This module introduces and provides an opportunity for you to develop the hand skills and basic maintenance skills needed to be an aircraft maintenance engineer. The module is not intended to turn you into skilled experts; rather it is designed to provide a thorough introduction and solid grounding for further training, practice and development. The hand-skills experience will include: reading engineering drawings, marking out, cutting, filing, drilling, and thread cutting etc. Initially you will be closely supported and guided; however, as the module progresses, your dependence on staff is expected to decrease and the tolerances to which you work increase. The maintenance skills will include: using maintenance manuals, following procedures, completing documentation and fundamental maintenance activities such as: identifying parts, wire-locking, panel removal and refitment, torque loading, assembly and disassembly. At all times throughout the module, you will be expected to display maturity, integrity, good work practices and have a responsible attitude towards safety.
This module also gives you an opportunity to practice and demonstrate that you are capable of independent learning. You will be given access to a CAD package and expected to learn how to use it by reviewing and completing tutorials; and using help pages and any other resources you are able to locate. You will be expected to maintain a log book of your experience and complete a CAD-based assignment that will form part of the module assessment strategy. The experience gained and feedback received from maintaining the log book will be beneficial to you when completing projects in the third year of the programme.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
This module is intended to provide the practical (often referred to as hand-skills) and basic maintenance skills associated with EASA Part-66 Modules 6 and 7. However, if the hours declared in the Breakdown of Teaching and Learning (below) are used, it is likely that additional experience will have to be completed in order to satisfy the training-hours requirement of an EASA Part-147 approved course.
During this module, students will be introduced to and given the opportunity to practice and develop basic practical skills and maintenance skills. This will include but not be limited to:
Students will also complete a significant directed self-study learning exercise based on Computer Aided Design (CAD).
This module introduces and give students an opportunity to develop the practical and maintenance skills associated with the theory delivered in AE5001 Aircraft Materials, Hardware and Maintenance. The module also gives students an opportunity to experience directed self-study and demonstrate that they are capable of independent learning. Because of the close link with AE5001, this module will be delivered after AE5001 has finished or simultaneously with it. If the two modules are delivered simultaneously, the delivery will be managed to ensure that students are not exposed to any practical training for which they have not received the associated theory.
The learning outcomes of this module will be achieved through practical exercises carried out in workshops and/or simulated aircraft maintenance environments and directed independent learning.
Practical (hand) skills will be introduced and developed through a series of workshop exercises. The complexity of the exercises and the standard of workmanship expected will increase as the student progresses through the series. Early exercises are normally used to learn and practice a skill, later exercises are used to develop a skill and for assessment purposes. The basic maintenance tasks (e.g. wire locking, panel removal and refitment, sealant application etc.) are managed in a similar way to the hand-skills with students being given an opportunity to practice tasks before any are formally assessed.
Throughout the module students are given guidance and feedback on their workmanship and progress; the overall aim being to try to help and encourage the students to develop the skills to a "competent" level. It needs to be made clear that this module will not turn students into skilled experts; students will require a lot more practice to achieve this. The module will, however, prepare students to progress onto AE6002 Aircraft Maintenance Practices module that is delivered in the final year of the programme and provide a foundation for further development. The combination of this module and AE6002 will give students the basic skill set and confidence needed to start work in the aircraft maintenance industry. Once in the industry, they will have the opportunity to develop and hone the skills, and become the skilled experts of the future.
For the directed independent learning element of the module, students will be given access to a Cad package (proposed: AutoDesk - AutoCAD) and asked to teach themselves how to use it using tutorials, help pages and any other resources they are able to locate. Tutor support will be available to students but the expectation is that students will complete this phase unaided by teaching staff. During the learning, students will be expected to maintain a log book similar to the one they will need to maintain for the capstone project in the final year. The log book will be reviewed by teaching staff for feedback purposes but feedback will be minimal and intended primarily to ensure students to not go totally "off-track".
