An aircraft exhaust system is an essential component of an aircraft, and any damage to it can lead to fire and engine problems. Timely inspection and repair can save you from severe consequences. With the proper inspection steps, you can devise the right maintenance plan. It will tell you how your exhaust system is doing and what needs to be replaced.
This blog post highlights the aircraft exhaust system and the most effective inspection tips for it.
What Is An Aircraft Exhaust System?
An aircraft exhaust system is used to maintain an ideal level of temperature in the engine. It expels the hot air into the standard collector ring. It is critical to flight safety, as a damaged exhaust system can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, fire, or loss of engine performance.
Why Is Aircraft Exhaust System Inspection Important?
Aircraft exhaust systems are used to maintain certain temperatures within your engine. Their inspection is necessary to flush out any harmful gases and to keep them from spreading in the passenger's area. Carbon monoxide can be harmful, the exhaust system of your aircraft helps to prevent leaks.
Inspecting an aircraft's exhaust system is important, so let's take a look at some of the most effective tips for inspecting the exhaust system of your aircraft.
Check For Meta Fatigue, Leaks, And Corrosion
This is one of the easiest inspection techniques for checking the condition of an exhaust system. If you see any stains on the parts of your exhaust system, there may be a leak in that area. A leak can cause the build up of grayish soot-like material that can change to the colour orange when left for too long. These signs are common around welds and flanges.
Such stains are early signs of metal corrosion that can damage the essential parts of your aircraft. Metal fatigue is often detected by a blister on its surface due to heat and other contaminants. While inspecting, don't use lead pencils to mark the problems as this can lead to bigger problems.
Read Airworthiness Directives (AD)
Manufacturer service bulletins and Airworthiness Directives (AD) can help you to determine whether your aircraft is still airworthy or not. These docs give you information about your aircrafts inspection and maintenance.
Perform A Pressure Test To Find Leaks
A pressure test can be performed to check for gas leaks. You can read the instruction manual or an air source such as a shop vac (in reverse mode) or regulated shop air in the tailpipe. A pressure test can also help you check for any cracks or leaks, helping you spot any problem areas, making your inspection process easier.
Check Connections
Seals should be sealed, and slip joints should slip. If it is not the case, there may be a leak somewhere that can cause severe issues later on. Mufflers should be intact and not distorted. Ensure that they do not obstruct the pipeline.
Call A Professional
You can attempt to inspect your exhaust system by yourself. The above-mentioned tips are some of the basic tips that can help you keep your aircraft's exhaust system in healthy condition. Apart from this, you can also seek professional help and call relevant companies to come check it for you. Acorn Welding is one of the best aircraft specialists that can help you with this process. Contact us here for further assistance.
