The supply chain is a key element within the Maintenance Repair Organisation (MRO); correctly managed, it may contribute to the overall efficiency of the process; if it is not controlled in the best way, the supply chain may easily contribute to unnecessary overhead.
What is a Supply Chain?
Essentially we are talking about all stages involved in delivering the parts and materials where they are needed, when they are needed, at the best possible cost.
Airlines perform aircraft maintenance in order to ensure aviation safety and schedule punctuality. Sitting alongside this is the desire to also perform efficiently; arranging the manpower to have the optimum level of competence requires considerable effort to ensure that the availability matches the requirement.
Whilst the “almost” universal approach to large aircraft maintenance afforded by MSG 3 delivers the potential of a very effective task-oriented maintenance program, the very real challenge presented to planners is how to decide on the best way to package these tasks so that the most effective work scope may be compiled to align with the available maintenance capacity.
Within every company exists the balance between availability, utilization, and maintenance requirements. To fully understand the criteria that are applicable and to make focused decisions becomes the key to optimising the cost of maintenance.
In reality, with MSG-3, Block & Phased are practically the same thing, with the "phased" term being more standard—where tasks are added to standard A, B, C checks as the aircraft ages, or utilization (hrs/cyc) progresses, which are due with a specific threshold and repeating with an interval time.
(Since the advent of MSG-3, which was the game-changer and a true "block program," in higher-level checks have now pretty much disappeared.)
Essentially, packages are developed by selecting maintenance tasks into convenient checks that are appropriate for the type of operation and can range from short overnight checks to downtimes of a few days and everything in between.
The owner of the Type Certificate for the Aircraft, Engine, or Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) has an obligation to ensure the continuity of the continuing airworthiness of the product.
The component Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) with a Technical Standing Order (TSO) or European Technical Standing Order (ETSO).
The part manufacturer through Parts Manufacturing Approval (PMA) or European Parts Approval (EPA) also has the obligation to maintain continuing airworthiness oversight.
The service bulletin is the delivery vehicle by which the “owner” of the product maintains the integrity of the continuing airworthiness of the component; however, not all suggested actions are mandatory; some may be related to reliability, while others are related to cosmetic improvements.
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Do we agree on what we mean when we talk about the management of change in connection with our Safety Management System (SMS)?
Essentially, we are talking about changes within the business that may in some way increase our exposure to risk!
Unfortunately, within the business, many changes take place that are not considered for the impact that they may create related to increased risk; any lack of communication or, in fact, even perceived lack of communication (yes, perception can lead to negative outcomes) may have negative connotations or worse!
Change management is an area that deserves more attention than it often receives; the more visibility we provide and the more attention we give to the change, the more likely we will be to address the underlying issues.
What do we mean by developing a consistent approach?
Well, we want our approach to be system driven and not overly reliant on individuals. Means we want the outcomes to be as independent as possible from the people.
For this to happen, a number of elements need to be in place:
a) Procedures
The procedures that describe the methodology employed need to be in sufficient detail to enable all the users to work with them in the same way. We are always going to have a significant degree of subjectivity in our approach to SMS, but this does not preclude the development of effective procedures.
What is the goal of the Aviation Safety Management System (SMS)?
Well, quite simply, it is to:
a) Identify hazards or exposures across every area and facet of the business (ideally considering also financial exposure)
b) Assess the risk in respect of each hazard and how it is currently perceived or how it may be perceived in the future to the organisation, department or person (This is an extremely subjective activity and requires a strong degree of competence)
c) To develop appropriate mitigations to deliver an improvement which will take the risk to the lowest level possible (ALARP) using organisational tools to test or measure proposed solutions so that they are cost-effective
What do we mean by internal reporting system?
Well, firstly, to understand the difference between reactive-driven reporting and proactive-driven reporting. With the former, clearly something has happened, and we need to communicate with the authorities to advise them regarding what has happened.
With the latter we have a situation whereby we are trying to proactively identify hazards and exposures where the risk may be considered a salient feature.
By identifying and measuring the risk in a meaningful way, we can proceed to develop a greater understanding and, as a consequence, create appropriate mitigations that can lessen the exposure to the underlying risk.
Creating the process
Step 1 then is to have an internal reporting system which meets the company’s needs – the focus should ideally be on the gathering of information (our SMS is heavily reliant on Data) rather than the complexity of the submitted documentation – often simple is better.
We are trying to provide a simple mechanism that we will then encourage people to use in a meaningful way. A simpler system removes one of the barriers to avoid reporting (complaints that it is too bureaucratic).
In the context of Aviation Safety Management Systems (SMS) we usually talk about Safety Culture as being an integral part of the SMS process, but do we have a shared understanding of what we mean when we talk about Safety Culture?
Essentially, it is how we feel personally about the risk faced regarding a particular hazard (although we do not view it in these terms) – think about it next time you jump an amber traffic light!
This personal behaviour is impacted by various external influencers for example – our national psyche, family values, work place norms, peer pressure, etc.
We “should” all agree that an effective aviation Safety Management System establishes clear safety roles and responsibilities throughout the organization.
Moreover, it should also be understood that we must ensure that these safety roles and responsibilities are clearly documented (auditable), understood (measurable), and practiced throughout the organization (visible and evidence-based).
Our goal should be for individuals to both understand their own responsibilities together with an appreciation of how their individual activities may impact the safety, performance, and behaviour of our colleagues within the organization as a whole.
Each business area within the organization must assume both responsibility and accountability for the safety of the key elements of personal safety and organisational safety and financial safety.
Best Practice Behaviour to support our SMS
All employees should have a clear understanding of their individual safety roles and responsibilities. (This information should also appear in each job description.)
