REPORT ON

INDUSTRIAL TRAINING

AT

AIR INDIA ENGINEERING SERVICES, MUMBAI

Submitted by

DIPAYAN MAJI
Reg. No.: 170909228
Branch: Mechanical Engineering

Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

MANIPAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

October-2020
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 CONTENTS

Sl. No. Title Page No.

1 Acknowledgment 4
2 Introduction 5
2.1 Company Profile 5

2.2 Line Maintenance 6

2.3 Base Maintenance 6

2.4 Facilities at AIESL, Mumbai 8

3 Objective 9
4 Wide Body Fleet Details of Air India 10
4.1 Boeing 747-400 10

4.2 Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER 12

4.3 Boeing 787-800 15

5 Aircrafts Worked on 17
6 Components Operated 19
6.1 Jet Engine 19

6.2 AC Bay and Landing Gear 20

6.3 Wings 21

6.4 Cargo Shaft and Electrical Bay 22

7 Additional Training Module 24

7.1 Tool Storage 24

7.2 Engine Run-Up 24

7.3 Refueling an Aircraft 24

7.4 Evacuation Slide Deployment Test 25

7.5 Ram Air Turbine 25

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8 Cockpit 27
8.1 Cockpit Layout 27

8.2 Instrument Panel 28

9 Inference 30

10 Bibliography 31

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 1. Acknowledgment

Cogitating from a wider perspective, I earned immense pleasure by working in the Engineering
division of Air India Limited. On-hand training on the various aircraft locations and parts has
enabled me to gain a deep insight into the maintenance and repair operations performed,
specifically on aircraft.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to the engineering services division of Air India Limited for bestowing
me to work with the organization and allowing me to hone important skills required for the
industry.

I would also like to thank the numerous Senior Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) and
technicians, under whose guidance and support, I was able to perform well throughout the training.

I place my gratefulness to all those department related people in the organization for disseminating
their knowledge of experience and on task functioning.

I would like to thank the Head of Department, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing
Engineering, MIT for allowing us to undergo training in an Industry of our interest and the faculty
for their key inputs and assistance throughout.

I extend my gratitude to my college Manipal Institute of Technology, for the opportunity to

undergo this essential training.

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 2. Introduction

Air India’s Engineering division Air India Engineering Services Ltd, Mumbai offers
undergraduate students an opportunity to work and observe the ongoing maintenance, repair, and
overhaul (MRO) process at their hangers and workshop at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
International Airport, Mumbai. During the Internship, the intern is posted at various workshops
under his engineering trade and field of interest. The internship opportunity at Air India’s
Engineering division is one of the best places in the country to enhance one’s knowledge about
aviation and aircraft.

2.1 Company Profile

Air India is the flag carrier of India, headquartered in New Delhi. It is owned by Air India Limited,
a government-owned enterprise, and operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving 94
domestic and international destinations. It is the largest international carrier out of India with over
60 international destinations across four continents. J.R.D. Tata found the airline as Tata Airlines
in 1932. After World War II, it became a public limited company and was renamed as Air India.
It became the first Asian airline to induct a jet aircraft in its fleet. Air India also operates flights
through its subsidiaries Alliance Air and Air India Express. The airline is also a member of the
prestigious Star Alliance since 11 July 2014.

Air India Engineering Services Limited a wholly owned subsidiary company of Air India Limited,
was formed on 11th March 2004. AIESL has specialized overhaul shops and is equipped with
hangars, workshops, storage rooms, and office buildings, under national and international
regulations and requirements.

AIESL policy is to be self-reliant in areas of Aircraft Maintenance (Line and Base Maintenance),
Preventive Maintenance, Alterations or required Inspections, the overhaul of aero engines, and
components and accessories and specialized services, NDT, etc. AIESL comprises huge
infrastructure to cater to Line Maintenance, Base Maintenance, Engine Overhaul, Accessories
Overhaul, and Component Overhaul activities as per capability at main bases and line stations.
AIESL offers exclusive maintenance services to Third Party Customers.

