Air Carrier Continuing Analysis and Surveillance System (CASS) Organizational Framework and Structure
Objectives Describe the common characteristics of a CASS Describe the differences in CASS organization for a small and a large air carrier (scalability) Identify roles of authority and responsibility within a CASS Explain the relationship between organizational culture and the conduct of a CASS
Overview Common Characteristics of a CASS Organization of a CASS Authority and Responsibility within a CASS Organizational Culture CASS Scenario
What are the Common Characteristics of a CASS?
The CASS Cycle CASS monitors maintenance program performance and effectiveness through a closed-loop system of four major activities.
CASS Organization Depends on Air Carrier Organization In other words, the key to CASS organization lies in identifying the positions within the air carrier’s organizational chart that have authority over and responsibility for CASS activities. CASS Organization Depends on Air Carrier Organization The air carrier must clearly define its CASS organizational structure in relation to the entire organization. The air carrier must identify the positions within the company that have authority and responsibility for CASS.
Examples of a CASS for Air Carriers of Different Sizes
Examples A small air carrier might have few employees and only two aircraft, with an average annual utilization of fewer than 1,000 hours. This air carrier might outsource most of its CASS activities. A medium air carrier with a fleet of 75 aircraft might operate seasonally or weekly, and finds it more efficient to use its Quality Assurance (QA) department to perform CASS activities. A large air carrier would likely have a high level of daily aircraft utilization with a high number of flying aircraft. This carrier may have a separate department dedicated to performing CASS activities.
Small Air Carrier CASS Org Chart CEO * (CASS Authority) (Evaluates CASS) Director of Maintenance * (Committee Chair) (CASS Responsibility) Director – Flight Operations * Consultant Auditing Group Other Flight Ops Personnel Chief Inspector * Subordinate Inspection Aviation Safety Reporting Program, AC 00-046D Maintenance Subject to policy restrictions, All areas are responsible to CASS in the form of supplying personnel to conduct audits as scheduled All areas are responsible to CASS in the form of supporting the CASS Committee in corrective action activities * Indicates a responsibility to CASS in the form of CASS Committee membership
Large Air Carrier CASS Org Chart VP of Engineering and Maintenance Director – Shops, Parts & Material Services Director – Quality (CASS Auth & Resp) Director – Engineering Director – Line Maintenance Director – Heavy Maintenance Managers * Chief Inspector-Heavy/Line Mtc Manager * - QA Programs Manager - CASS Manager – Reliability * Manager – Fleet Programs * Manager – Eng Repairs and Modifications * Managers * Managers * Supervisors + Inspectors Exterior Audits (CASE, FAA, DOT, etc.) Supervisors Supervisors + Supervisors + Supervisors + Supervisors + Supervisors + Subordinate Support Personnel VDRP / ASAP CASS Auditors / Analysts Reliability Personnel Subordinate Fleet Program Personnel Subordinate Engineers Subordinate Line Maintenance Personnel Technicians Areas are responsible to CASS in the form of accomplishing and/or supporting corrective action items + Indicates a responsibility to CASS in the form of performing self audits, and includes a mechanism for feedback into CASS * Indicates a responsibility to CASS in the form of CASS Board Membership
Authority and Responsibility within CASS
Authority within CASS Authority is the power to create or modify fundamental policy or procedures without higher level review or approval. The individual with authority for the CASS may design or change the CASS to improve its efficiency or responsiveness. The CASS Authority Position refers to the individual or position that has the autonomous power to accomplish certain acts or order others to act.
Responsibility within CASS Responsibility is the obligation, with attendant accountability, for ensuring tasks and functions are successfully accomplished. Oversight of the entire CASS. Identifying and managing personnel with responsibility for completing CASS functions. Overall responsibility cannot be delegated. The FAA expects clear responsibility for the overall CASS functions so that confusion over who is responsible for a given task or function will not arise.
Overall vs. Direct Existing guidance is clear that the DoM or equivalent position* retains overall authority and responsibility for all 10 elements of the CAMP (including RII) The DoM or equivalent position* may assign direct responsibility for elements and functions of the program throughout the organization and is depicted in charts and position descriptions AC 120-16, para 4-3.d.: The FAA expects the operator to “…assign clear authority and responsibility…for the overall maintenance program and all of its elements and functions” in its manual *Reference 14 CFR 119.65 (121) and 119.69 (135)
Personnel with Responsibility for CASS Activities Personnel with CASS responsibilities and duties function most effectively when independent from the day-to-day operations of the maintenance program. The purpose of CASS personnel independence is to remove biases and prejudices from the execution of CASS activities.
