maiden flight /me.d(.)n fla.t/
noun the first flight of a new aircraft .
The maiden flight of the A340 was in October 1991.
main /me.n/ adjective most important; principal . main disadvantages princi-pal negative points
main gear /me.n ../ noun two
main landing wheel assemblies
mainplane /me.nple.n/ noun an air-craft wing, compared with the tailplane
. The region between the mainplane front and rear spars is commonly sealed off and used as tanks.
maintain /me.nte.n/ verb 1. to keep up, to carry on or continue . to main-tain the present heading to continue on the same heading . to maintain a constant selected engine speed not to change the engine speed 2. to keep in good mechanical or working order .
Aero-engines must be maintained regu-larly to maximise engine life.
maintenance /me.nt.n.ns/ noun a
regular periodic inspection, overhaul, repair and replacement of parts of an aircraft and/or engine . The gas turbine is a very simple engine with few moving parts when compared with a piston engine, giving it a high reliability factor with less maintenance. . maintenance manual the manufacturer’s instruction book of maintenance procedures