The most cost effective maintenance requires proportionate planning to provide the best outcomes. Further consideration when performing maintenance planning within a 145 organisation. We require a degree of planning for any task regardless of how long it is like to take or its perceived complexity. We also need to consider any related safety elements or aspects.
Preparation of a resource requirement including the need for spares tooling and documentation ensuring that we have in place all pre-requisite requirements is fundamental to a successful task completion. For scheduled activities where we have a significant number of “knowns” in respect of the tasks to be performed, we have therefore an opportunity to develop a realistic and related plan in support of these tasks. Means that the reliability of the plan can be assumed to be higher than where there are more variables – for example during larger maintenance checks when there is a significant proportion of inspection tasks (possibly on older aircraft).
Access & Inspection Phase – Dismantling, exposing the zones and the subsequent inspection phase is of critical importance as it contains a significant number of variables which can impact the labour and resources required to complete the maintenance. Any findings need to be considered in the context of impact on the critical path of the check.
During and following the Inspection phase they may be a requirement to submit additional reports regarding findings for example any corrosion at level 2 or greater. There may be a need for engineering to become involved to liaise with the Type Certificate Holder regarding the need to develop a repair for example.
The need for successful reporting at the beginning and throughout the maintenance check should be considered as a requirement of the highest order. Even where there is minimum lead time available due to the nature of the issues – driven for example by unscheduled findings, it is still a worthwhile and valuable exercise.
In the event of maintenance tasks which are unscheduled, it should be recognised that there is still a value in implementing the most effective planning appropriate to the time and constraints available and of course for more serious findings we may have significant resource requirement spanning multiple shifts of work.
Over time we gain experience on a particular aircraft type to the point where we can reasonably predict or anticipate the requirement in respect of manpower and other pre requisites which will help the pre-planning and our ability to cope with unforeseen circumstances.
Sofema Aviation Services offers classroom and online EASA 145 compliant Production Planning Training Courses.
Please see www.sassofia.com , www.easaonline.com
Or email office@sassofia.com
