Competency-based on-the-job training for aviation maintenance and inspection - a human factors approach

More than 90% of the critical skills that an aviation maintenance technicia n uses are acquired through on-the-job training (OJT). Yet many aviation ma intenance technicians rely on a 'degenerating buddy system', 'follow Joe ar ound', or unstructured approach to OJT. Many aspects of the aviation mainte nance environment point to the need for a structured OJT program, but perha ps the most significant is the practice of job bidding which can create rap id turnover of technicians. The task analytic training system (TATS), a mod el for developing team-driven structured OJT was developed by the author, a nd first introduced in Boeing Commercial Airplane Group to provide competen cy-based OJT for aviation maintenance and inspection personnel. The goal of the model was not only to provide a comprehensive, highly structured train ing system that could be applied to any maintenance and inspection task, bu t also to improve team coordination, attitude and morale. The first goal wa s accomplished by following the systems eight-step process, the latter thro ugh incorporating human factors principles such as decision making, communi cation, team building and conflict resolution into the process itself. In g eneral, the process helps to instill mutual respect and trust, enhance goal -directed behavior, strengthen technicians' self-esteem and responsiveness to new ideas and encourage technicians to make worthwhile contributions. Th e theoretical background of the model is addressed by illustrating how the proven training methodologies of job task analysis and job instruction trai ning are blended with human factors principles resulting in a unique team-d riven approach to training, The paper discusses major elements of the model including needs identification, outlining targeted jobs, writing and verif ying training procedures, an approval system, sequencing of training, certi fying trainers, implementing, employing tracking mechanisms, evaluating,and establishing a maintenance/audit plan. Relevance to industry TATS has been successfully installed in several maintenance and inspection areas of The Boeing Company. Four major U.S. airlines - United Airlines, Tr ans World Airlines, Northwest Airlines, and USAirways have participated in two years of development and field testing in their maintenance operations (assisted by the author and Dr. Barbara Kanki of NASA Ames Research Center) . (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.