For the past year and a half Jon has been working to create and implement an airplane maintenance system for FMS. According to aviation regulations, anything broken on an airplane must get fixed before the plane can be flown again. This can be a huge inconvenience if the only thing broken is unessential.
One way that most companies get a little more lenience is by working under an MEL (Minimum Equipment List) - a list of things that can be broken along with the time you can keep flying an airplane before that issue must be resolved. For example, if a tire is flat clearly this must be fixed prior to the next flight. However, if a minor light bulb is burned out in the cockpit the MEL might allow the airplane to fly for another 10 days before it must be fixed. This provides time to order parts and schedule a time for the mechanics to address the problem.
After a year and a half of preparations - adapting an existing MEL, working out a system to report and track maintenance issues, negotiating approval from the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority - Botswana's FAA), training the pilots and mechanics on how to use the system, and creating the necessary forms, tags, and stickers - the system has finally been implemented! ! !
This is very exciting for FMS and a big relief for Jon. As with any new system, it will mean some growing pains as the organization adapts to the new demands but, ultimately, it means that the organization will be able to work more safely and efficiently.
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