As Technical Authors our understanding of the issues as perceived by the Maintenance organisations can serve to improve how we manage the work that we do. In this way to achieve an insight into potential areas of improvement. Issues identified during a review of the effectiveness of the task card process include the following:
Occurrence Reporting Issues
The manufactures does not interact with the MRO to provide positive feedback regarding any occurrences which are reported.
The role of the operator to support the 145 in this regard is not always documented in a way which will bridge the gap.
Use of Operator Generated Work Packages by the MRO
The operator’s approved documentation (CAMO Generated) is transmitted to the maintenance organisation. Often, engineers have insufficient or “last minute” training on the operator’s documents and have less time to digest their structure and contents before the beginning of the works.(Issues with lack of familiarity of Non Routine Tasks).
Differences in Culture
The potential impact of culture differs between organisations and can play a significant in any potential exposure, with the potential for miss interpretation and miss understanding by the reader.
Access to the Manufacturers Data
Many Stand Alone MROs have no access to the manufacturer’s maintenance data;
Since the introduction of JAR OPS 1 in 1998 the role of the EASA Part 145 was redefined to identify that the organisation was essentially a subcontract service provider. The is a total reliance on the “Operator” or “Owner” regarding the provision of Technical Information.
Related to Job Cards (Task Cards)
Complexity of the manufacturer’s documentation (Aircraft Maintenance Manual). As an example, For one aircraft type the change of wheel on landing gear corresponds to 70 pages in the AMM, among which legal terms represent the greatest part.
Complacency (the engineer does not refer to the documentation because he deems that he knows it off by heart);
Discrepancy in the handover process (no recording of the works done before a task interruption);
As regards the content of task cards, numerous difficulties come from application of limitations by operators.
Especially as concern definition and detection of defects, which may differ from an operator to another, and between the operator and the MRO;
Colour coding disappears in a black and white copy;
Some manufacturers’ task cards are written in English by people whose English is a foreign language. This leads to an ambiguous wording, meaningless phrases, etc.;
Task cards are partially deciphered and interpreted, rather than entirely read and well understood.
Task Card Improvements & Recommendations
Standardization of the task cards (depending on each type of aircraft), and of procedures on how to fill those task cards in (using stamps or signatures), may help operators when controlling the correct completion of the tasks;
Format of task cards (depending on each type of aircraft), and of procedures on how to fill those task cards in (using stamps or signatures), should be stipulated;
Different formats with different contents are manageable;
Different formats with the same content are acceptable;
Same formats with same contents are beneficial;
Same formats with different contents are dangerous.
Training Issues
Training in the use of manufacturer’s documentation is typically only provided to aircraft owners.
Some operators and maintenance organisations complain regarding shortcomings in the manufacturer’s documentation quality:
EASA Part 21 regulation does not address the whole human factor concern;
CS 25 addresses only the piloting ergonomics (flight deck and piloting instruments);
The AMM (general overview) are not approved in the same way than the MOE (detailed review of the content) by the NAA.
All these gaps forces operators and MRO to implement replacement solutions (less efficient for the safety concern than a root action).
Sofema Aviation Services offers training and consultancy for EASA compliant aviation as well as vocational training including Aviation English vocational training. For details please see www.sassofia.com or email: office@sassofia.com
