Vice-Lieutenant Erich Zernig is an aviation master at the Aigen helicopter system, the specialized department with type maintenance character for the Alouette III stationed at the Fiala Fernbrugg airbase. We spoke to him about his tasks, the maintenance of the aircraft and the future of the light multi-purpose helicopter.
Mr. Vice-Lieutenant, what tasks does the Fliegerwerft in Aigen perform?
We are primarily concerned with the maintenance of the Alouette III. We have two independently functioning maintenance areas, each of which is the responsibility of a foreman who has four to five technicians under him …
… and who are then busy maintaining one machine at a time?
Exactly. With currently 22 aircraft, the times are closely timed and always coordinated with flight operations. A controller responsible for work planning keeps an eye on the exact flying hours of the aircraft and schedules them for maintenance. So that he can plan accordingly, possible component changes, such as the replacement of a main rotor head, are already stored in the work preparation with corresponding times.
Speaking of times: How long does the maintenance of the machines take?
It depends on the type of maintenance. For example, we need around one and a half weeks for the 100-hour check, the 200-hour check takes two weeks, the 400-hour check takes around a month and the 800-hour check even takes two months. At seven months, the general overhaul at 3,200 flying hours takes the longest, but we haven’t been doing this for some time.
Does this mean that aircraft with 3,200 flying hours will be taken out of service?
Yes, based on our records and planning, we can say with certainty that by the time the Alouette is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2023, four aircraft will have undergone a general overhaul and will therefore be retired. The number of available Alouette IIIs will therefore be reduced from the current 22 to 18 by 2023.
How do you ensure that the machine is operational at the end of maintenance?
During a functional test flight, computer programs are used to test whether the machine once again meets the specifications.
You can also read our report “Flight into the unknown” from our visit to the Fiala-Fernbrugg air base. Here you can also find the other articles in our “5 questions to” series.
