Steve Bentley, FRAeS & CEO of Sofema, provides an honest answer – They Must Be Home Grown – however, they benefit from Strategic External Support
Introduction
In aviation maintenance, the question isn’t just who writes the manuals — it’s who lives and breathes them.
- Maintenance Management Manuals (MMMs) are not static documents; they are dynamic, living frameworks that reflect the heart of your maintenance system.
- While outsourcing may seem efficient at first glance, the real key to success lies in internal ownership and deep integration with operational practices.
- Manuals must evolve with changes in regulation, technology, organizational procedures, and operational context. Outsourcing often results in manuals that:
-
- They are technically compliant but not operationally practical.
- Reflect a snapshot in time rather than a dynamic process.
- Lack of ownership by the internal teams.
The Problem with Outsourcing Alone
Outsourcing the development of MMMs might deliver a compliant document, but that’s where the benefits often end:
- Lack of Operational Fit: Externally created manuals may not reflect real-life procedures and constraints.
- Minimal Internal Ownership: If staff didn’t write it, they often don’t connect with it — or use it.
- High Cost, Low Flexibility: Consultants must invest time in interviews and process reviews, and every change incurs extra cost.
- Lost Opportunity for Learning: Your team misses out on developing essential compliance and documentation skills.
Why Manuals Should Be “Home Grown”
A well-developed MMM is more than a compliance artefact — it’s a daily-use tool that supports consistency, safety, training, and continuous improvement. Manuals should:
- Reflect real-world practices and evolve with them.
- Be owned by the business area owners and nominated post holders.
- Support the training and upskilling of operational staff.
- Be available, understandable, and defensible during audits.
When manuals are written in-house, the organization:
- Builds capability to maintain, review, and improve them.
- Strengthens safety culture by engaging stakeholders.
- Reduces the risk of non-compliance due to outdated or misunderstood procedures.
So, Where Does External Support Fit In?
External support is best used not to own the manuals, but to empower the organization to do so. This includes:
- Initial Process Mapping Support: Helping internal teams document what’s really happening.
- Framework Development: Providing manual templates, structures, and regulatory cross-references.
- Competency Building: Training and coaching staff on writing, maintaining, and controlling manuals.
- Governance Systems: Helping implement document control, versioning, and compliance tracking.
- Ongoing Oversight: Supporting through periodic audits, mentoring, and updates.
A Balanced Path Forward: Build Internally, Support Strategically – Proposed Path: Build Internal Capability Through a Partnership Model
Instead of simply providing a set of manuals, propose a manual ownership and competency development program. Here’s a step-by-step plan:
Step 1: Gap Assessment & Stakeholder Identification
- Identify existing documentation and assess current ownership/control mechanisms.
- Determine who in each operational area is responsible or should be responsible.
- Evaluate the gap between current documentation and actual practices.
Deliverable: A Diagnostic Report with a Responsibility Matrix.
Step 2: Create a Manual Development Framework (MDF)
Develop a standardized structure and template set for all manuals (e.g., MOE, QCM, AMP, BMM).
- Include: responsibilities, process mapping guidance, change control, and compliance mapping.
- Use flowcharts, RASCI charts, and embed cross-referencing to regulations (EASA, GCAR, etc.)
Deliverable: Manual Development Framework (with editable templates + guidance notes).
Step 3: Build Competence via Training & Coaching
Deliver tailored workshops and mentoring to:
- Teach how to write, review, and update manuals.
- Clarify how to align documented procedures with regulatory requirements and real-world practice.
- Develop understanding of document control, version management, and audit preparation.
Target Audience:
- Nominated persons (Post Holders)
- Quality & Compliance team
- Department leads (Line/Base Maintenance, Planning, Engineering, Stores)
Deliverables:
- 2–3 day training program (onsite or virtual)
- Access to a reference manual
- Post-course assignments: draft/update a section of a manual
Step 4: Collaborative Manual Development
- Assign sections of each manual to the relevant area owner.
- Consultants review, coach, and validate — not write from scratch.
- Conduct weekly working groups to iterate content.
Result: Manuals that reflect both compliance and practice, and are “owned” by the business.
Step 5: Establish Manual Control & Governance
- Set up Document Control Procedures including:
- Version control
- Change request process
- Periodic review schedule
- Build a digital system (or structured folder system) to support this.
Optional Deliverable: Set up in SharePoint, Odoo DMS, or any document platform used.
Step 6: Long-Term Support / On-Demand Mentoring
Offer a retainer or support package:
- On-call expert support
- Quarterly audits of manuals
- Regulatory update alerts with recommended changes
Goal: Help the organization remain compliant without dependency on external authors.
Value Proposition – By adopting this approach, you:
- Empower the client’s team.
- Reduce long-term costs and risks.
- Foster a culture of procedural integrity and continuous improvement.
- Improve regulatory confidence — inspectors prefer seeing documents that staff can explain and defend.
Next Steps
Follow this link to our Library to find & download related documents for Free.
Sofema Aviation Services (SAS) has been supporting Aviation Organisations Worldwide since 2008. To arrange a consultation, please email [email protected].
Tags:
aviation, Steve Bentley, SAS blogs, Maintenance Management Manuals, Home Grown, Outsourced, Strategic External Support, Maintenance Management Manuals (MMMs), Operational Fit, Minimal Internal Ownership, real-world practices, Framework Development, organizational procedures
