Maintenance Briefing Note

Repetitive No Fault Found (NFF) units

installed on aircraft can compromise
safety

Uwe Eggerling
Senior Director of Safety
Maintenance & Engineering
Airbus Customer Services

March 2017
 What happened
It was reported that on an A320 aircraft a Fuel Quantity Indicator
(FQI) over-read has led to a low fuel level on arrival.
Further analysis after the event revealed that the FQI was
previously removed and returned to the shop 15 times. The unit
was classified as a “Multiple Return Unit”.
In this case, the FQI was returned to the shop at a third party of the
operator.

Airbus has evidence that there are a number of similar cases where
equipment was returned several times to third party overhaul
centres or to operator repair shops.

Why did it happen

This Maintenance Briefing Note is issued to raise awareness that

operators can benefit from the NFF policy.

Repeated returns of multiple return units to third parties or operator

shops may result that suspected units are not removed early
enough from service and can lead to serious problems on aircraft.

2 March, 2017

Maintenance Briefing Notes - No Fault Found Units

 Lessons learned

There is a No Fault Found (NFF) policy established between Airbus

and the OEM’s for most of the components.
The NFF policy is transferred to operators via the aircraft purchase
agreement, and communicated to operators through the contract
copy, brochures and training.
The policy aims to use a commercial lever to encourage operators
to use and follow trouble shooting procedures (justified removals)
and encourage suppliers to improve product and maintenance
procedures.

An example of such NFF policy is given hereafter:

QUOTE
Repetitively Faulty Items and/or Component or “Rogue units”
In the event that, during a twelve (12) month period, the same Item and/or Component
happens to be subject to three (3) or more removals for identical reasons and/or five (5) or
more removals for any reason in a one thousand (1,000) flight hour period from whatever
Aircraft of the Customer’s fleet and should the removals not be justified through normal
shop and test procedures, the Supplier shall upon the request of the Purchaser and/or the
Customer replace the faulty Component:

i) at the Supplier’s cost, if the Item and/or Component is still within the Standard
Warranty period, or

ii) at one third (1/3) of the list price, if the replacement is done within three (3) years
after expiration of the Standard Warranty period, or

iii) at fifty percent (50%) of the list price, if the exchange is made during the remainder
of the Reliability Guarantee period set forth in Article 9.13.3 “Guarantee Period”; and

the repetitive faulty Item and/or Component shall be removed for serviceability at Level 3
repair, Overhaul, or re-build to Supplier latest ATA specification, with an eighteen (18)
month warranty, prior to being re-introduced into serviceable condition to the fleet
regardless of Aircraft Type, or alternatively the Supplier shall confirm to the Customer
and/or the Customer’s Nominee and to the Purchaser that the specific serial number has
been removed permanently from service.

UNQUOTE

3 March, 2017

Maintenance Briefing Notes - No Fault Found Units

 Lessons learned

The operators shall keep track on those components that are

continually reported NFF.
Operators shall provide documentation supporting the removal and
if NFF and removal is justified.

4 March, 2017

Maintenance Briefing Notes - No Fault Found Units

 Maintenance Briefing Notes

This Maintenance Briefing Note (MBN) is part of a set of

Briefing Notes that provide an overview of the applicable
standards, techniques, best practices, human factors,
suggested company prevention strategies and personal
lines-of-defense related to major threats and hazards that
may affect maintenance.
This MBN is intended to enhance the reader's safety
awareness but it shall not supersede the applicable
regulations and the Airbus or airline's maintenance
documentation; should any deviation appear between this
MBN and the Airbus or airline’s maintenance
documentation, the latter shall prevail at all times.
In the interest of aviation safety, this MBN may be
reproduced in whole or in part - in all media - or translated;
any use of this MBN shall not modify its contents or alter an
excerpt from its original context. Any commercial use is
strictly excluded. All uses shall credit Airbus.
Airbus shall have no liability or responsibility for the use of
this MBN, the correctness of the duplication, adaptation or
translation and for the updating and revision of any
duplicated version.

For feedback or suggestions regarding the

Maintenance Briefing Notes please contact:

Uwe Eggerling
Senior Director of Safety
Engineering and Maintenance
Customer Services
Mail to: uwe.eggerling@airbus.com
5 March, 2017

Maintenance Briefing Notes - No Fault Found Units

Thank you