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August 15, 2022

It should go without saying that individuals and large-scale organizations spend a massive amount of money on buying aircraft. Thus, maintaining the aircraft's engine and exhaust systems is of utmost importance if you want to get the best results from them and have safe and secure flights.

Accordingly, hiring the professional services of certified professional aircraft welding technicians is critical to maximizing the safety and health of an aircraft. The good thing is that you can personally monitor the health of an aircraft’s exhaust system to determine whether you have to take it to a professional technician.

This blog post enlists and explains the top five crucial tips you can follow to inspect your aircraft:

Safely Disassemble The Exhaust

The first step in the inspection process is to disassemble the exhaust system safely. Separate the components from the stack. During the dissection process, you can also clean the components one by one, as proper cleaning is critical for an aircraft's overall health.

Safe disassembly of the aircraft exhaust system means removing all types of shields and shrouds from the muffler and stack to ensure a thorough inspection. In most cases, you are likely to see small cracks and chips in the mufflers that cannot be detected till the shrouds are removed as shrouds conceal them.

Remember that if too much dirt, dust, and grime are accumulated in the exhaust, you must consider taking it to a professional welding technician or mechanic for thorough cleansing. Otherwise, if you try to clean the excessive dust by yourself, you may unintentionally damage the exhaust.

Examine The Components Individually

Once you complete the disassembly process and separate the components from the engine, you should thoroughly examine the components one by one to detect any kind of leak or soot. Most professionals use pressure blasters to inspect each part individually and detect leaks. It will also help you find any potential cracks and get them repaired by certified aircraft technicians to ensure the aircraft works in optimum condition for smooth flights.

Also Read: How Does An Aircraft Exhaust Impact Flight Safety?

Search For Missing Parts

Inspection of the aircraft exhaust system also includes ensuring there is no part missing. After checking and identifying potential leaks, you should ensure that no part is missing or malfunctioning. Even small components like bolts and nuts can go missing and cause the entire airplane to malfunction.

If you are facing any of these issues, you should get help from professional aircraft technicians who can thoroughly examine your aircraft exhaust components and suggest a suitable solution to repair or replace the aircraft exhaust safely.

Get Familiar With Aircraft Exhaust Components

When you are inspecting an aircraft, you should be familiar with the two primary component materials of the aircraft’s system. These two materials are Inconel and stainless steel.

If you do not have much experience in dealing with aircraft and exhaust systems, there is a high chance that you will be unable to differentiate between these two materials.

However, a well-experienced professional welding technician can quickly identify the material and implement suitable inspection and maintenance strategies. Generally, Inconel is more durable due to its high heat resistance.

In contrast, aircraft exhaust systems made of stainless steel require more regular inspection because steel tends to deteriorate more quickly over time.

Similarly, it is easy to detect fatigue on the surfaces of metals. Such deterioration can be in the form of cracks and bulges. Also, you should inspect the bends in the pipes to ensure the material is not worn out. If it is, you can contact a professional aircraft technician to repair the damaged parts.

Focus On Potential Backfires

Backfires have the capability of obliterating an aircraft’s exhaust system. You should be careful about any of these potential backfires. They can result in the aircraft’s baffles becoming unhinged.

Generally, if you experience a backfire, you should not try to inspect the exhaust system on your own because it can be dangerous as well. Instead, you should immediately contact a professional aircraft welding technician to get professional advice on fixing the aircraft.

About Acorn Welding

If you are looking for comprehensive inspection and maintenance of aircraft exhaust systems or the entire aircraft, you can rely on Acorn Welding to provide you with the best services. We have over 20 years of experience in aircraft designing and maintenance. Therefore, inspecting an aircraft exhaust system is not a difficult task for us. Contact us at any time to get more information.