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2.2 Line Maintenance

The maintenance carried out while an airplane is parked at an airport waiting for the next takeoff
is generally referred to as Line maintenance. It is 45 minutes during which the aircraft is refueled,
and all critical instruments are checked for defects. Also, a comprehensive post-flight inspection
is carried out to detect and possibly fix any problems faced by the pilot or the flight crew in general
before the next flight. Once the engineering staff has completed their checks the plane is handed
over to the pilot after filling out the relevant paperwork. Pilots are required to follow up with their
preflight Inspection. The preflight inspection follows a checklist listing items that the pilot is to
visually check for general conditions as he or she walks around the airplane. Also, the pilot must
ensure that fuel, oil, and other items required for flight are at the proper levels and not
contaminated. Additionally, it is the pilot’s responsibility to review the airworthiness certificate,
maintenance records, and other required paperwork to verify that the aircraft is indeed airworthy.

2.3 Base Maintenance

Aircraft maintenance checks are periodic inspections that have to be done on all commercial/civil
aircraft after a certain amount of time or usage - the military aircraft normally follow specific
maintenance programs which may or may not be similar to the commercial/civil operators. Airlines
and other commercial operators of large or turbine-powered aircraft follow a continuous inspection
program approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India or by other
airworthiness authorities such as the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) or the European Aviation
Safety Agency (EASA). Airlines and airworthiness authorities casually refer to the detailed
inspections as “checks”, commonly one of the following: A check, B check, C check, or D check.
A and B checks are lighter checks, while C and D are considered heavier checks.

• Category A-Check:
This is performed approximately every 500 - 800 flight hours. It needs about 20 man-hours and is
usually performed overnight at an airport gate. The actual occurrence of this check varies by
aircraft type, the cycle count (takeoff and landing are considered an aircraft “cycle”), or the number
of hours flown since the last check. The occurrence can be delayed by the airline if certain
predetermined conditions are not met.

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 • Category B-Check:
This is performed approximately every 4-6 months. It needs about 150 man-hours and is usually
performed within 1-3 days at an airport hangar. A similar occurrence schedule applies to the B
check as to the A check. B checks may be incorporated into successive A checks, i.e.: A-1 through
A-10 complete all the B check items.

• Category C-Check:
This is performed approximately every 15–21 months or a specific amount of actual Flight Hours
(FH) as defined by the manufacturer. This maintenance check is much more extensive than a B
Check, as pretty much the whole aircraft is inspected. This check puts the aircraft out of service
and until it is completed, the aircraft must not leave the maintenance site. It also requires more
space than A and B Checks - usually a hangar at a maintenance base. The time needed to complete
such a check is generally 1-2 weeks, and the effort involved can require up to 6000 man-hours.
The schedule of occurrence has many factors and components as has been described, and thus
varies by aircraft category and type.

• Category D-check:
This is - by far - the most comprehensive and demanding check for an airplane. It is also known
as a Heavy Maintenance Visit (HMV). This check occurs approximately every 5–6 years. It is a
check that takes the entire airplane apart for inspection and overhaul. Also, if required, the paint
may need to be completely removed for further inspection of the fuselage metal skin. Such a check
will usually demand around 40.000 man-hours and it can generally take up to 2 months to
complete, depending on the aircraft and the number of technicians involved. It also requires the
most space of all maintenance checks, and as such must be performed at a suitable maintenance
base. Given the requirements of this check and the tremendous effort involved in it, it is also the
most expensive maintenance check of all, with total costs for a single visit being well within the
million-dollar range. Considering the nature and the cost of such a check, most airlines - especially
those with a large fleet - must plan D Checks for their aircraft years in advance. Ofttimes, older
aircraft being phased out of an airline’s fleet are either stored or scrapped upon reaching their next
D Check, due to the high costs involved in it in comparison to the aircraft’s value. On average, a
commercial aircraft undergoes 2-3 D Checks before it is retired. As such, only a few of these shops
offer D checks.

