Safe Life AMU1

Safe-life design philosophy and structural life monitoring of Z 40 series

The safe-life design approach is commonly used in aircraft design and it is a consequence of searching for a compromise between designed weight of its parts and its operational life.

Safe-life design is based on the prediction that the risk of fatal failure is zero or negligibly small.

Acceleration monitoring unit

Every aircraft part has its defined operational life. The life time of each part can be different according to the chosen material, design purpose and operational loads. It is theoretically possible to design an aircraft with unlimited operation life, but this is connected with an enormous accumulation of weight. If we projected the whole aircraft in accordance with the requirement for unlimited operational life, this attempt would lead to such accumulation of weight that the aircraft would not be able to take off.

The aircraft of the Z 40 series (e.g. Z 242L, Z 143LSi) are designed on the basis of safe-life philosophy and they are primarily intended for flight training. In particular, the Z 42 series is directed towards the advanced training of acrobatics. The intensity, rate and order of realised acrobatic manoeuvres leads to significant aircraft loading and contributes to a shortening of the aircraft's operational life.

The definition of acrobatic flight is not demonstrating the real state of obtained damage, and that is the reason why our aircraft are equipped with the AMU monitoring system (Acceleration Monitoring System). Based on records from AMU and logbook information, we are able to determine kinds of operation and inflicted damage during a monitored period.

Safe-life monitoring helps us not only set safe operational limits for each aircraft part, but also provides us the information about the actual state and style of flight operations. Then we are able to specify more accurately operational costs and intervals for replacement of parts.

How to send the data from AMU1 unit?

  • by e-mail safelife@zlinaircraft.eu. The data files from the AMU1 Acceleration Monitoring Unit should be downloaded and sent for evaluation to the aircraft manufacturer together with information required by Appendix No. 1 – “Report form for aircraft logbook information by AMU1 file download process (AMU1.01 – 02B/08)”.
  • by web interface (User’s profile - Upload Safe-life). It is necessary to create your own account for AMU1 data sending (Registration). The next step is the registration of your aircraft. After your request is verified, you are allowed to send the AMU1 data by our website form (Upload Safe-life).

Why to start to send the AMU1 data by our website?

  • Fast and easy (the system checks the entered data and warns you if some inconsistency occurs).
  • An actual overview of an aircraft safe-life (the latest safe-life report is available with corresponding logbook information).
  • An electronic version of a report form (always the latest version of a safe-life report form).
  • Editing of a report form (the form may be edited for the next 24 hours if some mistake is entered).
  • An actual state of data processing (an actual state of data processing is displayed to a user).
  • A result history (the history of previous evaluated results is stored on your profile).

AMU Viewer

We have developed a unique assistant to ZLINs´ operators. Acceleration Monitoring Unit (AMU1) Viewer enables to assess a level of possible fatigue load of an a/c.

AMU Viewer software reports whether a pilot used an a/c for aerobatic or a training purpose or flew in a normal mode within a given time period. „This new tool will be appreciated particularly by these clients, who lend their a/c to other pilots and have no real possibility to check how their a/c was used.

The users of AMU viewer are advised to go through a basic training by ZLIN AIRCRAFT service centre.

ZIP Demo Version (1.1 MB)

PDF More information about AMU Viewer (602 KB)

Operator’s responsibility

Operator of the aircraft equipped with AMU1 unit must ensure that data from AMU1 are downloaded and sent to the aircraft manufacturer.

Intervals of data sending

Intervals of sending information related to total operation time:

  • in 50 flight hours intervals during 100 flight hours but not less than once a year, and then after each 100 flight hours but not less than once a year.

Intervals of sending information related to acrobatic operation time:

  • in 25 flight hour intervals during 50 flight hours in ACROBATIC category, or during 50 flight hours in UTILITY category, or during 50 joint flight hours in ACROBATIC and UTILITY category, but not less than once a year, and then after each 50 flight hours in ACROBATIC category, or 50 flight hours in UTILITY category, or 50 joint flight hours in ACROBATIC and UTILITY category, but not less than once a year.

The interval which expires earlier is effective.

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