This study discuss how United Parcel Service (UPS) develop its aircraft maintenance program after import of McDonnell Douglas MD-11aircraft and the process of exporting newMD-11 aircraft from manufacturer in USA to European operator as passenger aircraft. It also discusses the process of importing the same types of aircraft as freight carrier.
The aircraft undergo, through different modifications at Singapore Technologies Aerospace (STA)conversion from passenger to freight carrier, a program specially designed for UPS airlines before import to USA.The thesis work was carried out in close communication with the maintenance department at UPS in California and Kentucky, McDonnell Douglas manufacturing plant in Missouri and at Boeing in Washington.
The aim of this thesis was to examine and discuss the rules and regulation of import and exports of aircraft in U.S. based on UPS import of MD-11 aircraft. Furthermore, to discuss the transformation of maintenance program from one airline to another, with emphasis on how U.S. operator develop their maintenance program.
McDonnell Douglas manufactures MD-11 aircraft, and as aircraft manufacturing company they must comply with the United States of America Federal aviation regulation part 21requirements. Besides that, the company has bilateral agreement with the buying country Switzerland, facilitating the reciprocal airworthiness certification of civil aeronautical products exported between the two parties.
Bilateral airworthiness agreement or aviation safety agreement with implementation procedure for airworthiness facilitate the airworthiness technical cooperation between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and its counterpart Switzerland Civil Aviation Authorities (SCAA).
UPS buy MD-11 aircraft after being modified as freight carriers. In order to obtain air worthiness certification from FAA UPS and Boeing secures that the aircraft is airworthy and have got appropriate overall maintenance service through a careful investigation process of the technical history and background of the aircraft.
After receiving the FAA certificate UPS in cooperation with Boeing develop the maintenance program, before the aircraft is assigned for service in the UPS fleet.During my work it has been difficult to find information about the technical history of the aircraft, mainly because the first operator Swissair became bankrupt and all documentation was transferred to Boeing and then to UPS.
There were also many companies involved in the process of converting passenger aircraft to freight carrier, like ST Aero Subsidiary, Sasco in Singapore and Boeing.The work can be used as a reference to check what part of FAA deals and documents are needed for import and export of aircraft, and what should be done to start the import and export process. It guides the reader to an immediate understanding of regulatory organization and their particular departments or part numbers.
Source: Mälardalen University
Author: Takele, Teklu
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