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The article focuses on the trend of in-flight entertainment systems (IFE) in aviation maintenance. It cites Panasonic's Integrated Smart Monitor named Fusion as a great description of the future of IFE. World Airline Entertainment Association has announced its name change to the Airline Passenger Experience Association or APEX in May 2010, acknowledging that "entertainment" was limiting to its future. This announcement coincided with a workshop exploring the future of aircraft seating and the integration of next-generation IFE system into seat design.

The article deals with the use of broadband connection by vendors to send software updates to the aircraft.

The article discusses the future of inflight entertainment (IFE) in aviation maintenance. It cites the role of IFE performance in Cathay Pacific's Defect Free drive, a preventative maintenance program with HAECO and Panasonic. With the changes in IFE technology, a challenge for maintenance organizations will be figuring out how to manage and respond to the immediate and burgeoning data flow. Also noted is Delta Air Lines' move to take the proactive maintenance concept a step further.

The article addresses the problem of communications between departments or between levels of hierarchy in aviation maintenance, repair and operation (MRO) organizations. Keven Baines of Baines Simmons claims that communication struggle in Europe occurred at shift handover, and this can be reduced as maintenance providers put in place a formal process for this handover. He added that an 8-9% reduction in costs linked to this type of human error was reported by organizations that address shift-to-shift communication problems with this kind of fixes.

The article explores the efforts of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to help aircraft maintenance technicians (AMTs) in their battle against fatigue in the workplace. FAA has launched communication and data collection campaigns to measure the effect of fatigue on aviation maintenance incidents and accidents. A website, www.mxfatigue.com, was rolled out to offer a central repository for studies related to fatigue.

The article addresses the importance of checklists. It highlights safety infringements that occur when pressing problems are not fixed step by step. It cites a book by Atul Gawande, titled "The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right," which claims that the most effective way to eliminate human error in complex tasks is to use a checklist. The author discusses how Gawande's findings should apply to aviation maintenance.

The article reports on a computer-based training adopted by ST Aerospace President Tay Kok Khiang which involves upgrading technicians' skills despite the financial crisis.

The article reports on the growing importance of technician training as a place where efficiencies can be gained and costs can be reduced without a negative impact on technician preparedness. Among the airlines that have made limited adjustments to their training schemes are JetBlue Airways and ST Aerospace. A similar action has been taken by British Airways by forging a partnership with three colleges in London, England to establish a steady source of qualified, young technicians.

The article presents statistics on aircraft maintenance training including the total training hours completed by aircraft maintenance technicians (AMTs) taking part in the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Safety Team's online program, hours of training completed by 4,332 AMTs, and minimum hours completed by 3,438 AMTs.

The article reports on the importance of human factors training and continued support and reinforcement from management. According to Richard Komarniski of Grey Owl Aviation Consultants, reducing errors cannot be solely done by conducting human factors training, but also depends on what one does with information on the causes of human errors. Komarniski also suggests the participation of managers in human factors training.

The article reports that the human factors class of Lufthansa Technical Training (LTT) has become a mix of technicians, engineering/planning people and those in other departments such as marketing and accounting. Lufthansa Technik (LHT) realized that the class provides an overall view of error management and low-cost fixes. LHT also discovered that the class reduced tensions between departments.

The article focuses on the skills aviation maintenance managers must possess in order to run an effective maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operation. It notes that managers who has the ability to reduce costs in a way that produces long-term gains in efficiency and productivity are needed in the business. Toney Quillen, vice president of maintenance and total support programs at Air Transport Business Development, stresses that managers should have trainings in conflict resolution and team-building.

The article stresses the need for aviation maintenance managers to understand information technology (IT) systems, including computer programs, maintenance planning software and scheduling software.

The article focuses on the management of the Millennial workforce in the aviation maintenance sector in the U.S. Millennials are those born between 1981 to 2000 who, according to managers, require constant supervision and lack the work ethic of older generations. It is said that frustration and misunderstanding tend to result when a Millennial technician is paired with a Generation X manager as the latter expects subordinates to have a strong sense of independence. Strategies for managing Millennials are given, one of which is pairing them with a Boomer.

The article describes a Quality Group formed by Cathay Pacific made of four people from Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO)'s Cabin Maintenance Center responsible for packaging work for hangar checks on an airplane-by-airplane basis.

The article describes the No Defect program undertaken by Cathay Pacific to improve its aircraft cabin where its passengers will experience an environment that is problem free while on flight. It cites the goal of Cathay Pacific to fix the problem before the next flight or move the passenger to another seat if he experiences a defect. It describes a defect as a broken seat, a busted reading light or a scruff on the sidewall. It cites the need for a 100% dispatch of airplanes out of Hong Kong, China in order for Cathay Pacific's No Defect program to work.

The article reports that the Air Transportation Association (ATA) Maintenance and Ramp Human Factors Task Force plans to have the Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) for maintenance and ramp operations in the aviation industry. It cites the task force's aim for a predictive approach to maintenance and prevent the incidence of human error and disarms from happening. The main components of LOSA program include anonymity, voluntary participation and non-punitive data collection.

Presents news briefs on the U.S. airline industry as of January 2004. Decision of America West Airlines regarding C checks on its Airbus aircraft; Information on the Empire Aero Center in Rome, New York; Details of a contract received by Pratt & Whitney's Military Aftermarket Services from Tinker Air Force Base.