Application
This unit of competency requires application of skills and knowledge relating to the maintenance and packing of escape slides. Maintenance involves inspection, testing, fault diagnosis, replacement of parts and cleaning during the performance of scheduled or unscheduled maintenance. Maintenance may be performed individually or as part of a team.
The unit does not include repairing escape slides.
The unit applies to a number of types of inflatable aircraft escape slides and is part of the Aeroskills Life Support and Furnishing Certificate III and IV training pathways.
The unit is used in workplaces that operate under the airworthiness regulatory systems of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1. | Maintain escape slide | 1.1 | Escape slide is inspected for serviceability in accordance with standard procedures |
1.2 | Identified faults beyond own authority to rectify are reported to supervisor and faulty escape slide is quarantined | ||
1.3 | Unserviceable parts of the escape slide are replaced in accordance with standard procedures while observing all relevant work health and safety (WHS) requirements, including the use of material safety data sheets (MSDS) and items of personal protective equipment (PPE) | ||
1.4 | Escape slide is tested for serviceability in accordance with standard procedures and manufacturer’s specifications | ||
1.5 | Escape slide is cleaned in accordance with standard procedures | ||
1.6 | Escape slide is presented for inspection by supervisor in accordance with standard procedures | ||
1.7 | Maintenance documentation is completed and processed in accordance with standard enterprise procedures | ||
2. | Pack escape slide | 2.1 | Escape slide is packed for use in accordance with standard procedures |
2.2 | Escape slide is presented for inspection by supervisor in accordance with standard enterprise procedures | ||
2.3 | Relevant documentation is completed and processed in accordance with standard enterprise procedures |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria under the specified conditions of assessment, and must include:
applying WHS practices relating to escape slide maintenance processes, including the selection and correct use of PPE, where applicable
using MSDS
using maintenance publications, drawings and documentation relating to escape slide maintenance
handling, storing and organising transport of equipment
delivering briefings to personnel in relation to operating escape slides
inflating/deflating escape slides for maintenance
using applicable testing and measuring equipment, tools and maintenance documentation.
tying various types of knots, including:
reef knot
bowline
thumb knot
half hitch
hand sewing
cleaning and maintenance of equipment and tools.
The underlying skills inherent in this unit should be transferable across a range of aircraft life support equipment maintenance activities. It is essential that escape slide testing and inspection procedures, cleanliness requirements and safety precautions are fully observed, understood and complied with. Ability to interpret maintenance and packing procedures and apply them in practice is critical.
This is to be demonstrated through demonstration of the ability to recognise faults and replace components that are within the bounds of the individual’s authority, and through the demonstration of correct packing procedures.
Evidence of Knowledge
Evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include knowledge of:
relevant regulations, standards, enterprise procedures and maintenance publications
WHS procedures relating to survival inflatable life raft and escape slide maintenance, including the selection and use of PPE
how to obtain MSDS
relevant safety precautions including storage and handling of compressed gas cylinders
critical nature of maintaining and packing survival inflation devices, i.e. risk of death
search and rescue procedures
approved cleaning methods for aviation life support equipment
environmental conditions that may affect survival inflation devices, including UV degradation
types of corrosion and contamination that may affect survival inflation devices
handling, storage and transit procedures relating to survival inflation devices
survival inflation devices and methods of operation
principles of operation of inflation mechanisms
components of an escape slide and their function
repair limitations for escape slides
modification requirements for escape slides
requirements for a survival inflation device servicing facility
packing tools and measuring equipment required to pack survival inflatable devices
use of escape slides.
Assessment Conditions
Competency should be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace using materials, tools and equipment specified in the maintenance manuals and applicable procedures. It is also expected that general and special-purpose tools and ground support equipment would be used where appropriate.
The work plan should take account of applicable safety and quality requirements in accordance with the industry and regulatory standards.
The following conditions of assessment represent the requirements of the Regulators (ADF and CASA) and maintenance stakeholders and must be rigorously observed.
A person cannot be assessed as competent until it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the workplace assessor that the relevant elements and performance criteria of the unit of competency are being achieved under routine supervision on the following range of tasks:
completing a minimum of three (3) inflation tests without the need for corrective action by the supervisor
recognising the limits of own authority
testing cylinder weight and determining if it is within tolerance
correctly packing a minimum of three (3) escape slides without the need for corrective action by the supervisor
recognising a range of faults and their serviceability limits (faults must include incorrect manufacture and verifying expiry date of escape slide.
This shall be established via the records in the Log of Industrial Experience and Achievement or, where appropriate, an equivalent Industry Evidence Guide (for details refer to the Companion Volume Assessment Guidelines).
Assessors must satisfy the requirements of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Australian Skills Quality Authority, or its successors).
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. | ||
Applicable types of escape slides include: | 19D22454-2 19D22387-2 19D22454-5 19D22454-6 | |
Standard procedures are found in any or all of: | Commonwealth/state/territory WHS legislation, regulations and codes Australian Standards Equipment manufacturers’ specifications and procedures Industry practices Safety manual Maintenance schedules Work instructions Maintenance organisation manual MSDS Defence regulations and instructions Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASRs) and advisory material Standing instructions | |
Faults include: | Abrasion Broken stitching Contamination Corrosion of metal parts Damaged hardware Delamination/porosity Expired components or equipment Faulty valves Frayed lines Holes Incorrect manufacture Lifting tapes Ultraviolet (UV) degradation | |
Parts include: | Cylinders Operating head Valves Valise | |
Testing includes: | Cylinder weight tolerance Inflation tests |
Sectors
Competency Field
Aircraft life support