Aircraft Metal Structure

Light Alloy Repair

P10

Write a short report describing the

repair theory for a simple light
alloy riveted repair carried out to
national standard
Contents:

• Identification of damage.
• Use of technical documentations.
• Selection of materials and Rivets.
• Tools required.
• Inspections of repair.
• Relevant legislations and guide lines.
 There are eight major zones for the aircraft.
Each major zone is identified by the first digit of a three digits number.
The even numbers identify the zones on the right hand side of the aircraft,
while odd numbers identify the zones on the left hand side of the aircraft.
The aircraft structure is divided according to the ATA 100 specifications.
Station Numbers:
Buttock line or Butt line (BL) - is a
width measurement left or right of,
and parallel to, the vertical centre line.

Waterline – is the measurement of the

height perpendicular from a horizontal
plane located below the bottom of
the aircraft fuselage.
Aircraft Structure and
Maintenance
Section Numbers:

Each major part of the aircraft

receives a section number.

The fuselage section base number

is 10.

The fuselage is divided into

various sections for manufacturing
Reasons.
Aircraft Structure and
Maintenance
Section Numbers:

Sections 41 - 43 - 46 - 48
 Station Numbers:

The station number is the distance in centimetres of a cross-section

from a reference point.
Station Numbers:
Technical Documentation:

• Aircraft maintenance Manuals (AMM or

MM)
• Aircraft Structural Repair Manual (SRM)
• Civil Aircraft inspection Procedures (CAIP)
and other guidance documents.
How to use an Aircraft Structural Repair Manual (SRM)

• Find the location of the damage.

• water line and station number.
• Nearest frame number and stringer number.
• Extent of damage: negligible, repairable or
discard.
• Method of repair.
 Determine the Extent of the Damage:

Strip the paint away assuming

the aircraft is paint.
With the paint removed it could
evident that the scratch may
have only been in the paint
and not in the aircraft.
Use Dye Penetrant to
confirm the damage, crack
or scratch etc.
 Determine the Extent of the Damage:

Measure the depth (DTI)

width and length
vernier calliper.
Check with the
Structural Repair Manual
(SRM)
if the damage is
allowable
or within tolerance.
NB a scratch will have
to have its sharp
edges removed prior to
measuring.
Allowable Damage:

Example :
From B737-300
Structural Repair
Manual
 Determine the Extent of the Damage:

If the damage is allowable or within tolerance according to the

Structural Repair Manual (SRM) annotate the Aircraft Technical
Log Book damage chart stating.

Permanent Repair - Interim Repair - Time-Limited Repair

This will prevent the damage being continually being found by
other people.
 Damage Classification:

All  damage  must  be  classified  to  determine  what

repair  action  
should  be  taken.

Ultimately, all discrepancies  will  be  placed into  one  of

 three
categories, negligible   damage, non-repairable damage
  or   
repairable   damage.
 
 Negligible Damage:

Negligible   damage   is   damage   that   can   be

permitted  to  exist
 “as  is,”  or  corrected  by  a  single cosmetic
 refinishing  procedure  
with  no  restrictions  on flight  operations.

This  damage  may  also  include some  de-

lamination,  disbonds  
and voids.  
 Non-repairable Damage:

Non-repairable  damage  exceeds  published  criteria or limits.

(Structural Repair Manual)

Non-repairable damage may be reclassified as  repairable,  if  

the manufacturer prescribes a repair on an individual basis.

Normally, non-repairable   damage   requires   the   changing   

of components.
 Repairable Damage:

Repairable   damage  is  any  damage  to  the  skin or structure that

cannot be allowed to exist “as is” without placing performance   
restrictions on the airframe.
Hail Storm Damage:

Replacement of
Leading Edge Panel?
Lighting Strike:

It will take more then

speed-tape to fix this one.
Bird Strike:
Aerodynamic Smoothness Requirements:

Fuselage limitations on repairs in

region of static pressure ports,
pitot-static probes, angle of
airflow sensors.

Wing, ailerons, stabilizers,

elevators rudder, flats, leading
edge slats, spoilers

Nacelle and Pylon

Repairs:

Patch Repair

Insert Repair
Typical Skin Repair:

Restore the structural integrity of

the airframe.
Crack Propagation:

It is permitted for some types

of crack repair to drill a hole at
the end of each end of the crack
to prevent it from extending any
Further.
 Repairs:

Complex repair for a Boeing 737

door aperture crack in the bottom
corner.

This includes multi external repair

plates and the crack is stop drilled.
Metallic Repairs on Aircraft Structure:

Riveting Terminology:

Spacing and Edge Distance Rivet spacing,

also referred as rivet pitch, is the distance
between the rivets in the same row and is
measured from the rivet centre to the rivet
centre.
Metallic Airframe Structures
Riveting Terminology:

‘A’
Edge distance for all rivets, except
those with a flush head, should not
be less than twice the diameter of
the rivet shank or more than four
times the diameter of the rivet shank.

Flush-head  rivets  require  an  edge  

distance  of  at  least 2½ times the
diameter.
Metallic Airframe Structures
Riveting Terminology:

‘B’
Rivet pitch, is the distance
between the rivets in the same
row and is measured from the rivet
centre to the rivet centre.
Metallic Airframe Structures
Riveting Terminology:

‘C’
Transverse pitch is the distance
between the rows of rivets and
is measured from the rivet centre
to rivet centre.
 Metallic Airframe Structures
Riveting Terminology:
The proper length of rivet is an important part of the repair.
If the rivet is too long, the formed head will be too large or the rivet may bend
or be forced between the sheets being riveted.
If the rivet is too short, the formed head will be too small or the riveted material  
will  be  damaged.  

1 ½   x    D + G = L

Where:
D = the rivet diameter
G = grip (total thickness of
material)
L = total length of the rivet.
Metallic Airframe Structures
Drilling Rivet Holes:
Standard  twist  drills  are  used  to  drill  rivet  holes.
Note  that  there  is  a  slight clearance in each case.
This prevents binding of the rivet in the hole.

TABLE OF SIZES
Metallic Airframe Structures
Riveting:

• Type of rivet; Head shape, material & heat

treatment.
• Rivet strength, length and diameter.
• How many rivet, spacing and pitch
required.
Metallic Airframe Structures
Riveting Tools:
Rivet Forming Tool

Rivet Cutters

Rivet Snap Rivet Gun

Rivet Blocks
Metallic Airframe Structures
Riveting Tools:

Pneumatic Rivet Forming Tool

Reports:

• Damage classification.
• Finding limits (structural repair manual SRM).
• Prepare surface.
• Rivet selection:-length, diameter & type.
• Rivets: Pitch, spacing & edge distance.
• Materials.
• PPE
• CAA and Manufacturer Recommendation.
 Any Questions

On your FACET ----- File Name: Metallic Structure of Aircraft