Role of Communications in Aircraft Maintenance Management

¶ … Role of Communications in Aircraft Maintenance Management

The mainstay of every establishment is communication, and it is same with the aviation organization. In the absence of communication, the entire gamut of its inherent functions like aircraft servicing program, maintaining flight schedules and various other functions will come to a standstill. Despite this, proper attention is not being paid to the planning and executing communications set up within the flight department. Equipped with an excellent communication system, the department of aviation will be in constant readiness for all flights ranging from arranging flight schedules to maintaining to keeping a limousine at the arrival site. This sense of discipline renders the aviation department a precious and flawless procedure within the corporation strengthening its position as qualitative feature.

Presently, the most secured and fastest mode of journey is perceived through aeronautics. However, the occurrence of sporadic air disasters sometimes calls upon our confidence on the mode. However, probe into most of the disasters reveals them as consequence of maintenance flaws. The first ever disaster as a result of manufacturing and designing error was related to Icarus, whereas many attribute it to the mistakes committed by pilot. Presently however most of the air accidents occur due the faulty maintenance and irregular inspection to aircrafts. The accident of Aloha Airlines occurred in Hawaii in 1988 is considered as most stunning. The accident was due to separation of the upper fuselage of the plane at floor line while flying. The travelers at wreckage point were forced to slip, however, due to luck and dexterity of pilot the plane was managed to land only loosing a flight attendant that was standing in the passageway at the time of wreckage. The succeeding probe into the incidents bring out that often the Maintenance division of the plane is just ignoring the symptoms of imminent structural deficiencies of the plane. (Hobbs, 2000)

The Maintenance staff was undertaking the scheduled pre-flight maintenance of a Continental Express Emraer Brasilia in order to make it ready for the morning flight next day. The horizontal stabilizer de-ices boots were to be replaced among others. The staffs in one staff could complete installation of one boot along with part installation of another one. There were a communication gap and the staff of former shift did not inform the later shift workers about incomplete work. The integrating screws on the upper surface were left loose. Since the work was being undertaken outside the hangar on perfect darkness, the staff of later shift with the help of a focusing light were satisfied with the structural appearance and left the aircraft for service in the next morning leaving the upper surface unattended. While flying the separation of the boot from stabilizer caused structural degeneration of empennage and loss of all life and aircraft occurred. It is evident that accident occurs due to combination of a plethora of simple maintenance flaws. Empirically speaking nearly 10% of the flight accidents are due to maintenance flaws. Errors committed by the staff are leading causes of most of the disasters. It is widely perceived that sorting out of the flaws at the time of maintenance can successfully avoid an accident. (Hobbs, 2000)

It has been laid down that the maintenance communication is obligatory of taking off of a grounded plane. However, often the detailed procedure of communication is found amazing. At that time only a few planes were operating and the technology involved from maintenance point-of-view were taken to be of low standard particularly in view of the present complexities. The revolutionary changes that occurred in the recent years is evident from the fact that during 1988 the publication division of the Boeing Commercial Airplane Company had to bring out several active manuals in respect of the aircrafts catering to the needs of flight operators globally. Presently, most of the manufacturing companies in this line have been resorting to electronic publication of their manuals. It is now possible for the maintenance staff to refer to the manuals from discs or tapes with its reproduction in a terminal. (LaMaire; Krishna; Panian; Bhagwat, 1996)

The improvements brought through the computing technology it has become easier to peep through the pages of the manuals facilitating quick finding of the material by searching through key words, collection of relevant materials from different sources even facilitating real time training and job aid. The archives of regulations, airworthiness directives, repair procedures and list of spares are readily accessible through these systems. The unique facilities of PEN computers allow the users through specially prepared handwriting recognition software to input reports, forms and related data on screen. It has been estimated that more than 20% of the time of the technicians and inspectors are being utilized in preparation of papers. The recent developments in the paperless electronic systems will reduce the time consuming process and provide more time to the technicians and Federal Aviation Administration inspectors for devoting to more productive work for which they are deployed. (LaMaire; Krishna; Panian; Bhagwat, 1996)

The management of maintenance is of prime concern for the owners as well as the operators from the operational point-of-view. The management of maintenance directly influences the performances of the company through minimization of the depreciation, ensuring secured operation, adherence to the prescribed regulations, ensuring customer contentment. Effective dealings of the issues related to communication and maintenance are prime considerations of the repair agreements. The issues involved are related to transmission media of communication, approval of the works and punitive actions for the deviations, approval of the exchange materials etc. It should be explicitly laid down much before in order to avoid delay in maintenance as well as enhancement of its costs. (The Royal Aeronautical Society, 1991)

This is much critical in an environment of outsourcing which necessitates perfect links of communication and clear demarcations of responsibilities. Deviations result in confusions and high cost. The critical issues involved in consideration to the use of the internal resources are availability of staff and estimation of work flow. The significance of the issues stems from the weaknesses of the system of having too much or too less resource. The cyclical maintenance of aircraft and engine determines the degree of the maintenance management. A recent disaster of commuter airline signifies the importance of the management of communication and maintenance environment.

