TASKS

PHYSICAL WORK

 Before commencing a task, an individual engineer, engineering

team or planner should ask themselves a number of questions.
These may include:
• Do I/we know exactly what the task is that has to be done?
• Are the resources available to do it effectively? Where resources
include: • personnel; • equipment/spares; • documentation,
information and guidance; • facilities such as hangar space,
lighting, etc.
• Do I/we have the skills and proficiency necessary to complete the
task?

If the engineer is in any doubt what needs to be done, written

guidance material is the best resource. Colleagues may unintentionally
give incorrect or imprecise direction (the exception to this is discussing
problems that arise that are not covered in the guidance material).
Chap 6, pg 2, 1.1 & 1.2
TASKS
PHYSICAL WORK

 Physical work over a period of time will result in fatigue. This is

normally not a problem if there is adequate rest and recovery
time between work periods.

Missing a break in an effort to get a job done within a certain

time frame can be counterproductive, as fatigue diminishes
motor skills, perception, awareness and standards. As a
consequence, work may slow and mistakes may occur that need
to be rectified.
Chap 6, pg 2
TASKS
REPETITIVE TASKS

Repetitive tasks can be tedious and reduce arousal (i.e. be boring).

Repetitive tasks in aircraft maintenance engineering typically

refer to tasks that are performed several times during a shift, or
a number of times during a short time period, e.g. in the course
of a week. An example of this would be the checking life jackets
on an aircraft during daily inspections.

The main danger with repetitive tasks is that engineers may

become so practised at such tasks that they may cease to consult
the maintenance manual, or to use job cards.
Chap 6, pg 3, 2.1 & 2.3
TASKS
VISUAL INSPECTION

 Visual inspection is one of the primary methods employed

during maintenance to ensure the aircraft remains in an
airworthy condition.
 Good eyesight is of prime importance in visual inspection.

Information such as technical bulletins are important as they

prime the inspector of known and potential defects and he
should keep abreast of these. For example, blue staining on an
aircraft fuselage may be considered insignificant at first sight,
but information from a Technical Bulletin of ‘blue ice’ and
external toilet leaks may make the engineer suspicious of a
more serious problem

Chap 6, pg 5, para 3
TASKS
COMPLEX SYSTEMS

 All large modern aircraft can be described as complex systems.

Any complex system can be thought of as having a wide variety of

inputs. The system typically performs complex modifications on these
inputs or the inputs trigger complex responses. There may be a single
output, or many distributed outputs from the system.

 To maintain such complex systems, it is likely that the engineer will

need to have carried out some form of system-specific training which
would have furnished him with an understanding of how it works (and
how it can fail) and what it is made up of (and how components can
fail).
When working with complex systems, it is important that the aircraft
maintenance engineer makes reference to appropriate guidance
material. This typically breaks down the system conceptually or
physically, making it easier to understand and work on.

Chap 6, pg 5
COMMUNICATION

What is communication?

“The transmission of something from one location to another. The ‘thing’

that is transmitted may be a message, a signal, a meaning, etc. In
order to have communication both the transmitter and the receiver
must share a common code, so that the meaning or information
contained in the message may be interpreted without error”.

Within and Between Teams

• Individuals within teams exchange information and need to receive
instructions, guidance, etc.
• Moreover, one team will have to pass on tasks to another team at shift
handover.

Chap 7, pg 1
COMMUNICATION

Modes of Communication
An aircraft maintenance engineer might regularly communicate:
• information; • ideas; • feelings; • attitudes and beliefs
Communication can be:
• Verbal/spoken - e.g. a single word, a phrase or sentence, a grunt;
• Written/textual - e.g. printed words and/or numbers on paper or
on a screen, hand written notes;
• Non-verbal -
• graphic - e.g. pictures, diagrams, hand drawn sketches,
indications on a cockpit instrument;
• symbolic - e.g. ‘thumbs up’, wave of the hand, nod of the
head;
• body language - e.g. facial expressions, touch such as a pat on
the back, posture.
Chap 7, pg 2
COMMUNICATION

Communication Problems:
These are lack of communication and poor communication. Both
problems can lead to subsequent human error.

Basic rules of thumb to help aircraft maintenance engineers

minimise poor communication are:
• think about what you want to say before speaking or writing;
• speak or write clearly;
• listen or read carefully;
• seek clarification wherever necessary.
Chap 7, pg 3 & 4
COMMUNICATION

WORK LOGGING & RECORDING

Inadequate logging or recording of work has been cited as a contributor to
several incidents.

What needs to be done?

• Even if engineers think that they are going to complete a job, it is
always necessary to keep the record of work up-to-date just in case the
job has to be handed over.

KEEPING UP-TO-DATE, CURRENCY

 The aviation industry is dynamic: operators change their aircraft, new
aircraft types and variants are introduced, new aircraft maintenance
practices are introduced. As a consequence, the engineer needs to keep his
knowledge and skills up-to-date.
 Responsibility for maintaining currency lies with both the individual
engineer and the maintenance organisation for which he works.
Chap 7, pg 4