9/30/2017 S3C1C - INDEPENDENT MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS ON SAFETY CRITICAL ITEMS AND SYSTEMS

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S3C1C - INDEPENDENT MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS ON SAFETY CRITICAL

ITEMS AND SYSTEMS
Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

SAFETY CRITICAL ITEMS AND SYSTEMS

SPO PRESCRIBED INDEPENDENT MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS

OMITTED INDEPENDENT MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS

RECORDING INDEPENDENT MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS

INTRODUCTION

1. Independent Maintenance Inspections (IMIs) are maintenance activities on safety

critical items and systems (SCIS) that require one or more IMI to verify the technical
integrity of the item or system following a discrete task. These IMIs must be strictly
performed in accordance with prescribed standards and practices to minimise risk of
loss/damage to aircraft and loss of life/injury to personnel.

SAFETY CRITICAL ITEMS AND SYSTEMS

2. The following list identifies those systems that, for particular weapon systems,
may contain safety critical items:

NOTE

Associated equipment includes all equipment that is connected with, and has a direct
effect on, the aircrafts flying, engine, explosive ordnance or undercarriage control
systems. This includes power flying control reversing systems, artificial feel systems,
pitot static systems, auto-stabilisers, auto-pilots, flight augmentation systems, flight
control computers, flight critical software/hardware, in-flight refuelling systems, fuel
dump systems, fire extinguishing systems, powertrain (including engines and
transmissions), lubrication systems, equipment containing explosive ordnance and
other specified equipment.

a. Flying Controls and Associated Equipment. Flying controls include all

components and parts, whether manual, power operated or power assisted,
or electric/fibre optic (fly by wire), which results in operation or locking of the
aircrafts movable aerodynamic surfaces (including flaps, air brakes, braking
parachutes, trimming controls, helicopter rotor pitch change gear and dual
control systems, together with their associated hydraulic, lubrication and
electrical systems).

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b. Engine Controls and Associated Equipment. Engine controls include all

components and parts that control the power output of the engine (including
propeller pitch, fuel delivery, lubrication and control systems, engine air inlet
controls and reverse thrust controls, together with their associated systems).

c. Undercarriage Controls, Brake and Steering Controls and Associated

Equipment. This includes all components and parts which result in the
operation of the aircraft undercarriage (including retraction, lowering, up and
down locking, steering and wheel braking, together with their associated
systems).

d. Installed Airborne Oxygen Equipment. Any maintenance operation

performed on the oxygen system when installed in an ADF aircraft, with the
exception of replenishment.

e. Aircrew Escape and Survival Equipment (including Life Support

Equipment). Includes all emergency escape and survival equipment and
associated systems which are designed to prevent injury to personnel, aid
personnel emergency egress and survival during and after an emergency.

f. Explosive Ordnance and Associated Equipment. Explosive ordnance

includes aircrew escape systems, guillotine cable cutters, which contains
explosive ordnance including preparation, disassembly, functional testing,
loading and unloading of equipment together with their associated systems
(except Flight Servicings).

g. Other Maintenance Systems. On some aircraft types there may be

additional safety critical items and systems. The Senior Maintenance
Manager may submit new candidate SCIS to the responsible Systems
Program Office (SPO) for reclassification consideration.

h. Other SPO identified SCIS. The SPO may identify additional SCIS in
approved Instructions for Continuing Airworthiness.

SPO PRESCRIBED INDEPENDENT MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS

3. SPO prescribed IMIs will be specified by the SPO in authorised maintenance data,
when safety critical systems and items are replaced, repaired, adjusted and
reconnected, with clear inspection points and serviceability criteria.

4. The SPO may promulgate IMI requirements as a publication addendum,

supplementary instruction, Independent Maintenance Inspection Card (IMIC) or
other acceptable means.

OMITTED INDEPENDENT MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS

5. If an AMO believes that an IMI on a SCIS has been omitted from the Authorised
Maintenance Data they must contact the responsible SPO as required by AAP
7001.053 Electronic Technical Airworthiness Management Manual. Whilst awaiting
SPO action and to reduce the impact on aircraft availability or maintenance
efficiency, the AMO may approve and insert the omitted step(s) as per the

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requirements of AAP 7001.053 and continue with maintenance. AMOs are to comply
with SPO determination once received. Personnel who perform, supervise or
manage maintenance can identify omitted IMI requirements by assessing the item
criticality in terms of its function and consequence of failure of that function on flight
safety.

NOTE

The identification of a system as safety critical does not automatically mean that all
maintenance undertaken on items of that system require IMIs. Personnel who perform,
supervise or manage maintenance should seek to identify omitted IMIs for those
maintenance tasks on safety critical items that directly affect flight safety.

6. To assist in determining omitted IMI requirements of the item, the criticality of the
higher system as identified in the TMP may be used. Further guidance for
determining IMI requirements can be found in AAP 7001.038 - Maintenance
Requirements Determination (MRD) Manual, Section 1, Chapter 5.

7. Where an omitted IMI requirement is identified based on the finding that the item
is safety critical, the SPO is advised via a publication improvement request Form AO
011Publication Improvement Report and Reply or alternate reporting procedure as
specified by the responsible SPO.

RECORDING INDEPENDENT MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS

8. IMIs must be recorded in the recording and certification system in accordance with
the requirements of Section 4 Chapter 2Recording and Certification of Aircraft and
Aeronautical Product Maintenance.

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