Cognition and Habit Alterations of Maintenance Crew in A-Checks for New-Generation Aircraft: The A350XWB

ABSTRACT

Background

Airlines should ensure reliable maintenance support for aircraft operations, especially when introducing new aircraft types. To realize alternations in technicians’ cognition and habit in executing routine checks is vital to identify and set training principles during starting stages of type changes.

Method

This study compiled possible alterations for A350XWB maintenance from senior practitioners and then conducted a comprehensive survey of China Airlines A-check crew members. A ranked pair-wise comparison (RPC) approach distinguished the priorities of gaps in crew cognition differences and habit changes.

Results

Fuselage anti-collision regulation resulted in larger gaps in cognition and habits. Procedures for powering the electrical system on and off, concepts for fuselage structure and materials, and reports of visual inspection procedures after collisions were the sub-criteria with the most significant changes for all respondents. Senior technicians presented more significant cognition differences with juniors in regulations for safety ranges between ground equipment and fuselage. Crew accumulating specific working experience performed more cautiously and carefully.

Conclusion

New knowledge and procedures generated alternations of the crew’s cognition and habit in implementing A350XWB A-checks than previous types. This study identified the relative gaps in practical operations. Airlines must be continuously aware of these gaps in aircraft maintenance during aircraft type changes.

Supplemental Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/24721840.2023.2265953.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).