Mackenzie Morgan – Aerospace Consultants

Challenges for a CAMO

I have been out this week seeing our software developers and looking at the developments in our website; we started talking about technology and how to use it to support Part M organisations. They started to show their concepts around mytechlog an app for an i-phone to transmit utilisation data to the CAMO, replacing the trusty fax machine. Follow their progress at www.mytechlog.net. I am a firm believer that the technology available today, in mobile devices should be able to assist organisations in overcoming issues such as unavailable aircraft utilisation data. It does not need to be a full-blown electronic tech-log, just the ability to bring the fax machine into the 21^st century.

I thought that I would use aircraft utilisation data as the topic for this week’s blog. What are the major problems that face an organisation providing continuous airworthiness management services? It has to be the provision of utilisation data, hours and cycle’s data just does not come through! It is the same across all sectors, airlines, corporate charter and privateers; pilots cannot/will not fax a tech log page to the airworthiness management organisation.

So why is it so important to have the utilisation data? The continued airworthiness is reliant on accurate and timely aircraft utilisation data, be it flying hours or aircraft cycles. All scheduled maintenance and component lives are derived from this data. If  does not matter if you fly 50 hours a year in your C150 or the aircraft flies for 12 hours per day, the consequences are the same, missing utilisation data may lead to overflying an inspection. That is a CAA reportable incident, I have unfortunately had to do that in the past, not great fun!

So what is to be done, there is a range of options open to the frustrated CAMO:

• Discuss the issues with owner/operator – not always successful!
• Suggest alternative methods that will fit in with the operation
• Advise the authorities of the repeated violations – usually the last resort!

Without aircraft utilisation data, a CAMO and the owner/operator are operating outside the the provisions of current regulations, in an extreme case the Certificate of Airworthiness for the aircraft will not be valid, with all the implications that that state of affairs entails! If there was to be an incident and the aircraft records were not up to date or a true reflection of the aircraft at the time, the CofA would be invalidated and the insurance companies would, in my opinion walk away from the incident leaving the liabilities with the owner/operator!

Pilots, please think about the supporting organisations and get your aircraft utilisation data into your airworthiness organisation; look at new solutions to help your suppliers help you.

As always I look forward to your thoughts.