Quality assurance staffing impacts in military aircraft maintenance units

Abstract

PurposeThis paper summarizes our research into the impact that current Air Force quality assurance staffing practices have on key unit performance metrics.Design/methodology/approachInterviews and Delphi surveys culminated in the development of a quality assurance staffing effectiveness matrix. The matrix was used to calculate historical quality assurance staffing effectiveness at 16 Air Force combat aircraft units. Effectiveness scores were then regressed with unit historical data for 25 metrics.FindingsNine metrics were deemed statistically significant, including break rates, cannibalization rates, flying schedule effectiveness rates, key task list pass rates, maintenance scheduling effectiveness rates, quality verification inspection pass rates, repeat rates, dropped objects counts and safety/technical violations counts. An example benefit‐cost analysis for changes in quality assurance staffing effectiveness presents compelling evidence for maintenance managers to carefully weigh decisions to leave quality assurance personnel slots empty, or to assign personnel possessing other than authorized credentials.Originality/valueMaintenance managers can use this method to help determine personnel assignment strategies for improving quality assurance unit performance with respect to similar metrics, and other managers could adopt this general approach to more effectively link personnel resources to their organization's key performance indicators.