Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

• Air Operations team

2017

Air unit awarded prestigious aviation award
News 11 August, 2017

2015

Rothera Air Facility
Facility

Twin Otter aircraft
Facility

‘Airworthiness’ is the status of an aircraft, engine, propeller or aircraft part when it conforms to its approved design, is in a condition that ensures safe operation, and assures the ability of an aircraft or other airborne equipment or system to be operated in flight and on the ground without significant hazard to aircrew, ground crew, passengers or to third parties, it is a technical attribute of materiel throughout its lifecycle, and is a legal obligation of an aircraft operator to fulfil.

This role enables BAS to operate the fleet of five aircraft by ability for BAS to hold and maintain regulatory approved continued airworthiness management of its aircraft fleet. Controls and directs aircraft engineering activities including maintenance and modifications on the aircraft fleet. Liaises closely with airworthiness authority and maintenance organisations to maintain credibility of BAS as a safe and compliant entity and to provide safe and reliable scientific research and logistical platforms.

Holders of this position are required to be acceptable to the Regulator and formally approved as Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO) Technical Coordinator post holders, being usually former or current Licensed Aircraft Engineers additionally highly experienced and time-served in aviation engineering generally, and the CAMO function specifically.

• Responsible to the Head of Air Unit/BAS and to the Regulator for the safe, legal, and efficient maintenance, modification and continued airworthiness of BAS aircraft
• Provides, supports and maintains ability for BAS to hold the legally required Continuous Airworthiness Management Organisation function, via approval, renewal and successful audit by regulator.
• Acts as key function empowered to remove any aircraft from service if considered threat to life or asset.
• Liaison with regulatory authorities and aircraft design holders on airworthiness matters
• Controls, reviews, amends and implements BAS Aircraft Maintenance Programmes in response to incidents to ensure current and effective in maintaining a safe and reliable operation in a highly challenging environment.
• Assures compliance with legal regulatory authority requirements relating to continued airworthiness and engineering.
• Directly liaises with aircraft design holder and regulator on any safety or reliability issues, ensuring that all BAS owned aircraft and their associated equipment are maintained, repaired, overhauled and/or modified in accordance with BAS standards and airworthiness requirements
• Assisting maintenance providers with timely recovery, repair, and return to service of unserviceable BAS aircraft globally
• To directly ensure the Airworthiness of the Twin Otter fleet and have oversight and management responsibility for the D7.
• Ensuring that all aircraft engineering documents are completed in a manner acceptable to, and compliant with, the requirements of the airworthiness authority of the state of registration
• Day to day development and supervision of Airworthiness and Aircraft Engineering Manager
• Technical representative between BAS and maintenance organisations in relation to both line and base maintenance advising on and assuring compliance with BAS and regulatory standards
• Oversight of contracted maintenance in terms of assessing costs/charges made.
• Fleet reliability trend monitoring, developing corrective actions where possible.
• Assessment of technical data (Airworthiness Directives, Service Bulletins etc., and monitoring of aircraft continued airworthiness requirements.
• Investigation of incident reports from an engineering perspective, and reporting on findings and developing/instigating closure actions.
• Producing safety cases to regulator to support continued operations when necessary where aircraft is operating outside normal parameters of Certificate of Airworthiness.
• Assuring the integrity of the aircraft by effective control of modifications/science fits/role change equipment fits.
• Direct and monitor maintenance providers to develop and set maintenance requirements and assure compliance/accomplishment to BAS requirements.
• Creation, development, updating and issuing of procedures for use within Air Unit and by contracted maintenance organisation, maintaining oversight of compliance with published procedures.
• Maintain oversight of aircraft related spares and consumables indents, modifying to suit recent experience and changing operational needs.
• Supports projects such as infrastructure development and introduction to service of new types by providing advice and direction as necessary/requested