Method of disposing an aircraft workpiece on a stand by positioning in each of the vertical, longitudinal and transverse directions

A method of positioning an aircraft workpiece for maintenance, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a stand for holding at least one aircraft workpiece during maintenance, the stand defining a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction perpendicular thereto and comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced apart uprights;
• a first elongate, longitudinally oriented, vertically placeable spine operably connecting the pair of uprights;
• an elongate, laterally oriented, longitudinally placeable first spine spreader translatably disposed on the first spine;
• a first slider, the first slider being translatably disposed on the first spine spreader;
• and at least one fixture disposed on the first slider, each at least one fixture being adapted to hold a workpiece in fixed relationship relative to an operator, the first spine spreader being selected from a kit comprising a plurality of spine spreaders, each spine spreader in the kit having the respective slider disposed thereon in a respective predetermined position;
• adjusting the first spine in a vertical direction to a desired first spine position;
• adjusting the first spine spreader in the longitudinal direction to a desired first spine spreader position;
• adjusting the first slider in the transverse direction to a desired first slider position;
• removably disposing an aircraft workpiece in the corresponding at least one fixture to be held in a desired workpiece position;
• selecting a second spine spreader with a respective second slider thereon from the kit and disposing the second spine spreader on the first spine;
• and
• translating the second spine spreader with the second slider thereon in the transverse direction to a desired second spine spreader position.