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2.4 Facilities at AIESL, Mumbai

The Major Facilities Present at the Mumbai Base were:

• MRO - Heavy Maintenance

• Line Maintenance
• Engine/APU Overhaul
• Component Overhaul
• Landing Gear Repair
• Maintenance Training
The Mumbai Base is used to cater to Maintenance tasks of the following Boeing aircraft which are
owned, operated, and serviced by Air India:

• Boeing 747-400
• Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER
• Boeing 787-8

Fig. No. 1: AIESL Facility at Mumbai Airport

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 3. Objective

Aims and objectives include:

• To understand the underlying principles of the components available in the workshop.

• To observe the ongoing process of component maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO).
• Get an engineer’s perspective on the role of an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer.
Aircraft maintenance is the overhaul, repair, inspection, or modification of an aircraft or aircraft
component. Maintenance includes the installation or removal of a component from an aircraft, or
aircraft subassembly, but does not include:

• Elementary work, such as removing and replacing tires, inspection plates, spark plugs,
checking cylinder compression, etc.
• Servicing, such as refueling, washing windows.
• Any work that is done on an aircraft or aircraft component as part of the manufacturing
process, before the issue of a certificate of airworthiness or other certification documents.

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 4. Wide Body Fleet Details of Air India

4.1 Boeing 747-400

The Boeing B-747 is an American wide-body commercial jet airliner and cargo aircraft. The first
wide-body airplane produced; it was the first plane dubbed a "Jumbo Jet". Its distinctive hump
upper deck along the forward part of the aircraft has made it one of the most recognizable aircraft.
It is manufactured by Boeing's Commercial Airplane unit in the United States. First flown
commercially in 1970, the 747 held the passenger capacity record for 37 years.

The quad jet 747 uses a double-deck configuration for part of its length and is available in
passenger, freighter, and other versions. Boeing designed the 747's hump-like upper deck to serve
as a first-class lounge or extra seating and to allow the aircraft to be easily converted to a cargo
carrier. By June 2019, 1,554 aircraft had been built, with 20 of the 747-8 variants remaining in
order.

Air India uses the 747-400 variant. The 747-400 is an improved model with an increased range. It
has wingtip extensions of 6 ft (1.8 m) and winglets of 6 ft (1.8 m), which improve the type's fuel
efficiency by four percent compared to the previous 747 versions. The winglets result in a 3 percent
increase in long-range cruise, improved take-off performance, and higher cruise altitudes. The
extended wingspan also gains an additional leading-edge flap section. When unfurnished, the basic
747-400 fuselage is lighter than preceding models. The landing gear uses the same configuration
as the previous 747s, but with carbon brakes.

Table No. 1: Air India Boeing 747-400 Statistics

Current Fleet Size (Owned/Leased/Total) 2/2/4

Maximum Take-off Weight 377.8 tons
Wingspan 211.40 ft
Overall Length 231.80 ft
Overall Height 64.3 ft

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Cabin Width 20.1 ft
Wing Area 5,500 sq ft
Average Cruise Speed 0.86 Mach
Maximum Operating Altitude 45,100 ft
Maximum Fuel Capacity 161.40 tons
Maximum Thrust 56.750 lbs.
Number of Engines 4
Engine Model PW 4056

Fig. No. 2: Air India B747-400 Seat Map

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4.2 Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER

The Boeing B-777 is a long-range wide-body twin-engine jet airliner developed and manufactured
by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and has a typical seating capacity
of 314 to 396 passengers, with a range of 5,240 to 8,555 nautical miles (9,704 to 15,844 km).
Commonly referred to as the Triple Seven, its distinguishing features include large-diameter
turbofan engines, long raked wings, six wheels on each main landing gear, fully circular fuselage
cross-section, and a blade-shaped tail cone.

Developed in consultation with eight major airlines, the 777 was designed to replace older wide-
body airliners and bridge the capacity difference between Boeing's 767 and 747. As Boeing's first
fly-by-wire airliner, it has computer-mediated controls. It was also the first commercial aircraft to
be designed entirely with computer-aided design. The 777 has received more orders than any other
wide-body airliner; as of August 2019, more than 60 customers had placed orders for 2,049 aircraft
of all variants, with 1,609 delivered. The 777 ranks as one of Boeing's best-selling models; by
2018 it had become the most-produced Boeing wide-body jet, surpassing the Boeing 747.

