All About the JAL Group - Safety Operations

Maintenance
Aircraft in the JAL fleet are inspected and maintained in line with hours flown, flight frequency and age of the craft. To consistently maintain aircraft components in good working order, the company stipulates when, which section and how each section should be maintained in the JAL Maintenance Program. The company also makes appropriate repairs and carries out necessary servicing operations in the event of malfunction or breakage.

Preflight Inspection and Regular Maintenance
JAL maintenance can be broadly divided into preflight inspection, conducted between landing and takeoff, and the regular maintenance carried out following the completion of a specific number of flying hours or flight frequency.

Preflight Inspection
Preflight inspection entails receiving reports of problems, including malfunction, from the pilot or cabin crew of an arriving aircraft and appropriately processing those reports. In addition, maintenance staff run through a predetermined checklist to make sure the aircraft has picked up no dents or scratches, and that there has been no leakage of hydraulic oil or aircraft fuel. Special checks are implemented in cases where there is evidence of collisions with birds or foreign bodies, or if the aircraft encountered lightning.

Regular Maintenance
While differing from aircraft to aircraft, regular maintenance is generally carried out following each period of 250–600 flying hours, and at 3,000 and 7,500 flying hours, as well as following each 4.5-year to 8.0-year period, and conducted under regulations closely governing which part is to be maintained and the protocol for the required tasks. According to the type of maintenance required, JAL staff methodically inspect everything from the state of the tires, brakes and engines to the aircraft superstructure, ductwork and landing gear. JAL maintenance staff are responsible for discovering all irregularities and catching any potential malfunctions before they become major problems. The JAL ideal is to maintain its fleet in perfect condition and ensure that no problems emerge during preflight inspections.

The JAL Maintenance System

• Maintenance organization personnel: approximately 7,500 staff

• Number of mechanics: around 4,300 staff in the Haneda and Narita districts, approximately 700 at domestic branches (airports) and about 150 at overseas branches (a total of 5,150). Mechanics based at domestic airports are organized into appropriate-sized teams depending on the number of takeoffs and landings.

• Overseas outsourcing of aircraft-maintenance duties is conducted using specialized maintenance companies in Singapore (SASCO), China (TAECO) and Thailand (Thai Airways). The company also outsources specific maintenance tasks. JAL selects outsourcing contractors that fulfill the qualification of owning a work site accredited by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, maintain quality and capability standards that pass JAL screening standards, and carry out maintenance tasks managed and monitored by JAL representatives.