Inspections Support

Aircraft Pre-purchase or Pre-handover Inspections

We can perform aircraft pre-purchase or pre-handover inspections to identify the necessary actions to meet the contractual delivery or redelivery conditions and to highlight potential areas of risk during the effective aircraft purchase or handover.

The meaning of this inspection is a General Visual Inspection of the aircraft, engine nacelles, composite parts and cabin together with a detailed analysis of the aircraft records by sampling or full check upon customer request.

During the records Inspection, we make our best efforts to obtain copies or scanned documents of the following operator approved documentation: Certificates, Log books, Modifications status, Maintenance history and OMP status, Maintenance checks work packages, AD status and original “dirty finger prints” documentation, LLP with back to birth /TCC status with related certificates, Tech Log, Deferred Defect list, Repair status/mapping, structural repair files, Concessions status, ETOPS status (if applicable), Component status with related certificates, Accident / Incident status, Engines reliability and/or trend monitoring program, Cabin lay-out drawings, emergency equipment layout.

After the inspection, we can provide a Pre-handover Inspection Report including the list of all the findings/discrepancies. All physical damages can be supported by digital photo evidence (if cameras were allowed at the place of the inspection).

Purchase or Handover Inspection and Support

Before the Transfer of Title of an aircraft, we can perform purchase and handover inspections to make a full assessment of the aircraft and its records. Activities can be defined by an Action Plan highlighting roles, duties, contractual conditions and planning.

Following our experience, the duration of this activity is about three weeks on site depending on the findings and the time frame given by our customer.

As general duties, we take particular attention of issues affecting:

The airworthiness of the aircraft.
The contractual delivery or redelivery condition gaps.
The potential items of high cost.
The items which can potentially delay the handover.

We can propose several levels of physical inspections depending on the time frame, the access and the team size requested by our client. Nevertheless a list of minimum access to be granted is sent to the operator of the concerned aircraft.

The physical inspections can include but are not limited to:

Check and mapping of all dents and structural repairs.
Check of the airframe for corrosion or cracks.
Engine nacelles and composite parts expertise.
Check for air, fuel, hydraulic, water leaks.
Part Number and Serial number checking against aircraft fitted components list (cockpit, avionics compartment, flight control, hydraulics, Engines, APU) of the major internal components.
The cabin check (cross-checked with the approved LOPA and Emergency Equipment location drawing).
If required and in accordance with Operator/MRO at the time of inspection, specific areas can be inspected as per MPD tasks in order to have a more thorough vision of the Aircraft state (under floor structure in cargo compartment, inner wing structure…).

The physical inspection can be conducted by experienced experts and/or qualified technicians on the aircraft type (upon request).

Our records specialists perform the on-site records collection from the previous Operator and the analysis of the airframe documentation as defined in the lease or purchase contract and as per the airworthiness requirements, making sure that all records recovered from the previous Operator are correctly filled in, signed off and stamped.

The following status and documentation are reviewed, but not limited to:

Maintenance: Approved Maintenance Program Status, ALS tasks status, Checks history, CRS.
Airworthiness Directives: Airframe, Engines and Appliances Status, AOT Status, Dirty finger prints.
Radio Navigation Equipment’s: release certificates of Installed Equipment, Station License, and Compass Swing.
Weighing Report: Last weighing Report and weighing inventory.
Time Controlled Components with all the associated release certificates.
LLP (LDG, Engines, airframe listed in ALS) LLP status, MTS and associated back to birth justifications.
Structural Repairs: Repairs mapping, status, files including RAS or SRM reference and repair classification.
Aircraft configuration: AIR, LDG folio 12, SB status, EO&STC Status, Cabin & Emergency LOPA’s, KARDEX.
Certificates: Export C of A, Noise Certificate, CofA, CEN, De-registration Certificate.
ETOPS status, ETOPS CMP Compliance status, P/N and S/N list.
Deferred items (if applicable).
Production concessions with the interval and/or deadline (if applicable).
Non Incident/Accident statement.
Records inventory list.
Fuel, oil and hydraulic analysis.
Engine trend monitoring and oil consumption.
Burn certificates.

We can organize the relevant status in a binder in order to facilitate the presentation of the airworthiness documentation to a potential customer or to a regulation authority.

Before commitment letter and acceptance certificate issuance and signature, we check that all relevant documents are valid, stamped and duly signed and we produce a list of remaining physical and record discrepancies/defects which can be used for commitment letter negotiation.

During and at the end of the event, our representative can support our client for:

Planning review and up-date.
Certification matters to obtain an Export Certificate of Airworthiness.
During Technical and Contractual Acceptance phases, support our client during contractual negotiations.

Aircraft Delivery Support

Prior to the Aircraft delivery, we can assist our clients in the definition of the delivery conditions prior to final signature of the lease or sale contract.

During the delivery phase, our records specialists and representative can support our customer for, but not limited to:

Planning review and up-date.
Participate with a customer client’s in its delivery inspections.
Aircraft records presentation to a customer.
Customer queries follow up and ensure that the Customer questions and correction requests are followed up and agreed closed by both parties.
Support our customer to obtain an Export C of A.
Be a witness for Ground Checks, Engine Runs and Demonstration Flight.
Monitoring and reporting on the progress of all snag rectifications consequent to the ground checks, engine runs and demonstration flight.
Issuing the list of deferred items agreed by the Customer (if applicable) to be included in the Commitment Letter.
At delivery time, provide the new operator with the documentation (hard copies) legally required by EASA, FAA or other regulations to maintain the Airworthiness of the aircraft.
Deliver Aircraft records boxes sorted out and get signed a form attesting that new Owner/Operator receives the records.
Participate as an advisor (in term of parts requirement, man-hours….) and support our customer during the contractual acceptance process and issuance of the Commitment Letter until the technical acceptance.

Aircraft Parts Inspection

By using our dedicated partners, we can propose inspection or expertise conducted by experienced and qualified inspectors for:

Airframe from nose to tail (ATA 52, 53, 54, 55, 57).
Many aircraft parts (components), for instance :
- Engine Nacelles: nose cowl, fan cowl, thrust reverser cowl (ATA 71, 72, 78).
- Flight commands: flap, slats, spoilers, ailerons.
- Composite parts: ATA 25 panels, fairings, radomes.

Aircraft Paint Inspection

We can inspect and technically accept the Paint of an aircraft according to the Paint drawings or livery.

We can produce a Paint Inspection Report.

Cabin Inspection

We can establish the condition of an aircraft passenger cabin and check its conformity with the approved Cabin layout.

The inspection can be a sampling or a full check and can include:

A general visual inspection of seats, galleys, lavatories, partitions, carpets, curtains, doghouses, coatrooms, hat-racks, window and ceiling panels.
Operational checks of all the related systems including the seats and overhead bins.
A review of the Tech Log, cabin log, and Deferred Defect lists.

The duration is deemed by the inspection level requested by our customer.

After the inspection termination, we can provide a Cabin inspection Report supported by digital photos and a List of defects.