Air India uses the 777-200LR and 777-300ER. The 777-200LR ("LR" for Longer Range) is one
of the longest-range commercial airliners. Boeing named it World liner as it can connect almost
any two airports in the world. It holds the world record for the longest nonstop flight by a
commercial airliner. It has a maximum design range of 8,555 nautical miles (15,844 km) as of
2017. It features an increased MTOW and three optional auxiliary fuel tanks in the rear cargo hold.
The 777-300ER ("ER" for Extended Range) has higher MTOW and increased fuel capacity
permits a maximum range of 7,370 nautical miles (13,650 km) with 396 passengers in a two-class
seating arrangement. The 777-300ER features raked and extended wingtips, a strengthened
fuselage, and wings, and modified main landing gear.

Table No. 2: Air India Boeing 777-200 Statistics

Current Fleet Size (Owned/Leased/Total) 3/0/3

Maximum Take-off Weight 347.5 tons
Wingspan 212.6

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Overall Length 209 ft
Overall Height 61.8 ft
Cabin Width 19.1 ft
Wing Area 4,605 sq ft
Average Cruise Speed 0.84 Mach
Maximum Operating Altitude 43,100 ft
Maximum Fuel Capacity 148.07 tons
Maximum Thrust 110,100 lbs.
Number of Engines 2
Engine Model GE90-110B1L1

Fig. No. 3: Air India B777-200LR Seat Map

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 Table No. 3: Air India Boeing 777-300ER Statistics

Current Fleet Size (Owned/Leased/Total) 15/0/15

Maximum Take-off Weight 351.5 tons
Wingspan 212.6 ft
Overall Length 242.3 ft
Overall Height 61.5 ft
Cabin Width 19.1 ft
Wing Area 4,605 sq ft
Average Cruise Speed 0.84 Mach
Maximum Operating Altitude 43,100 ft
Maximum Fuel Capacity 143.2 tons
Maximum Thrust 115,300 lbs.
Number of Engines 2
Engine Model GE90-115BL

Fig. No. 4: Air India B777-300ER Seat Map

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4.3 Boeing 787-800

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner or Boeing 787 is an American long-haul, mid-size wide-body, twin-
engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Its variants seat 242 to 330
passengers in typical two-class seating configurations. It is the first airliner with an airframe
constructed primarily of composite materials. The 787 was designed to be 20% more fuel-efficient
than the Boeing 767, which it was intended to replace. The 787 Dreamliner's distinguishing
features include mostly electrical flight systems, raked wingtips, and noise-reducing chevrons on
its engine nacelles.

The aircraft is 80% composite by volume. External features include a smooth nose contour, raked
wingtips, and engine nacelles with noise-reducing serrated edges (chevrons). Among 787 flight
systems, a key change from traditional airliners is the electrical architecture. The architecture is
bled less and replaces bleed air with electrically powered compressors and four of six hydraulic
power sources with electrically driven pumps. The development and production of the 787 have
involved a large-scale collaboration with numerous suppliers worldwide. The FAA issued a
directive in January 2013 that grounded all 787s in the US and other civil aviation authorities
followed suit. After Boeing completed tests on the revised battery design, the FAA approved the
revised design.

Air India operates the 787-8 version with a typical capacity of 242 passengers and a range of 7,355
nautical miles (13,621 km; 8,464 mi). It is the base model of the 787 families and was the first to
enter service in 2011. The 787-8 is targeted to replace the Boeing 767-200ER and -300ER, as well
as expand into new non-stop markets where larger planes would not be economically viable. As
of May 2019, approximately 31% of 787 orders are for the 787-8 with 361 delivered.

Table No. 4: Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner Statistics

Current Fleet Size (Owned/Leased/Total) 6/21/27

Maximum Take-off Weight 227.9 tons
Wingspan 197.3 ft

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Overall Length 186.1 ft
Overall Height 55.5 ft
Cabin Width 17.9 ft
Wing Area 3,880 sq ft
Average Cruise Speed 0.85 Mach
Maximum Operating Altitude 43,100 ft
Maximum Fuel Capacity 100.30 ft
Maximum Thrust 67,000 ft
Number of Engines 2
Engine Model GE Genx-1B67

Fig. No. 5: Air India B787-800 Seat Map

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 5. Aircrafts Worked On

The schedule provided by Air India required one week of operation on each of the given aircraft.
Daily a specific component would be assigned under the guidance of an Aircraft Maintenance
Engineer and an Aircraft Technician.

