Expert: Paul Soderman - 2/8/2007

Question
Are the tecnologies involved with noise control result in aviation technicians to mantain component that controls noise? If so then I can use your expert opinion in my study.

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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
I am a doctoral student at the University of LaVerne in need of expert participants such as yourself.
Project Description

The current challenge in the aviation maintenance industry has been focused on the need to maximize operational efficiency. Faced with the challenge of reducing maintenance costs, executives in Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Industries continually look for alternative ways to streamline their maintenance operations.
The uncertainty of meeting the dynamic and complex needs of the changing aviation industry, devoid of newer technology are widespread. The transition to new technologies for managing maintenance programs will be challenging. Research suggests that maintenance providers possessing strategic technologies can define their position in the aviation industry and stand to reap the greatest benefits. The shift towards utilizing innovation escalates challenges, competition, cost and risk. The current demands of Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul industry has a direct impact on the MRO Technicians, which include maximum job efficiency; reduced down time, while maintaining safety and reliability, impacted by emerging technology.

The purpose of this study is determine what new or emerging technology organizational leaders in the aviation maintenance industry believe will impact commercial Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul practices over the next decade? Will the impact of emerging technologies enable maximum job efficiency; reduce down-time while maintaining safety and reliability? How important is implementation of new or emerging technologies to the Commercial Aviation Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Industry?  Is implementation of new or emerging technologies feasible?



The Delphi Process

The Delphi Technique seeks to gain consensus on a particular issue utilizing data collected from a panel of experts who possess experience and/or expertise in the areas pertinent to the study.

The Delphi panel for this study is comprised of a select group of twenty-five people throughout the Untied States who are recognized as having experience and/or expertise related to the history, developmental and/or practical considerations related to Aviation Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Industry.

The key aspect of the Delphi process is anonymity. Expert panelist will remain anonymous throughout the course of this study. The identification number in the lower right hand corner of the questionnaire will be used only to determine who has or has not responded for follow up purposes. All individual responses will be held in the strictest confidence.


-----Answer-----
Janet
I am always willing to help a student, but I must tell you that I know nothing of aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul.  My experience at NASA was in research and development of new technologies related to aerodynamic performance and noise control.  I might suggest that another expert in this area (aeronautical engineering) at allexperts.com - Ray Wilkinson - would likely be better qualified to help.  He is a professor in England with expertise in aircraft structural design.  If, after all, you think my experience could be of some help please tell me what you would expect of me.  Good luck.
Paul

Answer
Janet
Aircraft noise control components could be classified as either airframe or engine components.  For the airframe, a design objective would be to develop something such as a flap that was inherently more quiet than a competing design and would be robust and virtually maintenance free.  This is a design issue. A similar objective might apply to the engine also, but components such as fan inlet silencers and exhaust mufflers must be checked periodically by mechanices to be sure they are sufficiently clean and undamaged.  In some cases, a muffler might have to be replaced if it has burned out for example.  But to answer your question, I don't see this as a job for a technician but more as a checklist item on the mechanic's overhaul plan.

So, I am not sure where this leaves the question, but it would seem that you need someone who knows about engine maintenance.  Although I don't qualify for that, I have had experience with smart sensors that might be used to evaluate engine health for example.  If a jet engine vibrational history were somehow recorded on a small device (ipod?) or on the new flash memory chips coming out to replace hard drives, the maintenance timing and focus could be significantly improved via database analysis.

Paul