Problems with communication account for a third of the General Aircraft (GA) incidents, according to latest findings of the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) records regarding events concerning GA. Among the dilemma, are lack of conformity stipulated by ATC clearances, breakdown of communication devices and low quality of radio communication systems. In case of surface and in-flight events concerning external radio communications, the most often used communication was from the control tower. Ambiguous, faulty or deceptive reports were the chief kind of aberration in trainer communications. Belated or communication not conveyed by the trainers was ranked as the second most recurrent trainer aberration and the most important reason of belated or improper actions by the apprentices. Defective or badly used handsets and deployed radios are the commonly accounted difficulties. (Communications-related Incidents in General Aviation Dual Flight Training, 1998)

The evolution of internet electronic communications through the World Wide Web are being extended to embrace the communication environment amidst airspace and facilitating the travelers as well as the staff to access the advantages accrued thereof. Safety, security, efficiency and traveler contentment are various areas of the aviation strategy facilitated in the process. A long transitional evolutionary process is evident in the sphere of aircraft communication ensuring a greater degree of navigation and security. Primarily the radio communications in earlier times were confined to establishment of link between the controlling tower and pilot for facilitating safe landing and collision avoidance. Gradually the communication links are evolved to make available all related additional information to the staff and controlling tower ensuring better management of the air traffic. The communication network has transformed from analogue to digital.

Putting a functional radio communication setup will put a considerable effect on the security by augmenting instruction given to pilots and assessment. A functional radio communication set up must equip pilots with chance to: undertake examination of frequency as also assignment and disruption management expertise; improve the management competencies of the crewmembers; working in unison with the concerned organizations at the time of latest events, like making a landing on parallel runways for which a separate controller is necessary; developing their capability to augment the consciousness of the present circumstances from important group members having weather and traffic data; make sure that they are in tune with the state-of-the-art communication methods and terminologies; strengthen concentration allotment and distinguishing proficiencies required to be able to tell apart the clearances of the pilot's aircraft steered by him from the clearances meant for other aircraft, get concerted heed from the teacher or trainer; stay away from a poor training atmosphere resulting in the growth of compartmentalized outlook; trim down the professed simulator attitude that may interfere with the shuttling of the performance and attitude of the pilot into and from the aircraft. (LaMaire; Krishna; Panian; Bhagwat, 1996)

Facilitating technologies that would sustain the growth of functional radio communication simulation, comprising of intelligent systems, and voice creation and voice detection know-how are useful. Greater extent of communication practicality is found in intelligent system without any human trainer interface, they employ models based on rules and attitude of the speaker. Based on assignment objective of the speaker, message generation takes place, thereby reducing the necessity for intricate algorithm generation or intricate scenario writing. To conclude, any efficient radio communication model will have to depend upon a system of voice production and its recognition. Remarkable development has been done in these two spheres. Artificial voice generation based on certain rules as well as digital normal joined speech have been attaining intelligibility rankings competing with human speech pattern, but the standard of voice has not been according to the expectation particularly in a heavy work environment. (AAR-100, 2002)

The primary problem for speech recognition system is still the inconsistency of the speaker, still with an extremely synchronized terminology which is being used in aviation, exhaustive training of the entire process is necessary for a dependable identification of the pronouncements of a given speaker. Providing a functional radio communication set up at the time of training and assessments of airline pilots will improve security and this has been established by now. The authorities managing the airlines, nevertheless, are doubtful to allocate any finances necessary for providing functional radio communication systems without evidencing a reported benefit in the security and a Federal Aviation Administration necessity. The growth of technology appears to be dictated according to the market forces, but will be advanced by a similar necessity. (AAR-100, 2002)

Hence a substantiation of the idea is necessary which will experimentally exhibit the want for a functional radio communication system. A preliminary endeavor might be to scientifically balance the volume of communication and its impact of pilot work pressure and attitude as a factor of radio communication while real time activities while in flight vis-a-vis simulator Line Oriented Flight Training. A different attempt might be evaluation of airline pilots who have finished their preliminary aptitude in their inaugural flight. The issue concerning attention would be the state of preparedness of these pilots and their ability to operate and corporate interactions necessities at the time of their foremost initial operation of flights. Subsequently, a conceived simulator study chosen with care can be undertaken to explore the advantages of various stages of radio communication practicality for diverse training and incident categories. Complete transfer of expertise into and from the aircraft is a vexed problem in the event of simulator requirement for taking up training and evaluation is made compulsory. (AAR-100, 2002) transformation from low narrow band spectrum to higher frequency broadband spectrum is being perceived in the aviation communication system. The spectrum is visualized as the critical means of accessing to the broadband that revolutionized the communication network in aviation industry by assisting in the flight operations, ensuring traveler benefits. The broadband technology is expected to increase its current speed of communication. The communication system in the sphere of aviation presently is set for a significant bound with the adoption of broadband technology. The satellite-based digital communications with the help of radio frequency spectrum made possible the availability of broadband to the planes through improved frequencies and larger bandwidths. The mobile terminals can better be connected through satellite links facilitating flying communication. The rate of data transfer for a given period is more in case of broadband technology. Transmission of audio and video communication between the planes in greater magnitude therefore, is possible through the system. It could facilitate improvement data on aircraft tools for maintenance purposes, Internet access by the staff and travelers and link to intranets of the firms etc. (LaMaire; Krishna; Panian; Bhagwat, 1996)

