When we mention aircraft reliability, we open up a lot of different topics all at once; ultimately though we get out what we put in as with many systems such as safety management also.
It is important to know the difference between data and information –information can be created from data. Data on its own can be meaningless or hard to interpret, the data is just facts and details for example that we must analyse.
The reliability programme is only going to be as good as you make it by determining the needs and objectives you want to achieve.
This means in turn that we need to have robust procedures as to how we will use the data, what we will analyse and what information we will derive from it.
The considerations of what we will consider within non-routine component removals the specifics within this consideration are important –do you include all non-routine component removals? For example, wheels and brakes replaced as worn to limits or cabin equipment replaced due to usage on passengers is not a reliability concern but is non routine maintenance.
The procedures for analysis and interpretation of information should enable the performance of the items controlled by the program to be measuredand in turn the procedures should facilitate recognition, diagnosis and recording of significant problems.
The whole process should enable a critical assessment to be made of the effectiveness of the programand might well include some of the following considerations:-Analysis and interpretation of trends. -The evaluation of repetitive defects. -Confidence testingof expected and achieved results. -Reliability predictions. Having usable and reliable information that adds value to your maintenance program and can show useful trends or highlight issues is paramount in a reliability programme. It comes from accuratedata, effective analysis, and the ability to benchmark the results.
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