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Life extension programs generally include various upgrade kits and improved replacement parts. New avionics, new engines and oft times replacement wings fill out the order along with a raft of maintenance/inspection procedural changes. The original airframe is usually left intact - without major modifications or replacements. In order to maintain the aging fuselage, a new series of inspection routines are necessary. The call for advanced and novel inspection technologies has brought together many technologies: each with their own strengths and weaknesses. This paper addresses the introduction of the D Sight Aircraft Inspection System to the fuselage inspection protocol of the Royal Air Force (RAF) aging aircraft fleet. The RAF is developing a Three Tier system of lap seam and butt joint inspection, which exploits the strengths of distinct technologies.

The ability to plan and schedule a balanced workload requires aircraft maintenance depots to have knowledge of scheduled maintenance requirements and a realistic assessment of the corrosion levels in the aircraft prior to these scheduled activities. Since corrosion levels accelerate once initiated, a knowledge of these lower levels can be used effectively to plan labour resources and work schedules based on the anticipated levels prior to maintenance. With an inbound data system, inspection results transferred ahead of scheduling - from light-duty maintenance areas or remote depots - to a main overhaul facility alleviates the reactive nature of interlayer corrosion repairs. Using the enhanced optical technology of D Sight - it's inherent ability to detect and record low corrosion levels - a broad information base for the creation of proactive interlayer corrosion repair schedules is possible.

The problem of early detection of sub surface Lap Joint corrosion in the fuselage section of aircraft is critical to the continued air worthiness of aging aircraft. The large area of lap joint to be inspected requires a high speed system of measurement. D Sight is an enhanced visual technique that allows rapid inspection and early detection of lap joint corrosion. With the presence of inter-layer corrosion, a very distinctive surface budge or pillowing occurs between the lap joint rivets. D Sight imaging technology magnifies surface curvature changes to the exterior skin of the aircraft making them readily apparent. Extremely low levels of corrosion can be detected below the surface as the oxidized material distorts the lap joint and creates shape changes on the outermost skin. The D Sight sensitivity to local curvature change amplifies the effect dramatically and instantaneously.