In the aviation industry, two of the major concerns for manufacturers and operators are fleet uptime and safety. Aviation maintenance organizations are tasked with getting aircraft back into operation as quickly as possible, while strictly following rules, processes, and protocols mandated by the FAA and similar regulatory bodies.
Large, dynamic, global operations such as we see in aerospace and defense, currently rely on a web of documentation, databases and process repositories, stemming from multiple inputs and data stores. An aircraft technician, then, can juggle as many as five to six systems (such as Flight Status/Scheduling, MRO, Electronic Manuals, Parts Ordering, Records and Archiving) to complete a maintenance task cycle. With so many sources of information, there are two challenges:
Complex Service Information Doesn’t Need Complex Systems
The data involved in A&D maintenance is extremely complex in its interrelations, and is further split into multiple platforms, all of which must be used by the service technician. In fact, two of the top errors on the maintenance floor are “information not used” and “procedures not followed”. Even more data to back up the notion that service information management and delivery is primed for an overhaul:
Industry studies have demonstrated that up to 60% of aviation incidents were procedure related or involved technical documentation.
These instances threaten safety and cost the industry millions of dollars. There’s a better way.
Vision for the Future of Optimized Service Content
The challenges inherent in aviation maintenance can be addressed by new solutions, powered by the Internet of Things. There is now a possibility of not only seamlessly integrating MRO software, ERP, and information delivery systems into a single solution, but also a way to revolutionize the information being delivered itself. Some possible evolutions to service content can include:
The FAA’s Office of Aviation Safety report finds that there are several software solutions available that can be leveraged to mitigate or solve many of these documentation and service information issues.The infographic below details the capabilities A&D organizations should look for in service information software:
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