The regulatory obligations to ensure that the correct maintenance is performed may be found in EASA Part M Subpart C. It is well known that after expenditure on fuel, the cost of aircraft maintenance is one of the most significant overheads; as such, it also presents opportunities to optimize, which may in turn lead to savings.
We also need to consider the danger of “under-maintained aircraft.” A company can lose its reputation and become associated with an unreliable service, whereas building up a reputation for sterling operation may take a long time.
It is critical for operators to not only achieve but also maintain high standards of both safe and reliable services, as well as to pay attention to optimizing their profits.
There are a number of measures that operators may use to demonstrate effective maintenance, reliability data being a leading factor amongst them.
Who is best placed to answer this question? In fact, the starting point should be, "What do we want our SMS to do for us?",
We often talk about the management of change, and here we do not need to look any further than the implementation of an SMS as our first challenge.
As either a perfect opportunity to develop and optimize the organisation or alternatively, as an organizational burden that requires specific actions to ensure compliance.
So in reality this question should be answered by the Accountable Manager and the Management Team. In fact, once we answer the question, then other decisions become easier, and we can start to develop the structure of the SMS.
Please note it is a significant step backwards to jump into SMS implementation without really appreciating what your real goals are. So assume we have decided that we see the SMS as a real business opportunity to develop and optimize the organization.What should we do next?
When we talk about Human Factor (HF)-related issues within the Maintenance Planning environment, we need to consider also that often visibility of the outcome is moved to another area of the business. For example, if due to planning considerations work is loaded onto the check in an uneven way, then it is possible to create an environment where we see commercial pressure, which, as we know, may directly lead to stress and the possibility of an unwanted HF event.
Another issue also relating to visibility may be connected with the iceberg theory of accidents and incidents. We know that for every significant incident or accident that occurs, there are maybe 10 externally reportable events (to the regulator) and 30 internally reportable events (to the quality or safety system); however, there are additionally in the region of 300 unreported transgressions that not only go unreported but may in fact, when considered in isolation, appear to have minimum direct consequence; nevertheless, they may in fact become either precursors or contributors to a more serious event.
The MPD is the source document for the initial maintenance program. The Maintenance Planning Document (MPD) contains all the Maintenance Review Board (MRB) requirements, as contained in the Maintenance Review Board Report (MRBR) together with all additional mandatory scheduled maintenance requirements.
Whilst the MPD is the document required for the initial aircraft operator’s maintenance program, it is by no means mandatory to comply in every case with subsequent changes to the MRBR.
In fact, following the accumulation of reliability data, it is quite possible for the Maintenance Program tasks to be escalated beyond the initial periodicity. Savvy operators will use reliability data and other indicators to develop more effective planning processes, which may very well include task escalation.
A service-level agreement (SLA) relates to a particular element, aspect, or range of activities where a service is formally defined in written form.
In particular, the different aspects of the service or relationship—scope, quality, and responsibilities—are agreed upon between the service provider and the service user. Service Level Agreements may be between two or more parties, where one is the customer and the others are service providers.
The purpose is to support the most efficient working practices and to generate savings in the business process.
Note that SLA’s are not normally bound by legal agreement (means contracts); such contracts between the service provider and other third parties may in fact sometimes be (incorrectly) called SLAs. Why? Because the level of service has been set by the (principal) customer (means it is based not on a SLA but rather on a business requirement)—so it is an instruction!
Commercial Aircraft are very expensive commodities, and aircraft availability is a major consideration; as a result, attention paid to aircraft downtime during maintenance activities is also of importance.
As a result, developing the most effective aircraft schedule is highly relevant. It is very worthwhile to structure the maintenance check so that all individual “tasks,” which together form the maintenance check, are carried out in the most effective sequence so that we do not waste either downtime or manpower.
An additional feature is that effective production planning has the potential to deliver cost savings, whilst maintenance scheduling is easy to understand as a concept; it delivers often difficult-to-solve problems driven by the complexities of operation. A well-managed production planning process provides for confidence in the most effective delivery of the maintenance process.
Critical Path Process is relevant whether we are considering a single task or a detailed collection of interrelated activities, ideally taking into account minor, major, and non-routine tasks to endeavor at all times to achieve the optimum outcome.
Considering the primary “Role” delivered by the Production Planning within the 145 Organisation.
Production Planning typically reports through the Base, Line or Workshop Managers to the Maintenance Director or Post Holder. The Production Planning Control process plays a pivotal role as a service provider to the various front line and support functions within the organization. The essential goal for Production Planning is to ensure an on-time re-delivery of aircraft, job profitability, and the accurate completion and compliance of required documentation.
Typical duties include developing production schedules and work programs to include oversight of the facility requirements, manpower requirements, parts and material lists, tooling lists, third-party services, and specialized resources to ensure all organisational objectives are met in a timely manner.
Detailed preparation of the work scope, including analysis of special jobs (AD’s, SB’s) and management of the check timeline to remain on schedule. The preparation of tooling equipment and the required material, managing man hours allocation, in support of the works program.
For over five decades, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) to third-party organizations, allowing them to produce replacement parts for aircraft. These parts are usually manufactured without the direct permission of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).
Aircraft Production Planning belongs to the Maintenance Organisation and is related to the size of the organisation, from a very humble structure to an intensive business management process.
There is much opportunity available within the Production Planning business area to deliver savings, and the challenge is to identify efficient business processes that can be used to gather the data, analyze and measure the opportunities, and finally act on this.
The training and management of competence is often overlooked for the maintenance planning group, and their role and responsibilities are considered as providing administrative support to the “engineers” rather than managing and controlling an effective delivery. Together with a limited acquisition of “Data,” this leads to general underperformance within the business area. (This in no way should be construed as impacting the regulatory obligations, which is not under question as part of this submission.)
The objective of Production Planning is quite straightforward.
