Airplane Configuration Data Restructuring

RESTRUCTURING AIRPLANE CONFIGURATION

MAINTENANCE

BARRIE WALL SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST DATA MAINTENANCE ENGINEERING AND SUPPORT BOEING COMMERCIAL AIRPLANES

12 AERO No.20, October 2002 Boeing is restructuring the airplane configuration data used by airplane operators and maintenance, repair, and overhaul shops. The data are being structured around parts rather than engineering drawings, thereby allow- ing users to identify and locate the specific data they need more quickly.

No. 20, October 2002 AERO 13 A comprehensive business Airplane operators; maintenance, how to navigate and best apply process improvement, known repair, and overhaul (MRO) the data. as Define and Control Airplane shops; and others who work Configuration data are not Configuration/Manufacturing with Boeing airplane data are being restructured for the 717 Resource Management familiar with the data structure and airplanes already in service, (DCAC/MRM), has been under in which parts lists are correlated including out-of-production way at Boeing. (See “New- with drawings and drawings are models. The restructuring of con- Airplane Configuration Definition correlated with airplanes. The figuration data does not change Software,” Aero no. 4, October new structure, which correlates the physical configuration of the 1998.) DCAC/MRM, which is in part information directly with airplanes. the final stages of implementation, airplanes, was effective in third- This article discusses the affects part-tracking and airplane- quarter 2002 for in-production following: configuration processes. Airplane 757s and will be effective for 1. Data structured around parts replace Boeing engineering in-production 737, 747, 767, and engineering drawings. drawings as the engineering design 777 airplanes later in 2002 2. Data structured around parts. reference (i.e., the configuration and 2003. Boeing offers users of design authority) for each airplane. the restructured data training on 3. Implementation and training.

14 AERO No.20, October 2002 1 DRAWINGS DEFINE AIRPLANE CONFIGURATION

FIGURE

Effectivity PT201-203 Effectivity PT201-203 Effectivity PT201-203 Part Effectivity PT201-203Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Drawing Part Drawing Part Drawing Drawing Drawing

DATA STRUCTURED AROUND consuming for airline customers to find given a customer variable number, 1 ENGINEERING DRAWINGS the applicable drawings for particular which is a unique number that is airplanes during maintenance planning assigned to each airplane of similar Since the 1940s, Boeing Commercial and repair work. configuration in the customer’s fleet. Airplanes has used a drawing-based Using the airplane identification configuration system to identify and DATA STRUCTURED or customer variable number, a track parts for each airplane it built 2 AROUND PARTS customer can find part information (fig.1). Parts for each airplane were Under DCAC/MRM, maintenance and for any or all of its airplanes on tracked by manually adding customer- engineering data for an airplane model MyBoeingFleet.com, the Boeing specific identification numbers to each business-to-business web site engineering drawing. Each drawing are structured around airplane parts offered to airplane owners and also was marked, or tagged, with a (fig. 2). For each airplane model, parts basic number, a variable number, and are grouped into modules based on operators as well as MROs. (See a propulsion number based on the their location within the airplane. Each “MyBoeingFleet.com: For Increased drawing subject. The basic number module includes all of the information Efficiency and Productivity,” Aero identified the standard design for an necessary to install a group of parts no. 18, April 2002.) airplane model. The variable number (i.e., part numbers, location on the On MyBoeingFleet, modules for identified the customer changes to the airplane, installation requirements, a particular airplane are identified by standard design. The propulsion num- and geometry references). maintenance zones so that users can ber identified the drawings related to The options chosen by the customer retrieve data for specific maintenance the engines on the airplane. determine which modules are installed activities or identify installations Under this drawing-based system, on a particular airplane. Each airplane, by knowing part locations on the it was time consuming for Boeing with its unique set of modules, is identi- airplane. Maintenance zones, which employees to track the parts through fied with a single airplane identification are specified in Boeing maintenance the build process and equally time number. In addition, each customer is planning data documents, divide the

No. 20, October 2002 AERO 15 2 PARTS DEFINE AIRPLANE CONFIGURATION

FIGURE

Option

Module Module

Module

Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part Part

modate the modules. The processes specific implementation date for an for ordering spare parts by telephone in-production airplane model through or fax or through the PARTS Page on the usual communication channels MyBoeingFleet are not affected. (e.g., letter, BOECOM message, fax, or e-mail). Training will be offered to 3 IMPLEMENTATION the airlines and MROs that are directly AND TRAINING affected. The training will be designed Implementation of the new configu- according to the preferences and needs of the airplane operators. airplane into areas for maintenance ration data structure was effective purposes (fig. 3). for in-production 757 airplanes The most efficient way to search in third-quarter 2002. For all other Editor’s note: To gain access to the restructured data is through in-production models, except the MyBoeingFleet. Maintenance 717, the new structure will be imple- MyBoeingFleet.com, contact Boeing Digital documentation is unaffected by the mented later in fourth-quarter 2002 Data Customer Support by e-mail at restructuring, with the exception of and in 2003. [email protected] or call 206-544-9990 minor changes to the Airplane Boeing Digital Data Customer Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. Illustrated Parts Catalog to accom- Support will notify customers of the to 6:30 p.m. (U.S. Pacific time).

16 AERO No.20, October 2002 3 757 MAJOR MAINTENANCE ZONES

FIGURE

400 600 200 700 300

700 300 Major Zone 100 — 400 500 Lower half of fuselage

Major Zone 200 — Upper half of fuselage

Major Zone 300 — Body section 48 and empennage

Major Zone 400 — 300 Power plant 200 500 800 Major Zone 500 — Wing, left

Major Zone 600 — 800 Wing, right 700 400 700 100

Major Zone 700 — Landing gear and doors

Major Zone 800 — Doors 300 200 600 500

400 400

700 700 700 100

No. 20, October 2002 AERO 17 SUMMARY

Boeing is changing its system for managing engineering design configuration data for in-production airplanes, except the 717. The configuration design authority is the parts, with engineering pictures available for reference only. Each airplane is defined by a group of part modules. All modules are associated with one or more maintenance zones, giving users a simple way to find part data on MyBoeingFleet. The search functions on MyBoeingFleet are the primary navigation tool for determining the applicable parts for each airplane. These changes are scheduled for completion in 2003 for all Boeing in-production airplanes, except the 717. Configuration data for the 717 and in-service airplanes, including out-of-production models, remain unchanged.

18 AERO No.20, October 2002 The first DCAC-configured airplane was a 757 delivered in April 2002.

No. 20, October 2002 AERO 19