Aircraft Maintenance Intuitive Troubleshooting AMIT 14 June 2005

1. Aircraft Maintenance Intuitive Troubleshooting (AMIT) 14 June 2005 The AMIT program is an advanced research (6.3) program developed as a human performance enhancement for flightline maintenance technicians in the operational and warfighting environment. The need for AMIT was identified as critical to reducing persistent �Cannot Duplicate�, �Re-test OK� and false removal patterns that have hampered maintenance performance and readiness and have increased operating costs. The significance of AMIT will be in researching the troubleshooting process and cognitive demands and decision points in order to identify the gaps where emerging science and technology could be applied to improve performance. The AMIT program is an advanced research (6.3) program developed as a human performance enhancement for flightline maintenance technicians in the operational and warfighting environment. The need for AMIT was identified as critical to reducing persistent �Cannot Duplicate�, �Re-test OK� and false removal patterns that have hampered maintenance performance and readiness and have increased operating costs. The significance of AMIT will be in researching the troubleshooting process and cognitive demands and decision points in order to identify the gaps where emerging science and technology could be applied to improve performance.

2. Meeting Purpose and Agenda Purpose Provide an overview and status of AMIT Obtain feedback and support for research effort Agenda AMIT Overview Storyboards Sponsorship Summary

3. Problem / Solution Statement AFRL Logistics Research Workshop (Spiral 2) � June 2003 Attendees included representatives from ACC/LG, ACC/DR, AETC/LG, AMC/A4, HQ AF/IL, AFSOC/LG, AFLMA, AFMC/LSO, SMC Det 11, 445 LSS, AFRL/HE, AFRL/VA, and AFRL/XP Problem: Aircraft availability and repair costs are adversely affected by: Loss of experienced troubleshooters (separations, career field mergers, deployments) Increasingly complex aircraft systems Operational Tempo Solution: Knowledge-centric task accomplishment Provide complete, timely, and contextual knowledge at the point of task Gather and fuse disparate information and data sources (text, graphics, audio and video) Transform information into usable knowledge Render relevant knowledge according to user�s experience level

4. Task-Specific, Intelligent Knowledge Broker Books, systems and people must be manually searched to find applicable information. [Top, Right Corner] Troubleshooter BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Staff Sgt. Brian Waggoner (left), 455th Airfield Operations Squadron, shows contractor Jeff Bryant the RT1319 radio used in the control tower here. They are troubleshooting a maintenance problem with the radio used to talk to aircraft. Bryant will replace Waggoner in September. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Wicke)�� [Bottom, Left Corner] Nose job OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Staff Sgt. Malcolm Harward completes paperwork after replacing an aircraft nose radome on a C-130 Hercules. The old one was damaged by lightning. Harward is a crew chief with the Delaware Air National Guard's 166th Airlift Wing. Airmen endure temperatures of at least 115 degrees daily on the flightline at their forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Terry L. Blevins) [Bottom, Middle] Air Force officials trim oscilloscope inventory ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Greg Bookhardt calibrates a Lecroy digital oscilloscope which is used to test equipment on aircraft and ground radar systems. During the next three years, the Air Force will reduce the number of oscilloscope models from 190 to three. Mr. Bookhardt is a precision measurement equipment laboratory technician here. (U.S. Air Force photo by Sue Sapp)�� [Top, Right Corner] Troubleshooter BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - Staff Sgt. Brian Waggoner (left), 455th Airfield Operations Squadron, shows contractor Jeff Bryant the RT1319 radio used in the control tower here. They are troubleshooting a maintenance problem with the radio used to talk to aircraft. Bryant will replace Waggoner in September. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Wicke)�� [Bottom, Left Corner] Nose job OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Staff Sgt. Malcolm Harward completes paperwork after replacing an aircraft nose radome on a C-130 Hercules. The old one was damaged by lightning. Harward is a crew chief with the Delaware Air National Guard's 166th Airlift Wing. Airmen endure temperatures of at least 115 degrees daily on the flightline at their forward-deployed location in Southwest Asia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Terry L. Blevins) [Bottom, Middle] Air Force officials trim oscilloscope inventory ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Greg Bookhardt calibrates a Lecroy digital oscilloscope which is used to test equipment on aircraft and ground radar systems. During the next three years, the Air Force will reduce the number of oscilloscope models from 190 to three. Mr. Bookhardt is a precision measurement equipment laboratory technician here. (U.S. Air Force photo by Sue Sapp)��

5. What will it do? Improve expert performance by providing immediate access to task-relevant knowledge Contrasted by currently fragmented processes Historical info, tech orders, logbooks, collaboration Improve novice performance by accelerating development of expert mental models and strategies Logical, task-specific knowledge presentation Access to expert sources of knowledge Decrease troubleshooting task times, error rates

