1. Air Carrier Continuing Analysis and Surveillance System (CASS)
Organizational Framework and Structure

2. 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

3. Overview Common Characteristics of a CASS Organization of a CASS
Authority and Responsibility within a CASS
Organizational Culture
CASS Scenario

4. What are the Common Characteristics of a CASS?

5. The CASS Cycle
CASS monitors maintenance program performance and effectiveness through a closed-loop system of four major activities.

6. 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.

7. Examples of a CASS for Air Carriers of Different Sizes

8. 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.

9. 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 D
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

10. 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

11. Authority and Responsibility within CASS

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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 , 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 (121) and (135)

15. 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.

16. 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

17. 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

18. CASS and Organizational Culture

19. 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

20. 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

21. What Makes Up an Organization’s Culture?

22. 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

23. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y

24. 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.

25. 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?"

26. 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

27. Practice Exercise

28. Red Rock Airline

29. 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.

30. Red Rock Maintenance Organization

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. Practice Exercise

35. Summary Common Characteristics of a CASS Organization of a CASS
Authority and Responsibility within a CASS
Organizational Culture
CASS Scenario

36. 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

37. QUESTIONS ?