The Importance of Proper Aircraft Maintenance

We usually hear a lot of news about emergency aircraft landing in some countries and in some worst cases aircraft crashes for reasons that are not disclosed completely. This happens quite often than we realize and most of them are due to the negligence in aircraft maintenance. If proper aircraft maintenance is not done then the pilots should restrain themselves from taking off such flights. This ensures safety of the passengers and themselves. Aircraft maintenance is usually given to some other company that has experience in it.

The importance of aircraft maintenance being performed with and by the prescribed rules, publications, regulations and technical guidance goes without saying. The same rules apply to all U.S. ARMY disciplines. We are all professionals; aircrews follow checklists and use prescribed repair manuals, etc. But anytime we deviate from proper procedures, bad things can happen.

Good maintenance discipline is our bread and butter. The pillar to good maintenance discipline is to understand, and follow the required technical guidance. It is a proven fact when it is not followed the results are not good. We can point out examples where failure to follow technical guidance resulted in a mishap. Did you know preventable maintenance mishaps costs us (U.S. ARMY) over $80 million dollars or over two million man-hours each year?

Technical data and job guides are written by experts with the background and experience to understand the system. Rules, regulations, instructions and standards are not written to be gray areas. They normally provide a clear path which is black and white. Many rules are the result of other people's bad judgment. Studies have shown that 20 percent of maintenance causal mishaps involve willful violation of the rules.

Complacency and overconfidence are the main reasons mechanics fail to follow the guidance provided. Excuses like "I've done the job a hundred times before," "anyone can do it," or "I have a better way" are poor...