Working smarter, not harder, means finding ways to use your energy and time to work more efficiently. Working smarter can help you do your task faster, as well as better.
The work of aircraft maintenance technician is hard to start with. It can be both physically demanding as well as carry significant mental, emotional demands. The safety of the aircraft, and passengers, depends on the work of the aircraft technician.
Working smarter implies working hard in the first place to reach the level of excellence where work has been refined to the point that it can be considered “easy”. Only then ability to work smarter can be achieved i.e. elevating the work to the next level by applying new routines.
What could it mean in the world of aircraft maintenance?
Few examples of how to work smarter:
- Create routine – create procedure so that tasks can be performed based on the best experience and highest output, as well as to the same standard that you and your company, workshop want to be known for.
- Take breaks. It is proven that we as humans are more efficient, creative, attentive when we take breaks. Often it is enough to take a short break away from the task, and if you can take a break in a fresh air.
- Eliminate distractions. Tasks performed by aircraft technicians are often complex, need focus. Distractions can break the flow, even lead to mistakes, that can be undetected or lead to expensive re-work.
- Secure good communication within your team, between you and your client
- Prioritize the jobs to be done. Think what can be completed to get it off your plate, and what needs time and focus and more time dedicated.
- Set realistic deadlines. Create schedules and plans that can be delivered. It can be frustrating and stressful to continuously run out of time. Stress leads to mistakes.
Working smarter is also about applying new technology and tools, and with that changing old habits and being open to new solutions. We talked about old habits and how to address them in our earlier blog post.
Take the oil filling into aircraft engine. Often difficult and hard work as access to the engine is limited. The procedure takes time, oil gets spilled, creating additional problems like misleading warnings about engine oil leaks , environmental-fines and health risk for the maintenance personnel .
All this can be avoided by the use of TheCanKey FunnelCaps – check here our full assortment of sizes and types: funnel-cap
Watch video to see how it is done: oil filling on Pilatus PC6
The FunnelCaps make it safe and easy to service aircraft oil and hydraulic systems without spilling of oil and without getting FOD in the oil or oil can. Opened, half-used oil cans can be stored in the storage room or aircraft without risk of oil leaking out. The flex hose clip ensures a tight seal of the flex hose to the cap stud, and also secures the flex hose to the can to minimize storage space when not in use. The red cap seals the flex hose and ensures a tight seal of the flex hose end. More flex hoses can be connected to increase the reach.
The flex hose can be removed if desired. The red flex hose cap is then installed on the cover stud and seals to avoid leakage and FOD
They are available in the sizes of: gallon, quart, and for bottles.
