10% may be applied to equipment in phased
maintenance aircraft.
The five different types of life rafts used in
naval aviation are the LR-1 and LRU-7/P, which
are one-man rafts; the LRU-12/A, which is a
four-man raft; the LRU-13/A, which is a seven-
man raft; the LRU-14 series, which is a 12-man
raft, and the LRU-15/A, which is a 20-man raft.
You may be required to work on only one or
you may work on all of them. All require the same
three inspections—preflight, special, and
calendar/phase.
The preflight inspection is performed on
fuselage-installed life rafts before the first flight
of the day. This inspection is done by line
personnel (plane captain or delegated aircrewman)
who have been designated by the line division
officer, instructed, and found qualified by the
aviators equipment branch.
The special inspection is performed on
fuselage-installed life rafts every 30 days. This
inspection is made at the organizational level of
maintenance by personnel assigned to the aviators
equipment branch. Upon completion of the
inspection, the date of inspection and inspector’s
signature are entered in the inspections section of
the Aviation Crew Systems History Card.
To perform a preflight/special inspection,
visually inspect for the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Fabric for cuts, tears, deterioration, and
abrasion
Seams for proper adhesion or stitching
Straps and handles for security and wear
Any other parts for wear, damage, and
security
All hardware for security of attachment,
corrosion, damage, wear, and, if ap-
plicable, ease of operation
Life raft retaining line for proper stowage
CAUTION
DO NOT OPEN RAFT ACCESS
DOORS, RSSK KITS, OR ANY SEALED
OR SAFETY-WIRED PORTION OF
THE LIFE RAFT FOR THIS INSPEC-
TION.
Subject each life raft to the calendar/phase
inspection before you place it in service, or if it
is an aircraft inventory item at the time of the
aircraft acceptance inspection. Thereafter, the
calendar/phase inspection interval coincides with
the aircraft inspection cycle in which it is installed.
See the applicable Planned Maintenance System
(PMS) publications for specific intervals. In no
case will the interval exceed 231 days except that
the LR-1 (RALSA) inspection is not to exceed 453
days. Unless operational requirements demand
otherwise, the life raft calendar/phase inspection
is performed at the intermediate level of
maintenance or above.
The acceptance/calendar/phase inspection
consists of the following major tasks (to be
performed in the order listed):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Container/case inspection
Functional test (if required)
Pull cable proof load test (if required)
Visual
Inflation assembly inspection
Leakage
Records updating
Repacking
Details are listed in NAVAIR 13-1-6.1.
A functional test and pull cable proof load test
are performed prior to placing a raft in service
or during an aircraft acceptance inspection, and
each fourth inspection cycle thereafter. You must
make a leakage test at each inspection cycle. If
the inspection indicates any damage beyond
capability of maintenance, you must forward the
entire assembly to supply.
DETERMINATION OF
REPAIRABILITY
Life rafts are considered beyond repair for any
of the following reasons:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Porous fabric areas on tubes
Split or open tube seams
Leakage test failure resulting from other
than a cut, tear, or puncture
Damaged or malfunctioning inlet valve,
manifold, or oral inflation tube
Damaged or malfunctioning topping-off
valve that cannot be corrected by
replacement of the topping-off valve
opening insert
Multiplace rafts (leaky bulkheads)
FUNCTIONAL TEST
Before functionally testing a life raft, you
should make sure you have enough area to inflate
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