Every time a United Airlines plane flies, its crew records the number of hours in flight. After a certain number of hours, every plane undergoes mandatory maintenance checks to ensure flight safety and passenger comfort. With over 400 airplanes flying to hundreds of destinations, United must track each plane, the number of hours it flies and the type of maintenance required.
Currently, at each destination, or line maintenance station, job cards are printed that detail the maintenance to be completed on incoming planes. The Maintenance Operations Center engineering office in San Francisco updates job cards daily with new or revised maintenance requirements which are entered into a word processor. Every two weeks, the office prints the new data for all aircraft onto microfilm. United sends the microfilm to more than 200 line stations around the world that print job cards from the film.
This process presents several problems which recently encouraged United to search for a new system of creating job cards. For example, by the time the microfilm reaches the line stations, the data is two weeks old. It takes an operator at every maintenance station three to four hours each day to print the job cards. The special paper necessary for printing the cards from microfilm is extremely expensive and because the printers are used so much, they often malfunction or print unreadable pages.
Because the system is based on a word processor, users cannot query the data or easily show the FAA that its maintenance requirements are being met. Additionally, the word processor does not support graphics which must be stored in separate files until the data is made into microfilm.
To solve these problems and provide more functionality, Jerry Clement, Group Leader for the job card system and United MIS, designed a 4D Server database which replaced the previous system in San Francisco. United's Los Angeles maintenance base uses the line version of the database which will soon be installed at other major United maintenance stations. Now, the San Francisco base is able to send new data to Los Angeles electronically.
Job cards are now formatted in 4D Write which allows United to enter data directly from database fields. When information in the database is modified, job cards are automatically updated. 4D Write job cards are much more readable than previous cards and are printed from a laser printer, decreasing paper and microfilm costs. While the previous system could print only one card at a time, 4D Server prints all cards at the click of a button. All pages are numbered and dated to assure mechanics that cards are current.
The job cards often include detailed graphics which help mechanics maintain the aircraft. Manually cutting and pasting paper graphics used to take 10 to 15 hours per month; now graphics are scanned into the database, saving hours of labor. 4th Dimension allows one graphic to be reused on many different job cards, and automatically inserts the graphics in proper print order. To print the job cards, an operator can click a button and walk away to perform other duties. When the operator returns, all cards are printed and ready to be given to mechanics.
In the past, the job cards provided room for only one mechanic to sign a completed job form, a problem if two mechanics were assigned the same job. Now, 4D Server prints a new sign-off record that provides space for many signatures to help United mechanics account for their completed work."This also allows the line foreman to assign a tough job to more than one mechanic, thus ensuring quick aircraft turnaround times, notes Clement.
The sign-off records were previously formatted in over 100 different styles. With 4th Dimension, sign-off records for all fleets are formatted consistently."We went from over 100 ways of looking at data to one. Time is saved because it's not necessary to decipher the meaning behind the structure of each differing record, states Clement. The consistent format also reduces confusion and user training time. In fact, users began operating the 4th Dimension system immediately. Recalls Clement,"The system is so simple that it took them about one day to learn."
While users could not query the previous word processor, they are now easily able to calculate and analyze data with 4D Server. For example, when a new fleet is added to a line station, users can calculate which tools and parts to stock by querying previous data.
United also uses 4D Server to print reports detailing, calculating and totaling airplane maintenance data in any format. The ability to generate custom reports helps United quickly show the FAA that all maintenance requirements are being fulfilled.
Originally, United had a 15-user 4D Server database, but as more users were added to the system, it was found that with 4D Server the system remained fast and extremely functional. Notes Clement,"The database has been proven, works great and does everything we want it to do."
The test database at the Los Angeles airport has proven itself to United. Elaborates Clement,"The system is saving us money in every area, so we want to implement it at all the line maintenance stations." Not only is the airline saving money on printers and paper, but employee time is used more efficiently, saving the company money and increasing the quality of maintenance.
It's just simpler, faster, and more economical in every way, says Clement of the 4D Server database. As more line maintenance stations begin using the database, they will be able to further share database information to increase communication and provide better maintenance.
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