The Application of Reliability Methods for Helicopter Aircraft Periodic Major Overhaul Inspection

Background: In aviation, reliability and maintainability are essential for ensuring system safety. Minimizing periodic inspection time and costs, reducing maintenance actions, consequently increasing fleet readiness and customer satisfaction is the need of the hour. Purpose: To address and demonstrate the role of reliability and maintainability (R.M.) application and prediction methods in optimizing the extended aircraft periodic major overhauls. Case study considered was the Super Puma (S.P.) aircraft that belongs to European aviation industry with a second major overhaul (after 24 years since first flight) . Design/Methodology/Approach: Field and operational data of the S.P. and reliability distributions were analyzed for the last 24 years on major aircraft systems (Airframe, Power plant, Electrical & Instrument, and Radio Systems) and theresults were compared with the international aircraft system reliability standard indexes like Complex General Aviation (G.A.) Aircraft System and NASA aircraft aviation systems. Findings: The S.P. aircraft systems reliability was lower beside higher systems rate of failure Compared to figures specified in the to international standards, Weibull and normal distributions found to fit the S.P. failure data better, Best reliability and the hazard rate function found for the following systems( power plants, electric and instrument, and radio systems)respectively. Originality/Value: This paper examined the system's reliability for improving aircraft safety, addresses reliability prediction issues, and analyzed it at the major overhaul periodic inspections every 12 years and demonstrates that reliability is a crucial matter to consider in all phases of the life cycle of S.P. aircraft. Authors recommend that users execute root causes analysis to improve reliability and reduce the hazard rates for maximum S.P. airworthiness.