Aircraft Maintenance Training Department Technical Innovation Center Case Study

Proposal Summary

The aviation industry is a unique field. It is super-efficient, highly reliable, and very critical. During history, aviation field has evolved in all aspects. Especially in terms of the aircraft technical aspect. Starting from basic airplane system, to advance high tech systems nowadays that include electronics and wireless signals (Жолдаков, 2015). When analyzing the technicality, it involves aircraft engineering, safety, maintenance and training. The technical innovation center is the place and start point where aviation technical experts and innovated technical people may gather, brainstorm, and research, discuss, advice, create and enhance the current situation of the aircraft technical world.

The technical innovation center will be located in the International Aviation Technical College at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The college has been running since about six years now. It mainly offers two study paths in the aircraft maintenance, EASA and FAA curriculums. The college is supported and funded by the Saudi government, it accepts high school graduates. All student’s tuition fees are payed by the Saudi government.

Currently the International Aviation Technical College have a total of about 4500 technical students, around 150 aircraft technical instructors and experts, and about 100 native English teachers. The 3 years study program include one-year English foundation, followed by two years technical diploma.

The technical innovation center is intended to utilize all the aircraft technical experts in the IATC. Additionally, the case study is attempting to prove to the funder (the Saudi government) that the technical innovation center will not only be valuable, but profitable too.

In this case study, I will be measuring the technical innovation center success by indicating the performance associated with it. Using the balanced scorecard:

• Financial – How profitable is it for the organization.
• Customer – How beneficial is it for the business in terms of the performance.
• Internal business – Capabilities, equipment, updated knowledge, and resources.
• Innovation and learning – To achieve our vision, how will we sustain our ability to change and improve?

Literature Review

Aircraft maintenance is the “performing of different tasks to ensure the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft or aircraft part”. Aircraft maintenance involves the carrying out of different tasks such as replacement, overhaul, embodiment of different modifications, compliance with different airworthiness directives and carrying out repair (“Next-generation aircraft management system,” 2006). Aircraft maintenance in the aviation sector is usually carried out through a maintenance check system where periodic inspections are conducted on the aircraft for a certain period of time.

Aircraft maintenance is usually carried out by a maintenance personnel. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defines the role of a maintenance personnel as the engineers, mechanics and the technicians who are involved in the checking of aircrafts (“Next-generation aircraft management system,” 2006). Thus, the technicians, engineers and the mechanics perform similar roles to ensure that an aircraft is worthy.

Aircraft maintenance can be categorized into two major forms. These forms include (“Safety management and flight data monitoring package,” 2009);

1. Structural maintenance-A new aircraft is accessed based on its structural information, damage, fatigue, and service experience and damage evaluations. The structural maintenance also evaluates the possible sources of structural damages which in many instances are fatigue, accidents and environment deteriorations.
2. Component Maintenance-Assessing whether the hardware and the software parts of an aircraft are good and supported by the aircraft.

Recent studies have indicated that having an air maintenance is essential as it benefits both the organization and the customers. Safety is the most obvious benefit of aircraft maintenance. Research indicates that approximately 20 accidents occur in the world due to mechanical failures (“Safety management and flight data monitoring package,” 2009). The accidents creates huge losses to the organizations. More so, it leads to the death of customers which play a key role in reducing the loyalty of the customers. Therefore, airplane maintenance does not only increase safety but also improves the revenue of the organization by avoiding accidents.

Performance improvement is also achieved by proper aircraft maintenance. Regular maintenance ensures that the engines are working efficiently (Pentastar Aviation, LLC, 2015). An engine that is working efficiently is a key feature required for any aircraft. Majority of accidents in the aviation world are as a result of problems in the engines. Therefore, regular maintenance will ensure that problems are avoided by aircrafts and also individuals are safe.

Aircraft maintenance is an important feature as it increases the safety and the profitability in the aircraft world.

To measure the success of the study, the result will be compared to Next Generation Aeronautical Innovation Hub Center. The centers stimulates innovation in the aviation sector. The center is located in Japan. The center has been successful in the research and development of the WEATHER Technology (Aeronautical Technology Directorate, 2019). The technology encompasses Weather-Endurance Aircraft, Technology to Hold, Evade and Recover by Eye. To ensure that the innovations are effective, different frameworks have been enacted. Some of the frameworks that have been enacted include the WEATHER-Eye Consortium, Software technology and industry-academia-government collaboration (Aeronautical Technology Directorate, 2019). The success of this innovation center will play a vital role in comparing the project success.

Objectives:

“There is no limit for inventing. Let us make the aviation a better and safer world”

• To create an opportunity that is beneficial for both, the business (IATC) and customers (MRO) for the technical training.
• To be a specially designed and resourced facility to stretch and challenge outstanding technical experts and students to innovate and experience real industry related projects.
• To be open to outstanding aviation technical students to organize internal competitions and develop candidates to enter national and international competitions (world skill).
• To communicate with the local industry to establish links and organize technical development projects.
• To be a world-class center for developing outstanding students to facilitate them reaching their maximum potential.

Project Outcomes:

• Improve the technical knowledge of the college technical experts and students.
• Connect with the local industry MROs and measure the improvement occurred by the technical innovation center.
• Provide an opportunity for innovation seekers.
• Combine entertainment and education in one place.
• Utilize the aviation technical experts to innovate and come up with new ideas and solutions.

