This study identified the core competencies of aircraft maintenance quality engineers and compared the importance and retention of core competencies. Through literature research, 21 core competencies were derived in three areas of management technology, elemenal technology and collaboration technology, and a survey was conducted on the importance and retention of core competencies for 42 aircraft maintenance quality engineers. As a result of the survey, the importance of all core competencies of aircraft maintenance quality engineers is 3.95/5 on average, and the retention of all core competencies is 3.99/5 on average. 'Risk Management’, ‘Creating Document’, ‘Honesty/Moral’ were identified as the most important competencies in each area, and ‘Quality Management’, ‘Language’, ‘Honesty/Moral’ were identified as the most possessed competencies in each area. An IPA (Importance-Performance Analysis) was performed to analyze the details. Through IPA, ‘Risk Management’ and ‘Safety Management’ were evaluated as having a low degree of retention compared to a high level of importance. Therefore, they were identified as a core competencies that need to be improved first. In addition, the characteristics of each core competency and the recognition level in the field were also identified. This study will be helpful in defining the roles and functions of aircraft maintenance quality engineers to improve flight quality and prevent aviation accidents.
This research is to study the solution to the defects in maintenance and inspection that can be predicted/prevented in advance among human factors that account for more than 70% of the causes of aviation accidents. Traditionally, mechanics have performed visual inspections of aircraft exteriors. Due to this, there were factors that affect the human ability of mechanics in aircraft maintenance and inspection, safety problems when performing the upper part of the aircraft inspection, and the difficulty of precise inspection. To improve these problems, we conduct a study on an AI drone inspection system that has deep-learned samples on aircraft damage/defects. In this paper, we describe the aircraft maintenance inspection checklist, non-destructive inspection types, types of aircraft damage and defects, deep-learning highly reliable AI drone inspection systems, and the expected effects of this technology and future applications. Through this system research, it is expected that mechanics will efficiently inspect the aircraft through the optimization of aircraft maintenance system technology to prevent aviation accidents in advance and reduce time and economic costs.
In the process of cutting large aircraft parts, the tool may be abnormally worn or damaged due to various factors such as mechanical vibration, disturbances such as chips, and physical properties of the workpiece, which may result in deterioration of the surface quality of the workpiece. Because workpieces used for large aircrafts parts are expensive and require strict processing quality, a maintenance plan is required to minimize the deterioration of the workpiece quality that can be caused by unexpected abnormalities of the tool and take maintenance measures at an earlier stage that does not adversely affect the machining. In this paper, we propose a method to indirectly monitor the tool condition that can affect the machining quality of large aircraft parts through real-time monitoring of the current signal applied to the spindle motor during machining by comparing whether the monitored current shows an abnormal pattern during actual machining by using this as a reference pattern. First, 30 types of tools are used for machining large aircraft parts, and three tools with relatively frequent breakages among these tools were selected as monitoring targets by reflecting the opinions of processing experts in the field. Second, when creating the CNC machining program, the M code, which is a CNC auxiliary function, is inserted at the starting and ending positions of the tool to be monitored using the editing tool, so that monitoring start and end times can be notified. Third, the monitoring program was run with the M code signal notified from the CNC controller by using the DAQ (Data Acquisition) device, and the machine learning algorithms for detecting abnormality of the current signal received in real time could be used to determine whether there was an abnormality. Fourth, through the implementation of the prototype system, the feasibility of the method proposed in this paper was shown and verified through an actual example.
An aircraft engine is supposed to be used for a specified lifespan, and it is reused through the depot maintenance for a major overhaul when its cumulative service life reaches the lifespan. However, the depot maintenance takes a long time due to the complexity of its process, and thus to continuously operate aircraft, spare engines are required to substitute engines under renovation. Considering the limited capacity of the depot, the uniformity of the quantity and cycle of engines entering the depot maintenance provides an opportunity to the decrease of the spare engines and the improvement of aircraft availability. It is the purpose of engine life management. Furthermore, in establishing flight plans, the time for essential maintenance activities, such as pre/post-flight inspection, servicing, the preparation for next flight, has to guarantee. Especially, fighters additionally require much time for installing weapons for their mission. That is, the rearming procedure can be left out if the adjoining missions are identical. Otherwise, the rearming time is varyingly spent depending on the types of adjacent duties. Therefore, this study proposes the mathematical model for an aircraft-mission assignment considering engine life management and maintenance schedule, and it is formulated based on the time-space network. Moreover, to verify and validate the model, an example was developed by applying realistic aircraft operating environment and simulation to perform air operations for several days was fulfilled. The experimental results presented flight plans corresponding to the purpose of this study, such as engine life management and the assurance of maintenance time.
The goal of this paper is to suggest aircraft maintenance and its improvement for aviation safety. The purpose of aviation safety is to prevent aviation accidents resulting in damage to human life and property. Aviation safety relies heavily on maintenance. Human error is cited as a major causal factor in most aviation mishaps, including maintenance error. Errors can be described as active failures that lead directly to the incident, and latent failures whose presence provokes the active failure. Maintenance errors are parts installed incorrectly, missing parts, and necessary checks not being performed. In comparison to many other threats to aviation safety, the mistakes of an aviation maintenance technician(AMT) can be more difficult to detect. Often times, these mistakes are present but not visible and have the potential to remain latent, affecting the safe operation of aircraft for longer periods of time. State safety programmes is a system of activities for the aim of strengthening the safety and integrated management of the activities of government by standards of the ICAO. In summary, It is necessary to revise regulations on the basis of the aviation practice for aviation safety regulatory requirements. The goverment will eventually need to promulgate fatigue management standsrds for AMT also pay particular attention to the safety and education for small aircraft AMT.
Management of maintenance parts in the aircraft have difficulty because of high cost of part, necessity of separate managements, and very many kinds of parts. The serial number of parts was used in maintenance process and then the results was depended on worker's ability. Also the workers used printed work order and manual at every time in maintenance processes. In this study, we analyzed the maintenance process and the information that occurs in the material warehouse and hangar for large airline company to solve the problems about inventory and visualization. Based on above analysis we developed the maintenance process with integrated by information technologies such as QR code and tablet PC. We expect the reduced errors resulting from visually checking and decreased work hours and maintenance cost and will finally develop the smart work.