can induce errors without the proper training. The maintenance technician must consider all elements for the task to be completed.

Do I have the proper tools and equipment to perform the task? Calibrated tools Test equipment Specialized rigging tools Special assembly and disassembly tools Test Stands Support Stands Proper hoisting equipment In performing the job task the maintenance technician must have the calibrated tools, test equipment, specialized rigging tools, special assembly and disassembly tools, test stands, support stands, and proper hoisting equipment, ect.

Have I had the proper training to support the job task? Aircraft or component type specific. Specialized training .(Composites, NDT) Complex skills needed System specific Human Factors training considerations Training is the primary key to a safe and efficient operation. The aviation maintenance technician needs training on aircraft or component type specific. Additionally, specialized training in subject areas such as composites, non-destructive testing. Areas where complex skills are needed requires rigorous training. Aircraft systems today are very complex with the onboard test equipment and require specific training. Human Factors training is an emphasis area that is needed and now considered a required subject by most air carriers.

Am I mentally prepared to perform the task? Stress from home or work situations. Mental distractions-Thinking about other things. Time-frames ( Pressures to get the job done ) Overload ( More work than you can handle ) When thereis a job task that is before us, a lot of other things come into consideration that we may not always think about. How the job task is completed, when influenced by certain factors, may have a detrimental affect on the outcome of the task. Stress from home or work situations can affect how we work and cause us not to perform to the best of our abilities. Mental distractions can cause us not to complete all the steps required to complete the task in a satisfactory manner. Pressures to get the job done can cause mistakes that are very costly in dollars and human lives if we do not pay attention. More work than what we can handle does not lend itself to doing the job in the right manner. All these things can affect our performance as a maintenance technician.

Am I physically prepared to perform the task? Use of all our senses. ( Sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste ) Rested Environmental conditions Healthy Physical condition Being physically prepared to perform the task is very important because the fact that we do not use all our senses could lead to an accident or harm to ourselves. Getting plenty of rest helps to do the job in the manner that appears to be easier. Our environmental conditions definitely have an affect on how we perform. Working at cold temperatures, in the rain, in the heat, and other undesirable working conditions affect our performance. Being healthy supports our physical condition to perform any task that we may be called on to do.

Have I taken the proper safety precautions? Protective clothing ( Gloves, goggles, ect.) Personal safety equipment (ventilation equipment, ect.) Proper tools ( electric tools verses air tools ) Identification ( tagging, safety streamers, ect. ) Safety locks ( landing gear, ect. ) Protecting ourselves and others around us when performing the task is only common sense. Wearing protective clothing, using personal safety equipment, using proper tools and safety devices ensures we are protected from personal injury. Personal injuries cost everyone time and money.

Do I have the resources available to perform the task? Money Parts Man Power Facilities In order to perform any job task we must have the resources available to us Everything we do requires money to perform the job and maintaining aircraft parts is vital to the continuing operation of the aircraft. We must also have enough personnel to perform all the job task required and a facility to support the complexity of the job task to be completed.

Have I researched the FAR’s to ensure compliance? Current regulation review for the work be accomplished. Am I able to determine that the regulation is applicable and appropriate for the task being performed? Review of Airworthiness Directives to assure I have completed all airworthiness requirements. When performing any job function it is necessary that we review the Federal Aviation Regulations to assure we are meeting all the regulatory requirements.

After the task! Review of all the areas that were affected to accomplish the task. After the job task we must continue to evaluate ourselves to assure maximum performance.

Did I perform the task to the best of my abilities? Self assessment to determine that the work performed met all the methods, techniques and practices as prescribes by industry standards. Work was accomplished in a manner that was not less than what my performance was capable of. Knowing our limitations is one of the prime keys to success. Being able to determine the job is beyond my abilities and not perform a job that might cause further damage or cost is very important. Help is only an added benefit and will make the job completion to the standard required of it.

Was the job task performed to be equal to the original? Each person maintaining or altering, or performing preventative maintenance, shall do that work in such a manner and use materials of such a quality, that the condition of the airframe, aircraft engine, propeller or appliance worked on will be at least equal to its original or properly altered condition. Must do the work in such a manner that the part being worked on is at least equal to the original condition. This is an area that is lacking in most instances due to the fact that most owners and operators want the least inexpensive way of completing the task.

Was the job task performed in accordance with appropriate data? Each person performing maintenance. alteration, or preventative maintenance shall use the methods, techniques, and practices prescribed in the manufactures maintenance manual or data acceptable to the administrator. Appropriate data is the must when accomplishing the job task. Some maintenance technicians want to perform a task in accordance with AC43.13-1A and 2B when it is not appropriate to the task they are accomplishing. Only data appropriate should be used.

Did I use all methods, techniques and practices acceptable to the industry? Each person performing maintenance, alterations, and preventative maintenance shall use the tools, equipment, and test apparatus necessary to assure completion of work in accordance with industry practices. Methods, Techniques, and Practices acceptable to the industry have been developed by the manufacturers of the product. We are required to perform to those standards.

Did I perform the job task without pressures, stress or distractions? Reevaluation of the job task may need to be considered if the job was accomplished under these conditions. As a reminder the aircraft must be in a condition for safe operation. Reevaluation is a must if we determined that the work accomplished was affected by any of these human factors.

Did I reinspect my work or have someone inspect my work before return to service? Perform the inspection as to determine whether the aircraft or portions thereof under inspection, meets all applicable airworthiness requirements. Two eyes are better than one. Many times we can be looking at a discrepancy and not see it because we have looked at it numerous times. Added insurance is the best policy.

Did I make the proper record entries for the work performed? Each person who maintains, performs preventive maintenance, rebuilds or alters an airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance or component part shall make an entry in the maintenance record of that equipment. Major repairs and alterations shall be entered on a form ( FAA Form 337). Federal Aviation Regulation 43 requires each person that performs any task make an appropriate record entry.

Did I perform the operational checks after the work was completed? Must determine satisfactory performance in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations. When completing the job task it is always very important to do an operational check of the system or systems that might have affected the repair or modification that may have taken place. It is better to find the problem at that time and take the corrective action necessary before the product is approved for return to service.

Am I willing to sign the bottom line for the work performed? If the work performed on the aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, or component part has been performed satisfactory, the signature, certificate number, and the kind of certificate held by the person approving the work. The signature constitutes the approval for return to service only for the work performed. In many cases it has been noted that theperson approving the work for return to service, did not always perform the work. The work that was accomplished may not havemet all the standards as required. Therefore, the person approving the work for return to service held the reponsibility for the work performed. The regulation requires the person performing the work to make the appropriate entries in the aircraft records.

Am I willing to fly in the aircraft once it is approved for return to service? The ultimate test for the work task accomplished. Assures confidence in the work performed. Increases reliability. Decreases liability. Maintains public trust. Maintains integrity. The ultimate test to the job task completion is the fact that we will stand behind the work that we accomplish and would be willing to support that fact by flying in the aircraft. If we would not consider flying in the aircraft, ourselves , we shoud reevaluate our work standards and perform accordingly.

Review Checklist.

Review Checlist.

Maintenance “Personal Minimums” Checklist Keep it close to your toolbox! The “Personal Minimum Checklist” can be used as before and after the task as a reminder tool and kept at your tool box. Refer ot it often and the probability is it will remind you of something that may or may not have been accomplished as part of the job task. The true “Personal Minimum” is Aviation Safety and maintaining the aircraft to the highest level of safety.