Elements and Performance Criteria

Application of this unit may relate to:
Scheduled or unscheduled maintenance including special inspections required after events such as heavy landings, overstress or flight through heavy turbulence.
Individual or team related activities


Servicing Schedules
Maintenance manuals
Applicable Defence regulations and instructions


1. Non-ferrous and ferrous alloys and composite (FRP) materials used in aircraft construction

2. Structural fastening and attachment hardware and/or devices

3. Seals, sealants

4. Glass, moulded plastics

5. Application of NDI techniques
6. Doors, hinges and locking mechanisms for damage/misalignment.

7. Impact damage
8. Fatigue cracking
9. Corrosion
10. Delamination of composites and bonded structures

Supervisors
Specialist structures personnel


11. Remove corrosion by chemical and mechanical methods

12. Restore protective coatings

13. Apply sealants and jointing compounds

14. Freehand precision hole generation

15. Remove and install structural hardware and fastening devices

16. Remove and replace bushes, bearings and bearing surfaces

17. Metal scab patch, flush, splice, lap and formed section repair
18. Composite external patch, scarf and stepped repairs.

Overview of assessment
A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to inspect and maintain aircraft structure and perform a range of metal and composite structural repair tasks that are representative of the scope of the listed variables in accordance with relevant maintenance documentation while applying all relevant OH&S procedures and standard processes.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The underlying skills inherent in this unit should be transferable across a range of inspection, testing and repair applications associated with aircraft maintenance. It is essential that the procedures take into account all aircraft and personal safety precautions relating to aircraft structure.
Evidence of transferability of skills and knowledge related to inspection, testing and repair of aircraft structure is essential. This may be demonstrated through application across a number of aircraft systems or aircraft types. Ability to interpret inspection and repair procedures and specifications and apply them in practice is critical. The application of the procedures should also clearly indicate knowledge of structural flight loads and aerodynamic requirements.

A person cannot be assessed as competent until it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the workplace assessor that the relevant elements of the Unit of Competency are being achieved under routine supervision across the variables in the Range Statement as follows:

Inspection and/or testing of at least one item from each of groups 1 to 6
Recognition of each type of damage 7 to 10
One repair task from each of groups 11 to 18
This shall be established via the records in the Log of Industrial Experience and Achievement.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
Competency should be assessed in the work environment or simulated work environment using tools and equipment specified in maintenance documentation. It is also expected that general purpose tools and test equipment found in most routine situations would be used where appropriate.