The aircraft which I worked on during my training were:

Fig. No. 6: VT-ESO (B747-400)

Fig. No. 7: VT-ESP (B747-400)

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Fig No. 8: VT-NAA (B787-8)

Fig. No. 9: VT- ANP (787-8)

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 6. Components Operated

6.1 Jet Engine

All the aircraft consisted of Turbofan Engines as the primary powerplant.

The turbofan or fanjet is a type of air-breathing jet engine which achieves mechanical energy
from combustion and a ducted fan that uses the mechanical energy from the gas turbine to
accelerate air rearwards. The engines used were PW4056, GE90, and GEnx.

Fig. No. 10: GEnx Jet Engine used in B787-8

The operations carried out were:

• Mounting and removal of a turbofan engine from the aircraft using stands and shaft with
hydraulic assist.
• Re-fuelling of Engine Oil in tanks using manual pumps with Exxon Mobil Oil
• Changing damaged blocker door links of thrust reverse.

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6.2 AC Bay and Landing Gear

The AC Bay is located on the underside of the fuselage. It consists of air conditioning systems,
pressurization systems, RAT, filters, and electrical system wiring.

The landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft that is used for take-off and landing. Every
aircraft consists of a Nose Landing Gear and a pair of Tail Landing Gear (B777, B787) or four Aft
Landing Gears (B747). It also includes the Wheel Well which is the housing location of the
Landing Gear during cruise state. The operation carried out were:

• Mounting and Removal of a Heat Exchanger from the AC Bay using Stands and Shaft with
Hydraulic assist.
• Mounting and Removal of a RAM Air Turbine from the AC Bay using Stands and Shaft
with Hydraulic assist.
• Making connections for inlet, ventilation, and exhaust.
• Performing Leak Checks during the operation of the system.
• Fixing Panels of composite Materials using Driver Gun.
• Synchronization of Flap with the Flap Motor state in the Wheel well.
• Landing Gear Lubrication using Grease Gun Mechanism.
• Pressurizing of the Landing Gear Wheels using Air Compressor and mechanical Barometer
and performing leak checks.
• Retraction test of the landing gear in a jacked state of the aircraft.
Fig. No. 11: Retraction Test of Landing Gear in B747-400

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6.3 Wings

The Wings are the lift producing mechanism of an Aircraft. It has a cross-sectional shape of an
Airfoil with winglets at the edge.

Fig. No. 12: Left Hand Wing of B747-400 with flaps retracted

The internal section consists of Stringers, Ribs, and Spars for additional strength. The Wing
consists of a Fuel Tank near the Wing Root. Operations performed on the wing were:

• Removal and Fixing of Non-Impact Doors on the underside of the wing.

• Observation of Technician entering the Fuel Tanks for Manual Checks
• Leak Checks after operations on the Fuel tank or Hydraulic Lines
• Fixing of Leaks detected using Sealant.
• Servicing of Fuel Flow to the Engine along with electronic systems on the Pylon
connecting engines to the Wing.
• Examining Motors of operation of the Flaps and Aerofoil
.

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6.4 Cargo Shaft and Electrical Bay

The Cargo Shaft is a region on the lower side of the aircraft that is used to store luggage and freight
during a flight. The Cargo section in the forward part of the plane is called Forward Cargo and that
in the rear part is known as Aft Cargo Shaft.

Fig. No. 13: Aft Cargo Area of B878-8

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 Fig. No. 14: Electrical and Equipment Bay of B787-8

The Forward Cargo also hosts a section that consists of avionic systems, wirings, cables, and
batteries. This is known as the Electrical Bay. The operations performed in the Cargo area were:

• Lubrication of wheels in the Cargo Shaft for baggage transportation.

