A Survey of Aircraft Structural-Life

The aircraft in the U.S. Air Force are aging, and keeping them healthy and safe is lilkely to require attention to clear policies and regulations on sustaining the aircraft.

Preface

iii

Figures

ix

Tables

xi

Summary

xiii

Acknowledgments

xxi

Abbreviations

xxiii

Introduction

1

(10)

The Air Force's Aging Fleets

1

(1)

Fleet-Management Challenges with Aging Fleets

1

(2)

The U.S. Air Force Aircraft Structural Integrity Program

3

(1)

Current ASIP Challenges

4

(2)

Study Purpose and Scope

6

(1)

Approach

7

(2)

Selection Method and Data Collection

8

(1)

Potential Bias

9

(1)

Report Organization

9

(2)

Background

11

(8)

Fatigue as a Limiting Structural-Life Factor

11

(1)

Fatigue-Design Concepts: Damage Tolerance Versus Safe-Life

12

(3)

Safe-Life: The Choice of the U.S. Navy and the Canadian Forces

13

(1)

Damage Tolerance: The Choice of the U.S. Air Force and the Canadian Forces

14

(1)

Principal Elements of the Aircraft Structural-Life Management Process

15

(4)

Aircraft Structural-Life Management in the U.S. Navy

19

(14)

Program Structure

19

(3)

Governing Policy

20

(1)

Principal Authorities

20

(2)

Aircraft Structural-Life Management Process

22

(6)

Establishing Structural-Life Limit

24

(1)

Structural-Life Tracking

24

(1)

Structural-Life Assessment

25

(2)

Service-Life Extension or Retirement

27

(1)

Risk Management

28

(1)

Regulatory Processes

29

(1)

Summary

30

(3)

Regulations

30

(1)

Communications

31

(1)

Resource Management

31

(2)

Aircraft Structural-Life Management in the Canadian Forces

33

(16)

Program Structure

34

(4)

Governing Policy

35

(1)

Principal Authorities

35

(3)

ASIP Process

38

(5)

Development of Basis of Certification

38

(1)

Structural Condition Monitoring

39

(2)

Updates of ASIP Master Plan

41

(1)

Risk Management

42

(1)

Regulatory Processes

43

(3)

Airworthiness Certification

44

(1)

Design-Change Certification

44

(1)

Risk Acceptance

45

(1)

Periodic Audits and Reviews

45

(1)

Summary

46

(3)

Regulations

47

(1)

Communications

47

(1)

Resource Management

48

(1)

Aircraft Structural-Life Management in the U.S. Air Force

49

(18)

Program Structure

49

(5)

Governing Policy

50

(2)

Principal Authorities

52

(2)

ASIP Process

54

(9)

Developing ASIP Master Plans

55

(1)

Developing Force Structural Maintenance Plans

56

(2)

Tracking Structural Use

58

(1)

Updating FSMPs

59

(1)

Implementing FSMPs and ASIP Master Plans

60

(3)

Risk Management

63

(1)

Regulatory Processes

63

(1)

Summary

64

(3)

Regulations

65

(1)

Communications

65

(1)

Resource Management

66

(1)

Observations About Aircraft Structural-Life Management Approaches

67

(10)

Approaches to Regulation

67

(3)

Governing Policy

67

(1)

Oversight Approach

68

(1)

Distribution of Regulatory Responsibilities

69

(1)

Approaches to Communication

70

(2)

Types of Information Shared

70

(2)

Information Sharing Mechanisms

72

(1)

Approaches to Resource Management

72

(3)

Dedicated Funding Line

73

(1)

Degree of Regulation

73

(1)

Types of Information Used in Resource Management

74

(1)

Formal Planning Processes

75

(1)

Summary of Observations

75

(2)

Observations About Options for the Future

77

(4)

Summary of Approaches

77

(1)

Options for the Future

78

(3)

Clear Policies

78

(1)

Formal Processes and Independent Assessments

79

(1)

Good Communications and Working Relationships

79

(1)

Standardization

80

(1)

Dedicated Funding

80

(1)

Appendix History of the Air Force ASIP

81

(4)

Bibliography

85

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A Survey of Aircraft Structural-Life Management Programs in the U.S. Navy, the Canadian Forces, And the U.S. Air Force

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials