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Author Background

Reece P. Bhave is a Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer and Adjunct Lecturer in the College of Aviation, Science and Technology at Lewis University. Through his background in aircraft maintenance and airworthiness certification, Reece has been able to identify shortcomings associated with current aircraft maintenance operations and propose new technologies to assist in proactive inspections processes related to line maintenance operations. Reece is an FAA and EASA-certified Aircraft Maintenance Engineer/Technician and holds Certifications of Release (CRS) for the following aircraft types: Boeing B737, B747, B757, B777 & B787 and Airbus A330. Reece received a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Technology and a Master of Science in Aviation & Transportation Management from Lewis University.

Abstract

The global aviation industry is often characterized as one of the safest modes of transportation in the modern world. With an abundance of quality assurance inspections and checks to determine operations safety, modern-day commercial aircraft that are utilized for passenger and cargo flights are held to a higher safety standard defined by regulatory bodies, such as the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States of America and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency in the European Union. While these quality standards are maintained via a series of inspections, checks, and preventative maintenance procedures, they are limited to only visual or central maintenance-generated alerts recorded and presented by the aircraft either during flight or once the aircraft is on the ground. Without the availability of scaffolding or large-scale maintenance stands at the gate (as you would normally find within a hangar facility), the ability of conducting a visual inspection can only yield a limited amount of information regarding the aircraft’s structural condition. Taking this into consideration, a possible solution for this problem could stem from the use of a readily available and easily customizable apparatus called an unmanned aerial vehicle. Although these vehicles have already been in use for recreational remote-flying, their systems and structures can be optimized for inspection purposes. With the presence of adequate flight equipment on board to maintain safe flight operations as well as conduct a visual inspection of inaccessible areas of the aircraft, this solution could revolutionize aircraft maintenance inspections at airport terminals and help ensure that the integrity of an aircraft is up to regulated safety standards. This in-depth analysis of current regulatory and operations guidelines is designed to determine whether a suggested proof-of-concept design would allow for aircraft inspection vehicles to be feasible in the future.

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