LECTURE NOTES

915151 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE & CREW

MANAGEMENT
BBA – AIRLINE AND AIRPORT MANAGEMENT
SEMESTER – V

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 UNIT – 2

PRODUCTION PLANNING AND CONTROL

Production planning in Aircraft Maintenance helps operators to evaluate their

need in terms of resource which leads to crew scheduling and demand which
leads to material management. Ultimate goal of Production planning is to
minimize the incongruities between operator's actual Production and forecast
requisite.

Objectives and benefits

Minimize costs / maximize profits

Maximize customer service
Minimize inventory investment
Minimize changes in production rates
Minimize changes in work-force levels
Maximize the utilization of plant and equipment

PRODUCT DESIGN

Product design is a strategic decision as the image and profit earning capacity of
a small firm depends largely on product design. Once the product to be
produced is decided by the entrepreneur the next step is to prepare its design.
Product design consists of form and function. The form designing includes
decisions regarding its shape, size, color and appearance of the product. The
functional design involves the working conditions of the product. Once a

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product is designed, it prevails for a long time therefore various factors are to be
considered before designing it.

These factors are listed below: -

 Standardization
 Reliability
 Maintainability
 Servicing
 Reproducibility
 Sustainability
 Product simplification
 Quality Commensuration with cost
 Product value
 Consumer quality
 Needs and tastes of consumers.

Above all, the product design should be dictated by the market demand. It is an
important decision and therefore the entrepreneur should pay due effort, time,
energy and attention in order to get the best results.

FORECASTING

 Forecasting is essential for number of planning decisions and often

provides a valuable input on which operations of the business enterprises
depend.
 Forecasting is a process of estimating a future event  by casting forward
past data. The past data are systematically combined in a predetermined
way to obtain the estimate of the future.
 Prediction is a process of estimating a future event based on subjective
considerations other than just past data; these subjective considerations
need not be combined in a predetermined way.

The strategic role of forecasting

 Supply chain Management:

 Quality Management:
 Strategic planning

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Types of Forecasts

 Economic forecasts
 Predict a variety of economic indicators, like money supply, inflation
rates, interest rates, etc.
 Technological forecasts
 Predict rates of technological progress and innovation.
 Demand forecasts
 Predict the future demand for a company’s products or services.

Since virtually all the operations management decisions (in both the strategic
category and the tactical category) require as input a good estimate of future
demand, this is the type of forecasting that is emphasized in our textbook and in
this course.

FEEDBACK FOR PLANNING

Feedback mechanisms include surveys (one-to-one, telephone, online),

customer forums, and social media. Each of these can use different feedback
evaluation models such as open discussions, a questionnaire on pre-identified
attributes, and quantitative assessment of preidentified attributes. The literature
provides many examples of feedback evaluation methods as shown in table 1.
Here we will use the kano model as reference (kano et al., 1984) which focuses
on the relationships between the customer requirements fulfilment and customer
satisfaction.

This model proposes 3 steps (a questionnaire, an evaluation table and a category

result) in order to elicit links between global satisfaction of a customer
regarding a given product and the product’s attributes. The original model was
extensively used from the 1980’s to the last decade (violante & vezzetti 2017).
Violante and vezzetti (2017) present a detailed comparison between more than
15 enriched quantitative kano models. They also proposed an evaluation
framework to identify which of these models are adapted or appropriate to a
given situation. Conjoint analysis (luce & tukey 1964) is particularly adapted to
measure preferences for multiattribute products such as aircrafts.

Fogliatto and da silveira (2008) use it to determine the differentiating attributes

of a product in order to speed up its configuration process. The work of wang
and wu (2014) proposes to combine the kano model and conjoint analysis to
determine different customer segments and appropriate product variety. We

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want to combine these two powerful tools to address customer satisfaction
within the product design and production phases. In this paper, the attributes are
classified both qualitatively and quantitatively. This is not done by any of the
methods described above. Therefore, we propose a new refinement of the kano
model using conjoint analysis.

