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In aerospace engineering, we take that kind of thing seriously. For example when a 737 has a broken light, then it is not in compliance with the approved type
by na85 5y ago
In aerospace engineering, we take that kind of thing seriously.
For example when a 737 has a broken light, then it is not in compliance with the approved type design and any aircraft in such a state is legally not airworthy.
Fortunately we have provisions in airworthiness to defer rectifications of unserviceabilities that have no/marginal effect on actual airworthiness, but the point stands. The light is part of the aircraft's design.
If you change a light to a new kind of light, then you're embodying a Design Change which is a Big Deal (tm) even though it seems minor, and that piddly little light will go through the same design approval process as, say, a new wing. Less structural analysis will be conducted (obviously) but it's still the same process.
In aerospace, changing the nozzle on an engine changes the design of the engine. "Design" in that context is an industry term and it doesn't have the same nuance as in other contexts.
- silisili 5y agoI see, interesting, thank you for clarifying.
- throwaway0a5e 5y agoThis stuff makes for easy virtue points on the internet an is pretty true for civilian aviation. The military doesn't give two shits what the people who wrote the service manual say is "correct" if someone else comes along with something better and testing/operational reality bear that out. The military is not deathly afraid of holding the liability bag the way private companies are.
- na85 5y ago>The military doesn't give two shits what the people who wrote the service manual say is "correct" if someone else comes along with something better and testing/operational reality bear that out. The military is not deathly afraid of holding the liability bag the way private companies are. Speaking as someone who worked in military airworthiness and aircraft maintenance, I disagree. We follow rules or aircrew die. It's that simple. You find something that works better through operational testing? Okay. Then your next step is to change the maintenance program. Military maintenance has a separate category for aircraft battle damage, hot refuelling, stuff like that. But it still takes airworthiness seriously.