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| When this module is delivered solely as an academic qualification and not linked to an aviation authority approval, the breakdown of teaching and learning hours will be as shown in the table below. | ||
| Scheduled learning and teaching | Practical | 210 |
| Guided independent study | 90 | |
| When this module is delivered as part of an aviation authority approved training course, the total module hours and the breakdown of those hours will be those declared in the associated approval documentation. However, the total teaching and learning hours declared above will be considered as a minimum requirement and will always be satisfied. Details of the hours associated with this module and the other modules in an approved programme will be declared in the associated course handbook issued at the start of the course and in the module guides issued at the start of each module. It should be noted that, if necessary, changes will be made to the breakdown of hours in the approved course in order to maintain approval of the programme. | ||
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
This module will be assessed by coursework comprising three elements. Practical exercises to assess the hand-skills and basic maintenance activities and a log book and assignment to assess the independent study element.
Assessment of the hand-skills and maintenance activities will not be by practical exam: students are not given a test exercise to complete under exam conditions. Instead, students work through supervised practical tasks that are reviewed and marked at various stages throughout their completion. The work is closely supervised throughout with students receiving regular feedback and advice on how to progress and the marks achieved where applicable. Where time permits, students may be given more than one opportunity to complete exercises they do not manage to complete satisfactorily. However, there is a limit to the amount of time available to complete a module and students will need to achieve an acceptable level of competency in this time if they are to pass the module. Because of the way the assessment is managed, grades are limited to: fail F2, bare pass D-, good B-, excellent A. The grade awarded depends on the level of competence demonstrated and the amount of guidance needed to complete the assessed tasks.
The independent learning log book will be assessed for content not presentation; although it is expected to be legible and comprehendible. The log book is expected to contain a complete and detailed history of the learning experience from the student's perspective and is expected to contain: thoughts, ideas, events, problems encountered, solutions, decisions, choices made, comments and reflection in the forms of: notes, sketches, mind-maps, figures, references etc.
The assignment will be used to assess achievement of the learning outcome. Students will be required to produce an engineering drawing using the CAD package they have learnt to use. Details of the drawing required will be given in an assignment that will be issued part-way through the module.
Assessment - Aviation Authority Approved programmes
Students completing this module on an aviation authority approved training course will be expected to complete all of the assessment associated with the approved course. A failure to do may result in a loss of the benefits associated with study on an aviation authority approved course.
Details of the assessment students are required to complete on aviation authority approved courses will be given in the relevant course handbook issued at the start of the course. It should be noted that aviation authority assessment will be changed, if and when necessary, to ensure continued compliance with the approval.
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| 1. Interpret aircraft engineering drawings, schematic diagrams and wiring diagrams and be conversant with the structure and content of ATA100 aircraft manuals. | Coursework. |
| 2. Complete engineering hand-skill tasks and fundamental aircraft maintenance activities safely and effectively, by correctly selecting and using the tools, equipment, hardware, manuals and documentation appropriate to the specific task. | Coursework. |
| 3. Maintain accurate and effective records of work undertaken and demonstrate sound working practices and a responsible attitude in respect of flight safety and the airworthiness of aircraft. | Coursework. |
| 4. Produce basic engineering drawings using a CAD package having independently learnt how to use the software. | Coursework. |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Practical exercises | Practical exam | 50% |
| CAD Log Book | Coursework | 20% |
| CAD-based assignment | Coursework | 30% |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It IS NOT a requirement that any element of assessment is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.
The module material issued for module AE5001 Aircraft Materials, Hardware and Maintenance.
Aircraft Maintenance Manuals, structural repair manuals and troubleshooting manuals.
Federal Aviation Administration (1998) Advisory Circular AC 43.13 - 1B with CHANGE 1, AC 43.13 - 2A Combined - acceptable methods, techniques, and practices - aircraft inspection and repair USA, Englewood, Jeppesen
Jeppesen Sanderson Inc. (2009) A & P Technician General Textbook. Jeppesen. ISBN-13 978-0884875222
Jeppesen Sanderson Inc. (2003) A & P Technician Airframe Textbook. 3rd ed. Jeppesen. ISBN-13 978-0884873310
Aviation Authority Approval - Course Material
Aviation authorities normally require approved training organisations to produce and maintain training material for the modules associated with the courses they deliver under their approval. Students on aviation authority approved courses will be provided with training material in accordance with the requirements of the approval and the conditions specified by the training organisation. Partner organisations may charge for this material.