When the FAA gets wind of a potential issue with an aircraft it often relies on reports from the field to determine how widespread the problem is. That’s where you as the operator or technician come in.
For at least the past decade the agency has been using SARA, the Small Airplane Risk Analysis tool, to discover and assess the risk of various structural and airworthiness issues. It’s a statistical analysis tool that helps to drive decisions on things such as Airworthiness Directives and Special Airworthiness Information Bulletins. Working with the manufacturer, the FAA will seek input from operators to help populate the number of incidents in question, whether it be a crack, an item that is aging in an unpredictable way, or anything else of concern.
The analysis is obviously only as good as the numbers being fed into the model. This is why it’s critical for technicians and operators to report all the data, and not only those where a concern is found.
For example, a recently reported crack in the wing skin near the main landing gear could be an issue with the way a certain operator utilizes the airplane, or it could be a widespread problem. To find out, Twin Commander Aircraft may ask for crack reports, and if technicians only make reports when cracks are found, it will skew the data toward a widespread problem.
However, if the technician reports the hours and cycles of every aircraft he inspects, it provides a fuller picture of what’s happening in the field. Doing so may help avert a costly AD or Mandatory Service Bulletin.
So, the next time the FAA or the manufacturer seeks information about an area of concern, make it a practice to report the details of all the airplanes that are inspected, and not only those where a problem is found. You’ll be helping to promote the health and vitality of the entire fleet.