• Duct Taping of Doors and walls to prevent Fire.
• Examining of Electrical and Avionic Systems for faults and errors
• Replacement of filter in the NGS System under the Cargo Bay.
• Servicing of the Door Opening Motors for the Cargo Shaft.

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 7. Additional Training Modules

7.1 Tool Storage

The Tool Storage comprises all types of tools or equipment required to perform any operation on
the aircraft. Additionally, it houses various stands, shafts, trolleys, and special machines to perform
specific tasks like lubrication, pressurization, cleaning, etc.

It also comprises all the requisite material for use in an aircraft like screws, nuts, bolts, fasteners,
fixers, etc. It also houses all the fluids used such as hydraulic fluid, engine oil, lubricating oil,
grease, sealant.

Air India consists of all the tools manufactured by Snap-On. Some of the most common tools used
are Wrenches, Ratchet, Drive Tools, Screwdrivers, Pliers, Hammers, Punches, Chisels, Awls, etc.
Power Tools are also available.

7.2 Engine Run-Up

Engine Run-Up is when an aircraft engine is tested at the airport while the aircraft is stationary on
the tarmac. This usually takes place before the Release to Service of an aircraft from maintenance.
It is done to test aircraft engines and diagnose engine problems, allowing engineers to verify that
aircraft engines are working properly.

During ground running, engine settings are increased from idle to a higher power to simulate what
would happen in flight.

7.3 Refueling an Aircraft

Transferring aviation fuel from tanker or underground tanks to the aircraft is known as Re-fueling.
It requires a special grounding procedure before the start of the process. Static charges are built up
in the airframe in flight. For this, it is essential to ground the aircraft before the fuel nozzle is
brought to the tank inlet. The risk of a spark just before the nozzle touches the filler neck is very
high and it can ignite up the entire fuel. Connections are made from the nozzle to the tanker, tanker
to the landing gear, and tanker to the ground. The Fuel used was Aviation Fuel called Jet A1.

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7.4 Evacuation Slide Deployment Test

It is of the utmost importance to make sure that escape slides’ maintenance is properly done so
that they can deploy correctly when they are the most needed. Operators must perform a certain
number of slide deployment tests regularly. Comprehensively reporting any slide deployment
gives an overview of the slide’s reliability, and this can help to identify areas of improvement.

Fig. No. 15: Escape Slide Deployed – B747-400

7.5 Ram Air Turbine

A Ram Air Turbine (RAT) is a small turbine that is installed in an aircraft and used as an alternate
or emergency hydraulic or electrical power source. The RAT generates power from the airstream
based on the speed of the aircraft and is connected to an electrical generator or a hydraulic pump.

In general, modern aircraft only utilize the RAT in an emergency: either in the event of loss of
hydraulic systems or following the loss of primary electrical generation. In these cases, the RAT
will power vital systems such as flight controls or flight-critical instrumentation, navigation, and
communication equipment.

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Under normal conditions, the RAT is stowed in a compartment in the fuselage or wing. It can be
deployed manually when required or, in some installations, will deploy automatically following a
complete loss of AC power. In the interval between power loss and RAT deployment, aircraft
batteries are used to power essential instrumentation.

Fig. No. 16: RAT Testing on a Boeing 787

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 8. Cockpit

A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls
the aircraft. The cockpit of an aircraft contains flight instruments on an instrument panel and the
controls which enable the pilot to fly the aircraft.

Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners
are also physically separated from the cabin. From the cockpit, an aircraft is controlled on the
ground and in the air. Cockpit as a term for the pilot’s compartment in an aircraft first appeared in
1914. modern cockpits are computerized glass cockpits featuring fly-by-wire technology.

The following sections give an overview of the instruments present in a cockpit and the ergonomics
of its design.

8.1 Cockpit Layout

Ergonomics and human factors concerns are important in the design of modern cockpits. The
layout and function of cockpit display controls are designed to increase pilot situation awareness
without causing information overload. Cockpits are designed to accommodate from the 1st
percentile female physical size to the 99th percentile male size.

