Far-fetched? Not at all. Information technology has the potential to transform aviation maintenance by removing the single largest impediment to greater efficiency and safety: information mismanagement.
Aviation maintenance is ripe for a revolution. Long turnaround times are common, spare part lead times frequently exceed 30 days, and records (often incomplete) are still maintained on paper. Duplication and waste are widespread: at present, maintenance technicians spend one-quarter of their time reviewing documentation typically held in multiple locations and organised by product design rather than by repair task.
In the future, relevant information from all sources - CD-Rom based manuals, electronic records, and expert systems - could be directed to the site of the repair, perhaps on a handheld terminal.
Productivity will further benefit from built-in microchips that allow on-line condition monitoring and removal before failure, as well as verifying authenticity. Continuous performance monitoring via satellite will also improve maintenance planning.
Training - an often neglected area - will grow in importance as maintenance organisations employ fewer but more empowered employees. Technicians can learn in a virtual workplace, practising repairs on-line and drawing on expert systems to assist in troubleshooting and diagnosis. Training will be a daily activity rather than a special event and 'just-in-time' training will become the norm. The potential payoffs are significant: greater efficiency, ease in cross-training for multiple product types, and higher quality.
A recent study showed that 45 per cent of pulled components on delayed B737s were not at fault. For some operators, the figure exceeded 80 per cent. Expert systems will limit this kind of inefficiency. Maintenance organisations will become what they should be: learning enterprises.
Technology will speed the restructuring of the inefficient global aviation parts supply chain, which currently holds inventory worth more than $45 billion. Electronic data exchange will allow information sharing among airlines, suppliers, and OEMs. This will cut the amount of inventory by improving consumption forecasting and cutting order processing cycles. Lead times of 24 hours or less will become standard.
These advances will pave the way for greater inventory pooling, saving the industry billions of dollars annually. IT promises dramatic improvements in efficiency and quality. The only question is: when will management recognise the benefits and harness IT to maximum advantage?
Source: Airline Business
