Pm595 Project

Introduction

The goal of this paper is to create and detail a Risk Management Plan in support of the development of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The method will involve creating two fault trees that will allow us to explore a series of risks associated with these fault trees. These fault trees will help us identify potential risks and impacts as the result of two lesser failures. This method is helpful in peeling back the layers of risks until we have exposed the core of the risks.

We will not pretend to be aeronautical engineers or any kind of specialized personnel involved in the actual design of the Dreamliner. We will simply look at it like any passenger would if they stood at the airport gate, looked out the window at a Dreamliner, and wonder "Is that thing going to blow up." Or "I wonder what happens when the landing gear doesn't come down.

The first fault tree details the fuel pressure system and identifies the critical path of failure that could result in an overpressure condition in the fuel storage tanks. The second fault tree details when hydraulic pressure is insufficient to deploy actuators that force landing gear down into a locked position. They are similar in nature in that they involve pressure of systems with one being an over pressurization and the other an under pressurization. Both will have potential catastrophic results that would have a potential financial impact in the millions of dollars.

Fault tree one is in a separate word document accompanying this report.

Fault tree one analysis

In this first fault tree we look at a part of the fuel system for the Dreamliner. The pressure monitoring system is vital to ensuring fuel system pressures remain in a safe range. Fuel tanks create gas fumes which need to be released to prevent them from building up pressure in the tanks. This following is a description of the main components of a pressure monitoring system.

The main method of keeping pressures safe is by utilizing valves that are activated when the pressure against them reach a certain value. These valves are simple mechanical devices that have springs forcing them close at a certain value. When the pressure is greater than what the springs are designed to keep back, then the spring collapses and retreats the blocking plunger allowing excess pressure to be vented out of the tank.

Pressure monitors are in place to alert the system when these valves are not relieving pressure as designed. The springs can become stiff or blocked resulting in a higher force required to push them back. The back ends of the valves include venting tubes. These can become pinched or damaged which will prevent the pressure from venting even if the pressure valves do work normally. The pressure