Objective

• To collect and analyse data on aircraft maintenance engineers’ hours of work and working environment
• To estimate the potential for fatigue under these conditions
• To determine the best approach to developing countermeasures to that fatigue

Description
This project was the first step in work to develop fatigue management guidelines for air carrier maintenance services.

The study involved:

• a literature review of research in this area
• development, validation, and distribution of a questionnaire for maintenance engineers
• analysis of the responses
• recommendation of an approach to the next step, based on the results of the data analysis

Results
The researchers received 1209 completed questionnaires from the 5000 distributed. They also interviewed 12 AMEs representing different types of operations (major, regional, and charter airlines; stand-alone and general aviation; and helicopters). From the data acquired they documented the current situation in each type of operation. They found that many AMEs work long hours and experience fatigue, but most have developed coping strategies. The researchers recommended the development and evaluation of fatigue management guidelines tailored for the different types of operations.

Aircraft maintenance engineer