The Maintenance Costs associated with the management of aircraft can total up to 15% of the organisational budget and after fuel can be the largest single expenditure incurred by the operator. !
So any savings which can be made by the Maintenance Planning Department can bring significant dividends to the organisation.
Where may the organisation make savings in the Maintenance Planning area?
It is a fact that many Continuous Airworthiness Management Organisations (CAMOās ) are too busy to develop the working processes and practices which can be used to drive savings.
Many organisations fail to take advantage of the potential opportunities to implement organisational developments, which can in fact Ā be driven from within the Maintenance Planning department (essentially supported by Reliability Data) to optimise the maintenance planning process (In particular the maintenance program) and drive real cost savings.
The role of the Maintenance Planning function is many and varied and can without any doubt contribute to significant savings within the āOperation Processā if accomplished effectively. To achieve these savings requires two elements; the first is a willingness to drive change. The second is an en effective and highly viable Reliability program.
Whilst the Maintenance Planning function ābelongsā to the operator, almost the entire process may in fact be out sourced as a sub contracted activity with the ultimate responsibility for effective delivery remaining with the Operator. It is not the physical activity which is critical but the management and oversight processes.
Amongst the many duties which are delivered by the Maintenance Planning group Ā include the specific management of Continuing Airworthiness, the management and optimization of the Maintenance Program. Delivery of an effective Reliability Program.
Detailed Work Planning and Scheduling, Budgetary Control and other considerations. Inventory control. Subcontract Co-ordination, Planning of safety critical tasks, Ā Co-ordination with Production Planning and availability and the control of approved data.
The real opportunity however is to be found in the detailed understanding and optimization of the maintenance program.
Effective planning requires a detailed and effective management of the competence process, Maintenance planners must be skilled and knowledgeable in the area they are planning; therefore, supervisors or top technicians will make the best planners.
If an inexperienced individual is promoted to planner, the results of the planning program will not be satisfactory. Instead of increasing productivity, you may find productivity decreasing.
Sofema Aviation Services delivers Maintenance Planning training as a 2 day intensive course and a 1 day essential course. For details please see www.sassofia.com or email office@sassofia.com
Tags:
Budgetary Control, Co-ordination with Production Planning, Continuous Airworthiness Management Organisations, Detailed Work Planning, Maintenance costs, Maintenance planner, Maintenance planners, Maintenance Planning Department, Operation Process, Planning of safety critical tasks, Reliability Data, Scheduling, Subcontract Co-ordination
