Supervisory task analysis: aircraft maintenance environment

A safe and reliable air transportation system is dependent upon a well designed and operated maintenance system. The linchpin of the maintenance system is the supervisor who is responsible for the maintenance, repair, and delivery of an airworthy aircraft. A task analysis of the supervisory function was conducted to obtain a better understanding of the requirements of this function. For the purposes of this study, two large certified repair station facilities were selected because they provided a broad spectrum of supervisory personalities, protocols, and operational philosophies. In both facilities, the tasks and activities of lead mechanics and foremen were examined. A hierarchical task description/analysis technique was used, and the result was the recommendation of a leadership skills training curriculum to facilitate the leadership tasks and activities of first and second line supervisors within the aircraft maintenance environment