Testing an AHP model for aircraft spare parts

Abstract

This research aims to develop and test a practical and precise multi-criteria classification of aircraft spare part inventory management, using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), in order to maintain aircraft operational availability and to reduce unnecessary downtime. In this study, a multi-criteria model is developed within a large-scale aircraft maintenance and repair firm in Indonesia. Spare parts data were extracted from the inventory system and analysed to triangulate the model outcome, demonstrate its validity and compare the results against the mathematical results generated by the system’s algorithm. The findings suggest that AHP can lead to a transparent, rapid and systematic classification model, this is highly accurate and precise with an outcome comparable to traditional methods. The conclusion proposes that the AHP classification model is more effective and transparent than the currently available mathematical methods. This research contributes to the development of the multi-criteria inventory classification literature in the context of the aviation industry.

Keywords:

• AHP
• inventory classification
• aircraft spares

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ni Putu Ayu Nariswari

Ni Putu Ayu Nariswari is a practitioner in aviation industry with 8 years of experience in material management and business development. She graduated from Alliance Manchester Business School in operations, project and supply chain management. Her work and research interests are focused on operations management, supply chain management and business strategy.

David Bamford

David Bamford is an experienced industrialist/academic with multiple publications to his name. Knowledge transfer projects, across many sectors, have been central to his academic career and his research interests are focused towards: operations improvement strategies; strategic organizational change; leadership and quality management; and sports operations management.

Benjamin Dehe

Benjamin Dehe is a Reader in Operations Management; he focuses his research and work in the application of Operations Excellence concepts and theories in manufacturing, built environment and sport. His work has been published in national and international journals such as International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Expert Systems with Applications, International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, and International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management.