The existing methods consider customer feedback in product development as a

one-way process starting from customer requirements to product design and
production (Fig. (a)), whereas the problem that arises in aircraft production
needs a twofold iterative process (Fig. (b)). There is a first validation of the
produced solution without disturbing the production as opposed to the
customer’s physical visits and a second evaluation and utilization of the
customer feedback for the development (starting from product design to
delivery of the product) of a series of products as illustrated in Fig. (b). to
formalize this twofold iterative process, the literature on product architecture
and modularity is explained in the following sub-section.

ORGANIZATION OF PP & C

This is important to note that production plan is the first and the foremost
element of PPC. Planning refers to deciding in advance what is to be done in
future. A separate planning department is established in the organization which
is responsible for the preparation of policies and plans with regard to production
to be undertaken in due course. The planning department prepares various
charts, manuals production budgets etc., on the basis of information received
from management. These plans and charts or production budgets are given

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practical shape by carrying various elements under production control. If
production planning is defective, production control is bound to be adversely
affected. For achieving the production targets, production planning provides
sound basis for production control.

One needs to remember that production plans are prepared in advance at top
level whereas, production control is exercised at machine shop floor (bottom
level) where actual production is taking place. Some important elements of PPC
have been depicted in the figure as below:

TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS

Technical publications contain information, such as airworthiness directives or

customer service notices, from vendors, manufacturers, and regulatory agencies.
Technical publications can trigger maintenance events and affect work planning
forecasts.

The Technical Publications application stores technical publications from

manufacturers, vendors, regulatory agencies, and others. Technical publications
can have complex criteria to define which aircraft they affect. The Technical
Publications application tracks the following information:

Identifying details
Affected aircraft
Maintenance plans, which include task cards and job cards for
implementing work requirements
Status or method of compliance of each affected aircraft
Related technical publications

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When you create a technical publication, you can specify whether an upgrade is
applied to multiple aircraft. Typically, software items are updated in this
manner. You can upgrade all the software within the top-level aircraft at the
same time, including the child aircraft that are in build positions that are defined
on the technical publication.

Multiple maintenance plans, each with an associated job card, can be created for
a technical publication. Each maintenance plan is used to create a task card for
each affected aircraft. The task cards are used to create work orders to
implement the requirements of the technical publication. When you specify a
maintenance plan for a technical publication, you can optionally select to
automatically complete all associated maintenance plans. By using this option,
when any individual work order is completed, all task cards that are generated
from the technical publication for a particular aircraft are automatically
completed. If you choose not to automatically complete all associated
maintenance plans, you avoid deactivating associated maintenance plans, and
each task card work order must be completed individually. You can also select
to complete all associated maintenance plans before the method of compliance
is reported for each of the associated aircraft.

FUNCTION OF TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS

Technical publications contain information, such as airworthiness directives or

customer service notices, from vendors, manufacturers, and regulatory agencies.
Technical publications can trigger maintenance events and affect work planning
forecasts.

Aircraft Documentation means all logs, manuals, certificates, data and

inspection, modification, repair, and overhaul records which are required to be
maintained with respect to the Aircraft under the Maintenance Program or by
the Relevant Aviation Authority.

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 To receive and distribute, within the airline, all publications issued by
outside sources
To print and distribute the publications generated by the various
organizations within the airline
To establish and maintain a complete, up-to-date library system for all
such documents as needed

Additional responsibilities:

 Maintain, track and distribute any periodic revisions, including service

letters (SLs), service bulletins (SBs) or maintenance tips by the
manufacturer or vendors
 Maintain, track and distribute FARs, ADs, ACs and other official
regulatory publications
 Maintain, track, and distribute airline technical policies & procedures
manual (TPPM), the reliability program manual and other maintenance
and inspection documents generated by the airline itself.

AIRLINES LIBRARIES

The library at AAI Corporate qus is a well-equipped library catering to the

needs of AAI officials/employees as well as that of Ministry of Civil Aviation.
It has a total collection of nearly 15000 records which include books in English
as well as in Hindi, technical data on lCAO/ACl/IATA/CAPA, Journals,
Periodicals, and Articles etc.

