Maintenance Briefing Note

Walk around…

Uwe Eggerling
Senior Director of Safety
Maintenance Engineering &
Operations
Airbus Customer Services

June 2018
 Walk Around…

This Maintenance Briefing Note is based upon contributions from Airbus Field
Service Representatives.*

The Airbus Field Service representatives have significant first-hand

maintenance experience acquired by working closely with Airbus operators.

The purpose of this Maintenance Briefing Note is to share lessons learnt

related to recommendations for “walk around” inspections.

This Maintenance Briefing Note do not replace the external walk around
procedure published in the Airbus Flight Crew Operating Manual.

• AIRCRAFT WALK AROUND.

Contributes to maintain to the safety of the aircraft.

What to look for (examples):

• Cargo and servicing access doors areas which have been operated during
the aircraft ground time
• Evidences of leaks of hydraulic, fuel, oil or water/waste
• The condition of aerodynamic seals
• Wear, erosion,
• Foreign Object Damage, bird strike
• Missing service doors, access panels, or static wicks
• Structural damage
• Anomalies, vent obstruction, missing placards
• Lightning strike damage

2 June 2018

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Where to look:

Examples of areas to pay attention to:

• Doors frames, PAX - and cargo compartments
• Drains, engines, APU’s
• Leading edges, wings, THS, slats and flaps
• Landing gear, brakes, tyres
• Engines air intakes and fan blades

3 June 2018

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 Walk Around…

After a night stop or transit where maintenance activities could

have been one, it is very important to perform a last walk around to
check all what was approached or touched after the area is cleared
by all the personal, e.g.:
• fan cowls latching

• fuselage doors for damage

• service panels for secured latches
• fuel cap installation
• no abnormal details.

Clean, pick-up debris on the apron so that they can not be sucked
in by an engine, or causing tyre damage.

Correct findings without delay to avoid further deterioration.

4 June 2018

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How to proceed:

• Start your walk around following a pre-defined way to ensure to

view all the areas.
• While walking in one direction, look also back to see the hidden
side of flap fairings for example.
• Focus on the areas more exposed to possible findings.
• Hydraulic and oil level checks can be used as an indication of
possible fluid loss.
• Adverse weather, night, sun reflection on the fuselage have your
attention level to be raised.
• Avoid distraction during the walk around.
• Record the work performed, initiate corrective action plan, and
ensure parts and tools are available for the corrective action

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In case of findings, reaction time to correct findings or apply a

procedure for aircraft dispatch must be anticipated to limit
operational or commercial impact for the next flights.

Be prepared and practice from time to time possible findings with

the technical data at your disposition.
Very often the similar findings are noticed.

• Leaks of hydraulic, fuel or water/waste

AMM Limits not to exceed are indicated for Fuel, Hydraulic leaks
noted during visual inspection.
Do not disregard minor indication of leakages which may get
worse.

• Structural damages.

Bird strikes and ground handling are one of the major causes.
Proper inspection and damage assessment has to be performed.
Note: with the new type of carbon fuselage which is coming back to
its initial shape after an impact, in case of slight doubt use the line
check tool.
Scratches, dents, cracks or erosion have to be inspected and
corrective action to be carried out in the best possible time.

• Lightning strikes.

Even if not reported by the Flight Crew, keep always a look for
missing static dischargers, the extremities and engine cowls for
black spots on the point.

• Wear on tyres, brakes, and paint erosion.

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• Missing aerodynamic seals, service doors or access panels

Refer to the CDL (Configuration Deviation List) for items which are
allowed to be missing.
The CDL list is found in the Flight Manual Chap 6.
A CDL item must be corrected within the shortest possible time.

Proper installation, flushness, missing or deformed seals at the

fuselage and wing.
Check for the presence of service doors (in place and secured),
access doors, panels, fuel caps, caps on the bleeding valves of the
brakes and landing gear servicing points.

An area with a weak point, exposed too long to an unusual

condition can induce some other issues, wear and damages.

Note: In case of missing part after a flight consult: OIT 999.0018/17

- ISI 00.00.00184 & 05.50.00003

7 June 2018

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 Maintenance Briefing Notes

This Maintenance Briefing Note (MBN) is part of a set of

Briefing Notes that provide an overview of the
applicable standards, techniques, best practices,
human factors, suggested company prevention
strategies and personal lines-of-defense related to
major threats and hazards that may affect maintenance.
This MBN is intended to enhance the reader's safety
awareness but it shall not supersede the applicable
regulations and the Airbus or airline's maintenance
documentation; should any deviation appear between
this MBN and the Airbus or airline’s maintenance
documentation, the latter shall prevail at all times.
In the interest of aviation safety, this MBN may be
reproduced in whole or in part - in all media - or
translated; any use of this MBN shall not modify its
contents or alter an excerpt from its original context.
Any commercial use is strictly excluded. All uses shall
credit Airbus.
Airbus shall have no liability or responsibility for the
use of this MBN, the correctness of the duplication,
adaptation or translation and for the updating and
revision of any duplicated version.

For feedback or suggestions regarding the

Maintenance Briefing Notes please contact:

Uwe Eggerling
Senior Director of Safety
Maintenance Engineering & Operations
Customer Services
Mail to: uwe.eggerling@airbus.com
8 June 2018

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Thank you