The flight schedule involves ensuring security, safety, effectiveness of flights, contentment of passengers as well as perpetual carrier system. The significance of the broadband is widely felt in ensuring the fight objectives and evolving the new spectrum of aviation communication. The broadband is considered as a single tool for providing many solutions catering to the needs of the staff and passengers as well as assisting in substantial simplifications of the complexities involved. This is also considered as a means for ensuring safety, security and efficiency of flight operations. The controller pilot data link communications is essential in for making ground engineers aware of the maintenance requirements of the flying plane. Enhancements in this sphere are visualized substantially in terms of the speed of delivery and better perception through digital relay of voice from flight deck with use of broadband. Awareness of the problems before landing of the plane in advance facilitates the maintenance personnel to be prepared with relevant equipments to attend to the problems instantaneously at the ground after landing.

The critical issues involved in the sphere of security like hijacking etc. are also being attempted to be solved through the relayed video surveillance data on-board with the use of broadband. The video surveillance data on the emergency medical situations enable the medical professionals to prepare favorable atmosphere for instant attendance to the patients on board. Technological evolutions have been taken place in order to cater to the basis. Aviations complexities are increasing day by day with additional communication needs of the crew on board as well as increasing needs of passengers to personal communication systems. The induction of new technology, however, necessitates compatibility to the prevailing systems in operations facilitating unhindered communication. Even though the broadband technology itself involves increasing complexities it is introduced with a view to simplify the complexities involved in the aviation communication. (LaMaire; Krishna; Panian; Bhagwat, 1996) radio frequency spectrum needs to be allocated for implementation of broadband technology for making available aeronautical mobile satellite service. The international collaboration is tried in order to ensure judicious utilization of the frequency spectrum resources. The resources of radio frequency spectrum and orbital slots are distributed among the member states worldwide. Risky interventions of the member states are avoided by ensuring productive collaboration of the states. Mostly, the Ku-band frequency spectrum is being used in the broadband communications systems in avionics. Acquisition of allocation of frequency spectrum needs fulfillment of many requirements. Such requirements include preconditions for avoidance of additional intervention by the new users. (LaMaire; Krishna; Panian; Bhagwat, 1996) fresh allocation of the band necessitates ongoing efforts for maintenance of the spectrum from enhanced use of the adjacent bands by the existing users as well as the additional use by the new users. The Broadband satellite-based communication system is being perceived as the next generation technology for in the sphere of communication system in avionics. The allocation of radio frequency spectrum with a view to providing aeronautical mobile satellite service is necessary for broadband communication systems in the aviations. However, this also involved simultaneous planning for maintenance of the spectrum allocation. The implementation of broadband technology in the sphere of aviation communications entails enhanced advantages in the sphere of safety, security, efficiency and prolonged flight carriers and increased passenger contentment. (Shepherd; Johnson; Drury; Berninger, 1991)

In versatile cooperative surroundings, computer applications perform more and more intricate tasks. With increased functions being gradually performed by mechanized devices, a necessity for more communication among the users and these gadgets are indispensable. While devising complicated mechanized systems, the trend is to consider persons and systems as separate performers. Communicating with this variety of computer system is not commonly regarded as mutual performance. Nevertheless a great deal are yet to be understood from the manner in which human beings team up amongst themselves, and the possible way in which they might cooperate efficiently with mechanical procedures. A group effort might exist between the pilots, among the pilot and flight control system, or between pilots and remote locations. Besides, interfaces and outside devices might aid in pilot interaction. Collaboration comprises common functions that needs contribution from every member of the team and involves to a certain extent of sharing of each other's objectives. (The Royal Aeronautical Society, 1991)

Collaboration could be able to, at the minimum in some measure be typified by way of the necessity to contribute to the assignment objectives. The distinctiveness of cooperative actions are affected by the extent of objective sharing by the associates, the categories of objectives shared and the manner in which these objectives correlate among themselves. Targets reveal assignment aims, impetus and reasons. Allocating intimately connected objectives might effect in regular cooperative functions, like interaction and knowledge of other people. Instead, associates might communicate with themselves very infrequently. Partnership might even necessitate the requirement to allocate resources, thereby involving synchronization. The requirement for distributing assignment and resources within several functionaries delineates the necessities for treading towards group activities like interaction, common responsiveness, and synchronization. Assignment objectives and restraint might affect the manner in which the activities are required to be disseminated within various functionaries. (Shepherd; Johnson; Drury; Berninger, 1991)