Aviation Maintenance Terms beginning with R
Rack-and-pinion actuator
A form of rotary actuator where the fluid acts on a piston on which a rack of gear teeth is cut. As the piston moves, it rotates a pinion gear which is mated with the teeth cut in the rack.
Radial
A directional line radiating outward from a radio facility, usually a VOR. When an aircraft is flying outbound on the 330° from the station.
Radius dimpling
A process of preparing a hole in sheet metal for flush riveting. A cone-shaped male die forces the edges of the rivet hole into the depression in a female die. Radius dimpling forms a round-edged depression into which the rivet head fits.
Range markings
Colored marks on an instrument dial that identify certain ranges of operation as specified in the aircraft maintenance or flight manual and listed in the appropriate aircraft Type Certificate Data Sheets or Aircraft Specifications. Color coding directs attention to approaching operating difficulties. Airspeed indicators and most pressure and temperature indicators are marked to show the various ranges of operation. These ranges and colors are the most generally used: Red radial line, do not exceed. Green arc, normal operating range. Yellow arc, caution range. Blue radial line, used on airspeed indicators to show best single- engine rate of climb speed. White arc, used on airspeed indicators to show flap operating range.
Rebreather oxygen mask
A type of oxygen mask used with a continuous flow oxygen system. Oxygen continuously flows into the bottom of the loose-fitting rebreather bag on the mask. The wearer of the mask exhales into the top of the bag. The first air exhaled contains some oxygen, and this air goes into the bag first. The last air to leave the lungs contains little oxygen, and it is forced out of the bag as the bag is filled with fresh oxygen. Each time the wearer of the mask inhales, the air first exhaled, along with fresh oxygen, is taken into the lungs.
Receiver-dryer
The component in a vapor-cycle cooling system that serves as a reservoir for the liquid refrigerant. The receiver-dryer contains a desiccant that absorbs any moisture that may be in the system.
Rectangle
A plane surface with four sides whose opposite sides are parallel and whose angles are all right angles.
Rectification (arc welding condition)
A condition in AC- electric arc welding in which oxides on the surface of the metal act as a rectifier and prevent electrons flowing from the metal to the electrode during the half cycle when the electrode is positive.
Reducing flame
See carburizing flame.
Reed valve
A thin, leaf-type valve mounted in the valve plate of an air conditioning compressor to control the flow of refrigerant gases into and out of the compressor cylinders.
Reinforcing tape
A narrow strip of woven fabric material placed over the fabric as it is being attached to the aircraft structure with rib lacing cord. This tape carries a large amount of the load and prevents the fabric tearing at the stitches.
Rejuvenator
A finishing material used to restore resilience to an old dope film. Rejuvenator contains strong solvents to open the dried-out film and plasticizers to restore resilience to the old dope.
Relative wind
The direction the wind strikes an airfoil.
Relay
An electrical component which uses a small amount of current flowing through a coil to produce a magnetic pull to close a set of contacts through which a large amount of current can flow. The core in a relay coil is fixed.
Relief hole
A hole drilled at the point at which two bend lines meet in a piece of sheet metal. This hole spreads the stresses caused by the bends and prevents the metal cracking.
Relief valve
A pressure-control valve that relieves any pressure over the amount for which it is set. They are damage- preventing units used in both hydraulic and pneumatic systems. In an aircraft hydraulic system, pressure relief valves prevent damaging high pressures that could be caused by a malfunctioning pressure regulator, or by thermal expansion of fluid trapped in portions of the system.
Repair
A maintenance procedure in which a damaged component is restored to its original condition, or at least to a condition that allows it to fulfill its design function.
Restrictor
A fluid power system component that controls the rate of actuator movement by restricting the flow of fluid into or out of the actuator.
Retard breaker points
A set of breaker points in certain aircraft magnetos that are used to provide a late (retarded) spark for starting the engine.
Retarder (finishing system component)
Dope thinner that contains certain additives that slow its rate of evaporation enough to prevent dope blushing.
Retread
The replacement of the tread rubber on an aircraft tire.
Retreating blade
The blade on a helicopter rotor whose tip is moving in the direction opposite to that in which the helicopter is moving.
Retreating blade stall
The stall of a helicopter rotor disc that occurs near the tip of the retreating blade. A retreating blade stall occurs when the flight airspeed is high and the retreating blade airspeed is low. This results in a high angle of attack, causing the stall.
Return manifold
The portion of a fluid power system through which the fluid is returned to the reservoir.
Reverse polarity welding
DC-electric arc welding in which the electrode is positive with respect to the work.
Rib thread
A series of circumferential grooves cut into the tread of a tire. This tread pattern provides superior traction and directional stability on hard-surfaced runways.
Ribbon direction
The direction in a piece of honeycomb material that is parallel to the length of the strips of material that make up the core.
Rigid conduit
Aluminum alloy tubing used to house electrical wires in areas where they are subject to mechanical damage.
Rigidity in space
The characteristic of a gyroscope that prevents its axis of rotation tilting as the earth rotates. This characteristic is used for attitude gyro instruments.
Rime ice
A rough ice that forms on aircraft flying through visible moisture, such as a cloud, when the temperature is below freezing. Rime ice disturbs the smooth airflow as well as adding weight.
Rivet cutters
Special cutting pliers that resemble diagonal cutters except that the jaws are ground in such a way that they cut the rivet shank, or stem, off square.
Rivet set
A tool used to drive aircraft solid rivets. It is a piece of hardened steel with a recess the shape of the rivet head in one end. The other end fits into the rivet gun.
Rocking shaft
A shaft used in the mechanism of a pressure measuring instrument to change the direction of movement by 90° and to amplify the amount of movement.
Roll (aircraft maneuver)
Rotation of an aircraft about its longitudinal axis.
Roots-type air compressor
A positive-displacement air pump that uses two intermeshing figure-8-shaped rotors to move the air.
Rosette weld
A method of securing one metal tube inside another by welding. Small holes are drilled in the outer tube and the inner tube is welded to it around the circumference of the holes.
Rotary actuator
A fluid power actuator whose output is rotational. A hydraulic motor is a rotary actuator.
Roving
A lightly twisted roll or strand of fibers.
Ruddervators
The two movable surfaces on a V-tail empennage. When these two surfaces are moved together with the in-and-out movement of the control yoke, they act as elevators, and when they are moved differentially with the rudder pedals, they act as the rudder.
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