MANAGEMENT
The airline industry has established a useful
framework for adopting a rigorous and intentional
maintenance program. Th is is something
useful to think about because you may be able
to adopt practices for your own shop’s maintenance
operations.
Many people in maintenance cite RCM
(Reliability Centered Maintenance) — which
is considered a breakthrough in maintenance
— as the reason for reliability. Th at is certainly
true. But beyond this reliability, RCM requires
you to think about the reason behind the condition
in order to avoid that issue in the future.
In RCM, if a failure mode results in death
or some environmental catastrophe, shops
are obligated to fi x the failure mode. Th is can
be done one of three ways: by fi nding a detection
46 Fleet Maintenance | November/December 2017
task by way of PM inspection, through a
condition-based inspection (such as a low oil
pressure gauge) or by going back to the drawing
board and designing away the condition. We
certainly have that situation in the automotive
world with dual braking systems and trailer
braking systems (will brake on loss of air).
Other remedies for addressing failures
include establishing standard operating procedures
(SOPs) and a deep understanding of operating
conditions and specifi cations.
Standard
operating procedures
SOPs can eliminate accidents and breakdowns.
In the airline industry, there are a number
of examples where SOPs are followed. For
instance, the pilot’s walkaround is choreographed
to uncover vulnerable points. How
the plane is handled on the ramp is highly
engineered. Th e fueler takes certain steps to
reduce static as well as test the tanks for water
contamination.
Even how the cabin attendants pour your
morning coff ee is defi ned by an SOP (to minimize
the probability that you or another
passenger will get burned). Each of these SOPs
promotes reliability and safety.
Th e rules of the road are well-defi ned and
tested (as part of recertifi cation). Th ere are
rigorous rules of airplane separation, operating
ceiling, altitude assignments depending on
direction, emergency procedures and communication
protocols. Th ey calculate routing, fuel
loading, spare fuel and backup airports. Th ere
are rules for bad weather, crosswinds, cloud
cover and visibility. All this taken together
makes the time in the air safer.
Unfortunately, many of the SOPs were
developed as the result of incidents, accidents
and breakdowns leading to crashes and near
misses. To the industry’s credit, incidents lead
directly to improvements. Th is is a core reason
why air travel is so safe.
Operating conditions
and specifications
Th e second reason for reliability is a deep
understanding of the operating envelope of
the aircraft . Th e planes are tested and certifi
ed for certain dive rates, banking angles,
climb rates, landing speeds and takeoff speeds.
Every weight loading and ambient temperature
defi nes the takeoff speed, as well as the point
of no return on the runway where the pilot is
committed to takeoff .
Airplanes are rigorously tested so the manufacturers
know their limits.
Now back to our industry. We have some
protocols for pre-trip inspections. We have rules
of the road, and we also have rules of thumb,
like stopping distances at various speeds.
What we are missing is rigor and intentionality.
How many of us spot check that all the steps
of the pre-trip inspection are done? We also
don’t know the operating envelope for sure, or
the actual engineering impact of environmental
changes (like temperature, rain, crosswinds).
Consider your practices and procedures.
Are the pre-trip inspections taught, encouraged,
defi ned, timed and generally attended
to? Do your senior technicians have the ability
to add items aft er appropriate review? Is all this
backed by policy?
We depend on experience instead of rules and
checklists. Th is is not necessarily a bad thing, but
it does introduce variability to the equation.
Why are airplanes
so reliable?
A look to reliability centered maintenance –
well-known in the airline industry – can help
commercial vehicle fl eets establish a more rigorous
and intentional maintenance program.
By Joel Levitt
DIRECTOR OF PROJECTS, RELIABILITY LEADERSHIP
INSTITUTE, RELIABILITYWEB.COM
The company (Reliabilityweb.com) provides the latest
reliability and uptime maintenance news and educational
information to help make asset managers, reliability
leaders and maintenance professionals safer and more
successful. The Reliability Leadership Institute is a community
of practice to improve how organizations deliver
asset performance through the use of Uptime Elements, a
reliability framework.
» The airline industry uses Standard
operating procedures (SOPs) to help
eliminate accidents and breakdowns.
Photo from iStock
The airline industry
has established a useful
framework for adopting a
rigorous and intentional
maintenance program.
/RELIABILITYWEB.COM
/Reliabilityweb.com