AoC number
226
Primary domain
MRO
Secondary domain
ENV
Description
The shortage of certified maintenance personnel may result in lower quality servicing and maintenance of aircraft with a concomitant reduction in the reliability of both new and aging aircraft. Servicing of advanced avionics will require specialized skills, yet training in disciplines such as composite material repair, nondestructive inspection, solid-state electronics/avionics/built-In test equipment, principles of troubleshooting and human factor is currently only an option within maintenance training curricula. As the number of non-certified staff increases, the need to check their work increases.
Potential hazard
- Acceptance of poor quality work either because of time limitations or because errors are not detected.
- Reduction in the availability of certified maintenance personnel due to tightening of controls on maintenance procedures, limitation of working hours, vision tests, etc.
- Reduction in the number of experienced maintenance inspectors.
Last update
2017-08-28
Corroborating sources and comments
2014 – reports from The Boeing Company and the International Civil Aviation Organization that point to an anticipated shortage in skilled aviation -professionals are good news. Both reports predict that as global economies grow, tens of thousands of new commercial jetliners are produced and skilled workers retire, the demand for trained aviation maintenance technicians will also grow exponentially. In fact, Boeing anticipates more than 600,000 airline maintenance technicians will be needed worldwide by 2031. Redstone College, one of the nation’s premier technical and aviation schools, works directly with organizations like the FAA and Lockheed Martin to help fill this need. Redstone College works in partnership with the FAA, as well as companies like Lockheed Martin, to build its curriculum to meet the demands of highly technical and demanding careers in airframe & power plant (A&P) and advanced electronics/avionics (aviation electronics). More than 50 percent of the time students spend takes place in a sophisticated lab environment where students receive hands-on training that prepares them to hit the ground running once they are hired.
http://www.aviationtoday.com/am/categories/bga/Are-Contract-Maintenance-Workers-Safe_380.html
Contrarian viewpoint:
http://www.pcc.edu/resources/academic/program-review/documents/AMTProgramReview2011.pdf
Shortages in certified personnel do not have to result in the acceptance of poorer quality work, but which organizational entity drives this acceptance? Management cutting costs? (e.g., hiring, training)
However, fewer people may offset by better processes.
Some of the potential issues may be due to outsourcing? That is, once work is outsourced is there adequate oversight by the operator and regulator?