The layout of control panels in modern airliners has become largely unified across the industry.
Most of the systems-related controls (such as electrical, fuel, hydraulics, and pressurization) for
example, are usually located in the ceiling on an overhead panel. Radios are generally placed on a
panel between the pilot’s seats known as the pedestal.

Automatic flight controls such as the autopilot are usually placed just below the windscreen and
above the main instrument panel on the glare shield. A central concept in the design of the cockpit
is the Design Eye Position or "DEP", from which point all displays should be visible.

Most modern cockpits also include an integrated warning system

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 Fig 15: Boeing 787-8 Cockpit

8.2 Instrument Panel

In the modern electronic cockpit, the flight instruments usually regarded as essential are MCP,
PFD, ND, EICAS, FMS/CDU, and back-up instruments.

• MCP
A mode control panel, usually a long narrow panel located centrally in front of the pilot, may be
used to control heading, speed, altitude, vertical speed, vertical navigation, and lateral navigation.
It may also be used to engage or disengage both the autopilot and the autothrottle. The panel as an
area is usually referred to as the "glare shield panel". MCP is a Boeing designation (that has been
informally adopted as a generic name for the unit/panel) for a unit that allows for the selection and
parameter setting of the different auto flight functions, the same unit on an Airbus aircraft is
referred to as the FCU (Flight Control unit).

• PFD
The primary flight display is usually located in a prominent position, either centrally or on either
side of the cockpit. It will in most cases include a digitized presentation of the attitude indicator,
airspeed, and altitude indicators (usually as a tape display), and the vertical speed indicator. It will

28
in many cases include some form of heading indicator and ILS/VOR deviation indicators. In many
cases, an indicator of the engaged and armed auto fight system modes will be present along with
some form of indication of the selected values for altitude, speed, vertical speed, and heading. It
may be a pilot selectable to swap with the ND.

• ND
A navigation display, which may be adjacent to the PFD, shows the current route and information
on the next waypoint, current wind speed, and wind direction. It may be a pilot selectable to swap
with the PFD.

• EICAS/ECAM
The Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (used for Boeing) or Electronic Centralized
Aircraft Monitor (for Airbus) will allow the pilot to monitor the following information: values for
N1, N2, and N3, fuel temperature, fuel flow, the electrical system, cockpit or cabin temperature
and pressure, control surfaces and so on. The pilot may select a display of information using a
button press.

• FMS
The flight management system/control unit may be used by the pilot to enter and check for the
following information: flight plan, speed control, navigation control, and so on.

• Back-up instruments
In a less prominent part of the cockpit, in case of failure of the other instruments, there will be a
set of back-up instruments, showing basic flight information such as speed, altitude, heading, and
aircraft attitude.

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 9. Inference

The training with Air India was interesting and altogether an excellent learning experience. New
technologies, recent progress, and the new competition are the order of the day. Working on
engines and finding innovative ways to do the maintenance of the aircraft engine and its
mechanical components requires high-level training and concentration.

The training mainly revolves around the major aircraft, which is booming in the industry today.
My training gives light on the models B747, B777, and B787 and collectively shows the systems
and their interdependent nature. The maintenance of an aircraft is very vast and the report and
my work dealt with some aspect of them.

It was an exceptional experience, and it has increased my curiosity to know more about the
practical aspect of the aircraft. I am keen to gain more practical knowledge and wholeheartedly
grateful to my instructors, technicians, and the aircraft maintenance engineers for helping me to
get such a varied experience with Air India.

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 10. Bibliography

• http://aiesl.airindia.in
• http://www.airindia.in/b747-400.htm
• http://www.airindia.in/b747-400.htm
• http://www.airindia.in/b777-300er.htm
• http://www.airindia.in/b787-dreamliner.htm
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_maintenance_checks
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_777
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_787_Dreamliner
• https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/modern/turbine.htm
• https://skybrary.aero/index.php/Refuelling_and_Defuelling_Risks
• https://safetyfirst.airbus.com/correct-escape-slides-maintenance-for-successful-slides-
deployment/
• https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Ram_Air_Turbine_(RAT)
• https://www.ijsr.net/archive/v6i2/ART2017582.pdf
• https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Automatic_Flight_-_A_Guide_for_Controllers

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