Archives :: Aviation Maintenance Magazine :: Issue :: Cover Story
Displaying 1 - 20 of 76 stories.
August 1, 2009
About 80 percent of maintenance mistakes involve human factors (HF), according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The maintenance world has unique HF issues that are more severe and longer lasting than elsewhere in aviation. Operators are looking at various techniques to combat HF challenges. Human factors (HF) are constant watchwords in maintenance operations. Although HF maintenance training is not...July 1, 2009
Maintenance is part of every aircraft’s lifespan, from an annual on a GA aircraft to a heavy D-check on an Airbus or Boeing commercial jet. Schedules are typically defined as regular interval checkups or unplanned events. But in the Red Bull air-racing universe, unique aircraft maintenance and modification practices are not only critical to safety — with fast speeds, operating in close...June 1, 2009
In the current downturn, various links in the supply chain are in tension as they struggle to maximize profit. When the cloud lifts, what shape will the system be in? It all depends on how companies are addressing their problems today. The commercial aviation supply chain is under pressure from vigorous airline cost-cutting and low traffic demand. The various links in the chain are trying to cut costs yet...May 1, 2009
After spending at least a decade studying its organizational delegation system, FAA, on Nov. 14, 2005, established a new Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) program. The system promises industry more autonomy and efficiency. Although the current organizational designee programs in the engineering arena will expire in November 2009, FAA has tried to make the new regime as attractive as possible...April 1, 2009
As Jim Worsham pages through his flip charts showing Southern California Logistics Airport’s (SCLA’s) plans for expansion, it becomes clear that the former Air Force base where he works is poised to become a major air cargo hub and, potentially, principal aircraft maintenance and modification center. SCLA already offers commercial carriers one-stop service, including maintenance and painting...March 1, 2009
I love piston airplane engines and looking back through my logbook gives me a chance to remember all the types I’ve been fortunate to fly behind. I’ve flown with Pratt & Whitneys, "Shaky Jakes," Continentals, Lycomings, and, my personal favorite and most memorable, the Rolls-Royce Merlin. (If you’ve ever held the stick of a P-51 and felt the vibration from those 12 cylinders...February 1, 2009
West Star Aviation is coming off an "exceptional" year in 2008 and continues to expand its network of service locations, as well as improve existing facilities by updating its lobbies and adding customer offices, despite an economic picture that is trending downward. The company broke ground on a service center in Columbia, S.C. in October 2008, and a month later took over maintenance operations...January 1, 2009
Cessna Aircraft, a Textron company, reached a milestone in April 2008 when all employees in its nine Citation Service Centers in the United States completed the first round of a company developed, human factors (HF) training program. More than 1,400 employees, including some 1,100 A&Ps and maintenance technicians, took the four-hour introductory course. What makes the milestone significant is that it...December 1, 2008
Major changes in life cycle management are in the offing at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (ALC), one of the service’s three major depots for heavy maintenance. These changes, aimed at increasing aircraft throughput, will embrace not only hands-on work, but the requirements development, supply chain management, documentation and tracking processes. The changes will focus initially on the C-130...November 1, 2008
With cabin options ranging from off-the-wall to entirely new, the interior plays an increasingly important role for business jet operators and private individuals. Whether it’s taking a warm shower, relaxing on a corner couch, sleeping on a queen-size mattress or enjoying a Ralph Lauren or Versace-themed interior, the range of cabin options available to business jet and private operators is limited...October 1, 2008
Shannon Aerospace is hardly alone in its goal to eliminate waste in aircraft maintenance. But it may well have taken the quest to a new level. View Tom Caffrey’s business card on one side and it shows him to be "head of quality, training, safety and continuous improvement" at Shannon Aerospace (SAL). Flip the card over and it shows his title as "lean transformation leader." The...September 1, 2008
What constitutes excellent customer service in the business aviation maintenance arena? Aviation Maintenance invited users of these services to share their insights about their experiences, both positive and negative. Duncan Aviation graciously hosted the event at their headquarters in Lincoln, Neb. Our panel included (at right, clockwise from lower left) Warren Pletan, director of maintenance for Midwest...August 1, 2008
On any given day, the U.S. Air Force’s Air Mobility Command (AMC) completes more than 200 airlift missions carrying more than 1,000 tons of cargo and some 2,500 personnel, often flying into some of the most environmentally and/or militarily hostile areas of the world. Most of that is accomplished using two of the world’s largest cargo aircraft, the C-5 Galaxy with a 135-ton payload capacity and...July 1, 2008
I was talking with an owner of a mid-size avionics shop recently and he was telling me how much his business has changed. Products have changed. Customers have changed. His whole way of doing business has changed. Oh, for the "good old" days... That conversation got me thinking: has the maintenance side of general aviation undergone similar changes? Well, there’s only one way to find out...June 1, 2008
Now an independent company, this MRO plans to double its capacity, taking full advantage of a favorable geographic location. We sent our editor at large, Dave Jensen, to Turkey to learn about their plans for growth. Asked how his company can successfully compete against Europe’s long-established MROs and the Middle East’s up-and-coming, well-invested MROs, Dr. Ismail Demir gives an answer one...May 1, 2008
Spurred by environmental regulations and ever rising fuel costs, jet engine manufacturers are developing products that reduce emissions and noise pollution. Researchers in Europe and America are focusing on next-generation concepts such as open rotor and embedded engines to increase efficiency and reduce noise. But today’s new engines such as the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000, the General Electric GEnx and...April 1, 2008
Dramatic growth and change are forecasted for the worldwide aircraft maintenance market. Are Europe’s established repair centers positioned to maintain their share? The maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market looks strong and is expected to grow during the next 10 years by 51 percent, generating $62 billion in annual revenue by 2018. Supporting that upbeat prediction is the fact that the...March 6, 2008
Continued operational safety (COS) is crucial for all spare parts, whether made by OEMs or PMA companies. The Modification and Replacement Parts Association (MARPA) guidelines for COS may give aircraft buyers more confidence in the part quality and support they can expect when using PMA parts. Three customers come into Gold Birds Aircraft to purchase pre-flown aircraft. One wants a LearJet 45 to offer for...February 1, 2008
"Helicopters are really a bunch of parts flying in relatively close formation; all rotating around a different axis. Things work well until one of the parts breaks formation." - Anon Helicopter operators are HUMS-ing a happy tune as advancements in technology continue to improve safety while saving time and money in the maintenance shop. It’s been said that flying a helicopter is like...February 1, 2008
Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) has been one of the "big two" piston aircraft engine manufacturers for as long as most of us can remember. The company introduced its first engine developed specifically to power an airplane in 1906. And since then, Continental engines have gone on to power many legendary general aviation aircraft including the Piper Cub, Taylorcraft, Bonanza, Cessna 150 and many...
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