Why are you interested in the project?

From a personal experience that I have, being an aircraft engineer, surrounded by numerus expert aircraft engineers, I hear many brilliant ideas all the time. Unfortunately, the ideas go nowhere without proper addressing and adoption. Additionally, some ideas need financial sponsorship. The innovation center will not only support the ideas and bring them to life, but also it will enhance the execution by the participation of other expert involvement.

What are the key questions the project attempts to answer?

1. How would the technical innovation center benefit the IATC?
2. How would the technical innovation center benefit the local MROs?
3. Will the technical innovation center be in a poor location?
4. What strategy will the technical innovation center use to stretch and challenge students and experts?
5. What are the real industry projects that experts and students may be involved in?
6. What does your business lack (for example, expertise or access to skills or technology)?
7. Are the internal competitions going to be cost effective?
8. Who will sponsor the national and international competitions?
9. What value will communication with the local industry add to the business?
10. How are the technical development projects going to affect the business and customers?
11. What challenges may take place for being a world-class center in terms of competitors?
12. What other positive aspects, internal to your business, add value or offer you a competitive advantage?

What Research Methods do you intend to use?

Research Philosophy

The research will be carried out using a positivism research philosophy. A research philosophy refers to a belief which shows how data should be used and analyzed. Positivism is a philosophical theory that states knowledge is based on original phenomena and their relations and properties (“Positivism – Research Methodology,” 2009). Positivism adheres to the perception that knowledge obtained through observation is essential.

Research Approach

Research approach refers to the procedures and plans that encompasses the steps of assumptions that are incorporated when data is collected, analyzed and interpreted. Deductive research approach in the study where existing theory will be developed on the basis of theories that are existing to ascertain whether aircraft maintenance will improve the profitability of an aircraft organization and enhance the customer relationship.

Research Method

Qualitative research method is a process of naturalistic inquiry that attempts to inquire in-depth consideration of social phenomena and it relies directly on the experiences of human beings. The qualitative methods that will be employed in carrying out the research are experiments, surveys, and interviews.

1. Experiments

To have a better evaluation of how the technical innovation center has a positive effect on the customer, there will be an experiment set to measure the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of the MRO technical side. The below factors show what aspects will be evaluated annually:

• The total number of aircraft technical failures.
• How many times the MRO had to request external technical assistant.

From this experiment we can measure the level of success and if the technical innovation center has a direct relation to the change in the MRO.

2. Surveys

Surveys involve collecting information, usually from fairly large groups of people.

We will provide surveys to the technical experts to get their advice and consult what ideas they might suggest or add. Their feedback will be much helpful to the project to improve, develop and create. Through the surveys we can help to know the technical innovation center needs or requirement, either from an educational aspect or facility aspect.

3. Interviews

Interviews are usually carried out in person i.e. face-to-face but can also be administered by telephone or using more advance computer technology such as Skype application.

Interviews are one of the most useful methods in my opinion because I can choose the resources of information, whether if they are aviation experts, pilots, engineers, technicians or businessmen. Ask questions, sharing ideas and exchange experience are the main task for any interviews. It can be local or international with different kind of communication.

Interviewing an aviation technical company and/or airline executive person can help us to how we can start the project by asking him/her:

• In your opinion, what is the feasibility of establishing a technical innovation center?
• What strategy would you recommend for the technical innovation center?
• How would your organization benefit from the technical innovation center?
• Do you have any ideas that may enhance the technical innovation center?
• How would you see the future of the technical innovation center?
• These kinds of questions will be a huge data collection resource. They can be used when we start our project.

What primary and/or secondary data sources do you intend to use?

Primary data: The primary data refers to the data that is collected using first-hand sources by the researcher (S, 2017). In this experiment primary data will be obtained through experiments on aircraft maintenance, interviews with experts and also through surveys which will be sent to both customers and experts.

Secondary data: Secondary data refers to the data that is collected by another individual other that the user of the data (S, 2017). The secondary data of these work will be collected through the use of books and journal articles obtained from different online databases. The data will be obtained by

– Using the actual aviation field data to know how many innovations were actually implemented and utilized.

– Books, newspaper, magazines and websites.

Draft for first Chapter:

Reference list

Aeronautical Technology Directorate (2019). Next Generation Aeronautical Innovation Hub Center | About us | Aeronautical Technology Directorate. [online] Jaxa.jp. Available at: http://www.aero.jaxa.jp/eng/about/hub/index.html [Accessed 24 Dec. 2019].

Next-generation aircraft management system. (2006). Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, 78(4).

Pentastar Aviation, LLC (2015). Private Jet & Aircraft Management. [online] Pentastaraviation.com. Available at: https://www.pentastaraviation.com/aircraft-management [Accessed 13 Dec. 2019].

Research-Methodology. (2009). Positivism – Research Methodology. [online] Available at: https://research-methodology.net/research-philosophy/positivism/.

S, S. (2017). Difference Between Primary and Secondary Data (With Comparison Chart) – Key Differences. [online] Key Differences. Available at: https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-primary-and-secondary-data.html.

Safety management and flight data monitoring package. (2009). Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, 81(4).

Жолдаков, О.О. (2015). Justification admissibility management models aircraft maintenance. Problems of Informatization and Management, 2(50)