Insights

MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS – HOW OPTIMIZATION CREATES VALUE

THE TAKEAWAY

Maintenance programs have a material impact on how an airline operates, its costs, and its revenue.

Airlines have a choice with regards to Maintenance Programs – use the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)’s MRBR/MPD or customize it and optimize for their unique operation and environment.

Maintenance Program optimization is a commonly employed strategy that has contributed to increased profitability without compromising safety.

The benefits of a fully optimized maintenance program are accessible by packaging and optimizing maintenance to:

  • Take full advantage of planned maintenance events and schedule tasks for common access – reducing the frequency with which maintenance tasks require access to or removal by technicians of an assembly, part or panel
  • Perform maintenance at its highest effective interval 
  • Adjust program requirements to address reliability drivers 
  • Move maintenance effort out of operational line stations and into controlled hangar environments 
  • Simplify maintenance packages to reduce the planning burden and take advantage of aircraft access
  • Develop a lowest cost check structure for life of the unit, taking into account the fleet life cycle

Together, these initiatives generate benefits by way of six value drivers:

Aircraft availability

Reducing the number of maintenance units (aircraft) on the ground or in the hangar results in more aircraft available to fly and earn revenue. A SeaTec optimized program for a regional airline brought 1 additional aircraft onto the flight schedule.

Maintenance costs 

Optimized Maintenance Task content and check intervals reduces maintenance and engineering labor hours / costs. For another airline, the SeaTec optimized program reduced the number of C Checks which yielded a 20% maintenance cost saving per aircraft for the life of each aircraft.

Complexity

Remaining compliant with ‘one size fits all’ MRB programs requires a significant investment in infrastructure and resources. Underinvestment can lead to overruns. Simplification reduces complexity and costs.

Reliability

Robust data analysis informs program enhancements and reduces maintenance effort which improves aircraft reliability and availability. 

Maintenance Capacity

Optimization of all checks reduces the utilization of scarce line and hangar resources and addresses bottlenecks in MRO maintenance execution.

Human Factors

Reductions in maintenance touch time directly reduces human factors risks.

FAA REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS

For airlines regulated by the FAA, Advisory Circular No.120-16(X) Air Carrier Maintenance Programs describes the mandated scope and content of an air carrier’s aircraft maintenance programs. 

Use of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)’s MRBR/MPD is mandated for the first year of operation for any new fleet added to an operators OpSpec. One year is specified to collect the minimum data required to support an operator’s Continuing Analysis and Surveillance System (CASS) program which amongst other things, ensures maintenance decisions are driven by a consistent baseline of data. 

After one year, AC 120-16(X) Chapter 6 requires an operator to maintain an effective program customized to their unique operation using specific data analysis. This is often misinterpreted as meaning the MRBR/MPD and subsequent revisions are the most effective and optimized program, however, the exact opposite can be true.

The MRBR/MPD is applicable to a fleet operating worldwide and is intentionally designed to support every operator: new airlines with no fleet experience, airlines operating in extreme operational environments, operators without robust regulatory oversight, and sophisticated operators in highly regulated,  moderate operational environments – in effect a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Operators following the MRBR’s intentionally restrictive program requirements will not be optimized to their unique operation and environment. The FAA explicitly provides for a different philosophy than that which underpins the OEM MRB. Chapter 6 requires U.S. operators analyze their own data and make program changes and employ a customized strategy. It is the operator’s responsibility to effectively package MRBR/MPD tasks and intervals into a program for the full life of their fleet. Customized programs are then reviewed and approved by the FAA. The distinction between a customized program and an optimized program is important. Customized is defined as ‘modified to suit a particular individual or task’ and mandated by the FAA. Optimized is defined as ‘make the best or most effective use of something’ – an opportunity available only to those who customize. Program optimization is how Maintenance and Engineering can create value. Continuing to utilize the OEM MRB as the platform for program maintenance beyond year one for a new fleet/aircraft is sometimes justified as “the safe approach” but there is no evidence to suggest optimized programs approved by the FAA are less safe.

HOW CAN AN OPTIMIZED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM HELP YOUR AIRLINE?

Any aircraft operator – commercial passenger, private passenger, cargo, or defense – can benefit from an optimized maintenance program. The scale of the benefit varies and is typically a function of five factors:

  1. Fleet size
  2. Fleet configuration
  3. Fleet utilization
  4. Operational environment and conditions
  5. Experience of the Maintenance and Engineering teams with program optimization

Any operator that is not doing maintenance at the highest effective level or has flight operations constrained or otherwise negatively impacted by maintenance should consider maintenance program optimization.

SeaTec is an industry leader in developing and optimizing Maintenance, Reliability and Predictive Programs.

One client recently achieved an industry first FAA approval for a C check escalation, developed by SeaTec, without having a D074 reliability program. Another recently completed a Seatec program escalation that reduced the maintenance cost for one fleet by $2+M over the next 2 years.
 

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