CASS Personnel Training and Experience General consideration: Maintenance Background Inspection and maintenance procedures Technical documents Aircraft systems Understand and interpret audit results and operational data Evaluate equipment, facilities, maintenance processes
CASS Personnel Training and Experience Surveillance and Analysis—Auditor/analyst training and experience Systems analysis Auditing techniques Risk assessment and risk management Root Cause Analysis Human factors Other quality processes or systems Specialized Technical Personnel—Engineering, maintenance process owners, manufacturers, etc. Role and limitations of auditors and analysts
CASS and Organizational Culture
What Does an Organization Do? Defines the environment within which individuals conduct their tasks Defines the policies and procedures that individuals must follow and respect Allocates the resources that individuals need in order to achieve safety and production goals Investigates system failures and takes all needed remedial action to avoid a repetition
How does an organization fail? Failure to understand the effect of people on safety and reliability of aircraft maintenance operations Failure to organize their work Failure to monitor their work effectively Failure to implement corrective actions
What Makes Up an Organization’s Culture?
FAA Role in Air Carrier Safety Culture Ensure regulatory compliance Promoting safe flight Understand concept of “acceptable levels of risk” to: Passengers Cargo Persons on the ground Apply key words of the CASS rule: Establish and maintain System Continuing analysis and surveillance Performance and effectiveness Programs Correction Any deficiency
McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y
CASS Will Benefit from an Open Culture and a Safety Culture An “open culture” encourages upward communication and responds to constructive criticism. Both of these factors have a positive effect on the organization. A “safety culture” stresses safety as the primary priority driving the way employees perform their work.
Establishing a Safety Culture Has a safety culture been established in which identifying, acknowledging, and influencing the real sources of operational vulnerability are a natural part of doing business? "Is that culture visible all the way through the frontline employee?"
Real-Life Example: Organizational Culture Carrier had excessive violations on both maintenance and operations Aircraft incident due to poor maintenance performance Role of organizational culture pointed out Effort to change culture Improved performance
Practice Exercise
Red Rock Airline
Scenario: Red Rock Airline Red Rock Airline is a large U.S. Part 121 domestic/flag air carrier operating in the continental United States. They operate a fleet of 55 EMB-120, 139 CRJ 200, 65 CRJ 700, and 21 CRJ 900 aircraft. Red Rock Airline outsources 70 percent of its aircraft maintenance. Heavy maintenance checks are outsourced. Air carrier personnel are assigned to the facility to oversee the accomplishment of maintenance.
Red Rock Maintenance Organization
Red Rock Airline They have 5,969 personnel comprised of: Pilots in Command: 1,428 Flight Engineer Examiner: 0 Pilot Examiners: 0 Air Crew Program Designees: 13 Dispatchers: 100 Inspectors: 60 Non-Certified Mechanics: 171 Repairmen: 36 Other Pilots: 1,361 Flight Engineers: 0 Check Airmen: 223 Flight Attendants: 1,768 Navigators: 0 Designated Inspectors: 281 Certified Mechanics: 528 Total Employees: 10,300
Red Rock Maintenance Organization Director of Quality Is responsible to the Vice President of Maintenance Administratively oversees and advises all Maintenance Quality departments: Meet applicable legal requirements Ensure all aircraft are properly certified and maintained Possess authority and responsibility to establish and modify Red Rock Airline’s CASS policies and procedures as required
Red Rock Maintenance Organization Chief Inspector, Heavy/Line Maintenance: Responsible to Director of Quality Assurance Oversee the daily quality control functions Ensure adherence to company maintenance procedures and Federal Aviation Regulations at all times Responsible for the supervision and training of all Red Rock Airlines’ authorized inspectors, designated inspectors, and receiving inspectors
Practice Exercise
Summary Common Characteristics of a CASS Organization of a CASS Authority and Responsibility within a CASS Organizational Culture CASS Scenario
Objectives Describe the common characteristics of a CASS Describe the differences in CASS organization for a small and a large air carrier Identify roles of authority and responsibility within a CASS Explain the relationship between organizational culture and the conduct of a CASS
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