Uses for Borescopes in the Aviation Industry
An airplane’s design is intricate, and each part of these revolutionary machines works to ensure that flights are smooth and safe. So, every nook and cranny of an airplane must be inspected and maintained correctly. Because the maintenance and inspection of planes and helicopters must be thorough, they often require specialized equipment, such as borescopes, to get the job done.
What Are Borescopes, and How Are They Used in Aviation?
Borescopes are essentially small cameras attached to a rod, an eyepiece, and—in most cases—a control system for the operator to work from. Borescopes come in all different sizes and with all kinds of features. But the primary reason they’re popular in the aviation industry is that they enable professional inspectors to gain access to even the most remote and inaccessible parts of a plane or helicopter.
Detects Flaws in an Aircraft Engine
Borescopes can help inspectors detect flaws—such as cracks, fluid leaks, or debris—in an engine early on. Their long and flexible rods allow them to reach each crevice, corner, and elbow of the engine. More than that, borescopes also relay and record images of the machine back to operators so that they can evaluate their findings thoroughly and work quickly to find a solution without having to disassemble the engine.
Targets and Examines Critical Areas of an Aircraft
Borescopes also inspect other critical areas of an aircraft quickly and efficiently. The focus of borescope inspections are often areas such as the fuselage and wings, as these tiny pieces of equipment can detect deterioration or loose fittings that might cause these parts to fail. Additionally, borescopes can also inspect aircraft turbines, compressors, dampeners, and cowlings for crucial defects like cracking, leaking, deterioration, and other types of damage that are difficult to see with the naked eye.
Records Remote Video Inspections
Another of the most popular uses for borescopes in the aviation industry is recording remote video inspections with them. This feature is incredibly cool, as it grants inspectors the ability to have a thorough record of every review they’ve done so that they can reference it later. This particular capability is convenient for inspectors, as they can pull up an inventory of a specific area they inspected, giving them more foresight for the kinds of issues they should anticipate with some regions of an aircraft.
Borescopes are incredible pieces of technology that have revolutionized the way aviation professionals do their jobs. This tiny, specialized equipment allows inspectors to evaluate and understand critical issues in real-time, helping to ensure that each aircraft is safe for flight. Hopefully, this quick guide has provided you with a better understanding of all the different uses of borescopes in the aviation industry.
