Sofema Online (SOL) www.sofemaonline.com considers the key elements of the Aircraft Maintenance Program (AMP) Task Optimization.

Introduction

Aircraft maintenance program task optimization is a critical goal for airlines and other aviation organizations.

Presented by Sofema Aviation Services (www.sassofia.com)

Continuing Airworthiness Tasks 

The aircraft continuing airworthiness and the serviceability of operational and emergency equipment shall be ensured by:

(a) The accomplishment of pre-flight inspections.

(b) The rectification of any defect and damage affecting safe operation in accordance with data specified in points ML.A.304 and ML.A.401, as applicable, while taking into account the minimum equipment list (‘MEL’) and configuration deviation list, when they exist.

(c) The accomplishment of all maintenance in accordance with the AMP referred to in point ML.A.302.

Maintenance Planning Document (MPD) Considerations 

The Maintenance Planning Document (MPD) is a generic document issued by the Type Certificate Holder (TCH). The contents of the MPD are coordinated by the Industry Steering Committee (ISC) and Maintenance Review Board (MRB) using the (Maintenance Steering Group 3 Logic) MSG 3 process of analysis and task determination).

The MPD contains hundreds of tasks it is not a customised document and contains all necessary task Information to support all variations of both Modification Status and Aircraft Configuration.

The MPD may list a task as “pre mod” or “post mod” (Depends on Aircraft Configuration).

The MPD Also contains (either as a separate section or integrated within the document) Airworthiness Limitation Items (ALI’s).

Whilst the Operators CAMO is responsible for the delivery of an effective and viable maintenance planning process, it is the EASA part 145 Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) which has the responsibility to perform the maintenance in accordance with the work package.

EASA AMP Obligations

EASA requires Operator Reviews of Validity and Effectiveness of the AMP  - EASA Annex I – Part M - Subpart C - M.A. 302 Aircraft Maintenance Programme - (g) … The aircraft maintenance programme shall be subject to periodic reviews and amended accordingly when necessary. These reviews shall ensure that the programme continues to be valid in light of the operating experience.

Operators are able to strongly influence the success of a continuous development of scheduled maintenance program data but providing a virtuous circle of feedback to the Type Certificate Holder (TCH), A continuous review of TCH and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) service bulletins, reliability data, service letters, airworthiness directives provides source material for optimisations.

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 a 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 orientated maintenance program, the very real challenge presented to Planners is how to decide on the best way to package these task so that the most effective workscope may be compiled to align with the available maintenance capacity.

Within every company exists the balance between availability, utilisation and maintenance requirements to understand fully the criteria which is applicable and to make focused decisions becomes the key to optimising the cost of maintenance.