The books in English include subjects like Air Traffic Management,

Communications, Engineering, Information Technology, General Management,
Literature etc. The library has a vast collection of Hindi literature too which
includes collection of Munshi Prem Chand, Sharat Chandra Chatterjee,
Rabindra Nath Tagore and other distinguished writers. On-Line Catalogue of
Library is available at aai.ibcon.in. The Library is also an esteemed member of
British Council Library.

Besides, Library is also member of DELNET wherein books/data unavailable in

CHQ library are borrowed from other libraries. In keeping pace with on-going
technological developments, Gadgets like Kindle (E-book Reader) is also used
in CHQ Library. A weekly newsletter 'Library Update' is also being issued from
CHQ Library keeping abreast its readers about new arrivals of

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books/documents. The mandate of the Library is however technical in nature
and focus is on making it rich in Aviation related Information.

 Primary function is to ensure all applicable publications (regardless of

source) are available to users and up-to-date with the latest changes
 The main library will contain ALL publications relating to maintenance,
engineering, and inspection activities
 The satellite libraries will be limited to copies of those documents that
directly relate to a particular function served
 Libraries include of all types: paper, microfilm or electronic (CD, web-
based, intranet)

CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS

 Maintenance documents are classified as “uncontrolled” or controlled

 Uncontrolled are issued for general information and are NOT used to
certify airworthiness
 Controlled are used to certify airworthiness of aircraft, engines, and
components
 Each controlled document will contain:
 List of effective pages (LEP) – (list of active pgs of latest revision)
 Record of revisions to the document (Rev # or Ltr and the date of the
revision)
 Master copy will be held in the main library
 Each controlled document (including the master) will be issued a library
number (i.e. Copy 6 of 14), in addition to any document number
 Staff will maintain a record of each document by:
 Document name
 Document number
 Library number
 Name of the department issued
 Name of person responsible for the document within the dept.
 Manufacturer’s and regulatory documents have standard revision cycles
and “as needed” cycles
 The TPL – has the responsibility of issuing revisions (separate pgs or
whole documents) ASAP upon receipt

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DOCUMENT DISTRIBUTION

 Technical Publications will package documents and revisions and send

them to the using organizations by the most appropriate means.
 Distribution protocol mandates
 A letter to accompany the package, detailing its contents
 As well as a signature verifying the receipt and applicability of the
package's contents
 Technical Publications is not responsible, however for the
implementation and dissemination of the package's contents post-
distribution.
 Documents and revisions will be sent ASAP by most appropriate means
 Letter will accompany document/revision stating document number, copy
number and revision date – to whom and date as well
 Receipt signature block and date
 Recipient must verify applicability (i.e. right W/C and pg check to insure
complete)
 Ensures the documents are controlled from receipt to delivery
 Receiving activity is responsible for incorporating documents/revisions –
internal periodic inspections, QA and regulatory audits will verify and
ensure compliance.

AIRLINES USE OF COMPUTERS

Computers have become crucial to the airline industry. They are used to
book tickets, plan flights, schedule aircraft and crew, oversee
maintenance, and set fares.
From ticket reservations to aircraft design and manufacture, computers
have helped airline operations become more efficient and flexible. The
rise of personal computers and the Internet has given passengers complete
control over booking their own flights and seat selections. The complex
and fluid airfare system that computers have made possible enables savvy
travelers to find low fares on many routes.
Using the Internet, passengers can search for find the best fare or flight,
choose seats, make reservations, pay for the ticket, and print receipts and
boarding passes.

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Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture (CAD/CAM)
have greatly reduced the cost of producing aircraft. Computers produce
accurate drawings and can alert designers to possible conflicts before a
design is produced. They can also manufacture parts more precisely and
faster than humans. Parts for the 747-400 (shown here) are made by
CAD/CAM. The Boeing 777 was the first airliner completely designed on
computer.
Computer reservation systems have led to code sharing-agreements
between airlines that allow travelers to fly on more than one carrier on a
single ticket. Code sharing increases and optimizes the flow of passenger
through an airline's network. A major carrier may have code sharing
agreements with regional, commuter, and foreign airlines.
In the late 1950s, American Airlines pioneered the use of a computer
reservation system, and in 1963 American installed its Semi-Automated
Business Environment, or SABRE. Other airlines followed American's
lead and developed their own computer reservation systems.

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