121 maintenance question.

[Aztec Driver]

For those of you who know, what are the limitations on maintenance on a 121 scheduled commercial airliner while sitting at the gate boarding passengers?

Specifically, jacking up one side of an aircraft and replacing a tire/wheel and dropping it back down again. Not a big deal, I know, but with a full passenger load, and while the bags are being loaded? I would not have thought that prudent or legal.

 

[RotorAndWing]

For those of you who know, what are the limitations on maintenance on a 121 scheduled commercial airliner while sitting at the gate boarding passengers?

Specifically, jacking up one side of an aircraft and replacing a tire/wheel and dropping it back down again. Not a big deal, I know, but with a full passenger load, and while the bags are being loaded? I would not have thought that prudent or legal.

Depends upon each airline's GMM (General Maintenance Manual) for that make and model aircraft.

 

[Rex Kramer]

Depends upon each airline's GMM (General Maintenance Manual) for that make and model aircraft.

Yep. I've worked at some airlines where you have to have all passengers off the plane. I've worked at others than can have the pax on board.

 

[j1b3h0]

I agree: Depends on the airline and type equiptment. And, sometimes, on the flight crew's familiarity with maintainence proceedures. On the 737, the right main tires can probably be changed while people are aboard, but if it were up to me - and it isn't, we wouldn't, because it takes almost an hour. Not fair to the passengers...REALLY NOT FAIR to the flight crew, who don't get paid a nickel until the cabin door closes and brakes are released. In addition those, jacking the left side will render the jetbridge unuseable (because it changes the level of the main cabin door) and is not approved.

 

[Aztec Driver]

I agree: Depends on the airline and type equiptment. And, sometimes, on the flight crew's familiarity with maintainence proceedures. On the 737, the right main tires can probably be changed while people are aboard, but if it were up to me - and it isn't, we wouldn't, because it takes almost an hour. Not fair to the passengers...REALLY NOT FAIR to the flight crew, who don't get paid a nickel until the cabin door closes and brakes are released. In addition those, jacking the left side will render the jetbridge unuseable (because it changes the level of the main cabin door) and is not approved.

Well, it was the right main of a 737. It probably made no difference to the flight crew, as they were completed prior to pushback. They were still loading the last of the luggage when the tire was completed. It just seemed oddly out of place watching the maintenance done to an aircraft while passengers were loaded and the baggage was still loading.

 

[maddog52]

Depends upon each airline's GMM (General Maintenance Manual) for that make and model aircraft.

Yup! Seen it done at multiple airlines on multiple types. Pax can't even tell it'shappening most of the time. And while the mechanics aren't NASCAR fast, it usually doesn't take very many minutes.

 

[LearDriver]

Consider yourself lucky that they completed the fix. The one I flew for would defer maintenance as long as possible. Especially in regards to tires.