6. Program Background The AMIT program has three (3) parts. The first is to perform R&D to define the problem space, gather data relevant to current concepts of operations, model the cognition aspects of the troubleshooter, and identify opportunities to fill the gaps. Part 2 is the execution of the selected opportunities and the generation of capabilities to prove various hypotheses. The final part is to conduct field test measurements to prove the hypotheses prior to transitioning relevant pieces and parts or integrated concepts. The AMIT program has three (3) parts. The first is to perform R&D to define the problem space, gather data relevant to current concepts of operations, model the cognition aspects of the troubleshooter, and identify opportunities to fill the gaps. Part 2 is the execution of the selected opportunities and the generation of capabilities to prove various hypotheses. The final part is to conduct field test measurements to prove the hypotheses prior to transitioning relevant pieces and parts or integrated concepts.

7. Metrics / Cost Drivers NMCM and TNMCM Rates Maintenance Man-hours Occurrences of repeat/recur discrepancies LRUs, systems, subsystems Costs associated with unnecessary part changes Deployment footprint Late sorties/tail swaps Time to develop an �expert�

8. Critical Payoffs

9. Field Test Schedule There are 1 week gaps between each field test session for scheduling and data compilation purposes. We could schedule one 12-week session, but scheduling flexibility will be hindered. We should remain as flexible as possible in case the base experiences unforeseen scheduling conflicts. Test scenario development activities, including aircraft fault insertion tests, are taking place at Nellis AFB NV in CY 05.There are 1 week gaps between each field test session for scheduling and data compilation purposes. We could schedule one 12-week session, but scheduling flexibility will be hindered. We should remain as flexible as possible in case the base experiences unforeseen scheduling conflicts. Test scenario development activities, including aircraft fault insertion tests, are taking place at Nellis AFB NV in CY 05.

17. Frequently Asked Questions Will AMIT eliminate/replace 3, 5, 7,9 skill levels? No; AF skill levels are points along the novice/expert continuum. Is this a new �super� database? No; AMIT will be a knowledge broker and display information from existing operational systems. Will we have to buy and learn new kinds of hardware? No; AMIT will be device independent. When will AMIT be implemented in the field? AMIT is an R&D effort to prove or disprove an hypothesis. It will only be implemented after a subsequent development phase. Some functions could be implemented in 2-5 years. Will AMIT affect the back shops? The AMIT Demonstration is focused on flight line maintenance, but will likely serve back shops if fully implemented. Will AMIT replace or eliminate T. O.s? No. AMIT will integrate/display electronic T.O.s and provide task-relevant knowledge to aid troubleshooting.

18. Sponsorship Summary

19. AMIT Points of Contact Mr. Chris Curtis Program Manager AFRL/HEAL Chris.Curtis@wpafb.af.mil DSN 785-6718 1Lt Vaughan Whited Deputy Program Manager AFRL/HEAL Vaughan.Whited@wpafb.af.mil DSN 986-7042 1Lt Tony Aultman Functional Lead AFRL/HEAL Tony.Aultman@wpafb.af.mil DSN 785-3871

20. AMIT Base Visits

21. AMIT A goal of the AMIT CTA effort was to define how maintenance, and specifically troubleshooting, is enacted differently between the expert and the novice. The fundamental difference is that the Novice has a very finite set of resources he or she relies on during the maintenance and troubleshooting processes, whereas the expert tends to have a bigger domain or body of knowledge that he or she uses throughout each step of the process. Several critical findings emerged here, including the fact that experts have a more sophisticated mental model of the maintenance process and associated resources. Related to this, experts employ more efficient information seeking skills, including a willingness to spend increased effort and/or time understanding the problem. Finally, experts are better able to utilize system knowledge, including the ability to mentally simulate interactions among components. Some experts went so far as to describe a process by which they visualize a specific system and the associated potential faults. Finally, experienced maintainers utilize their experience base in the form of analogs; that is, similar situations they have seen before. A goal of the AMIT CTA effort was to define how maintenance, and specifically troubleshooting, is enacted differently between the expert and the novice. The fundamental difference is that the Novice has a very finite set of resources he or she relies on during the maintenance and troubleshooting processes, whereas the expert tends to have a bigger domain or body of knowledge that he or she uses throughout each step of the process. Several critical findings emerged here, including the fact that experts have a more sophisticated mental model of the maintenance process and associated resources. Related to this, experts employ more efficient information seeking skills, including a willingness to spend increased effort and/or time understanding the problem. Finally, experts are better able to utilize system knowledge, including the ability to mentally simulate interactions among components. Some experts went so far as to describe a process by which they visualize a specific system and the associated potential faults. Finally, experienced maintainers utilize their experience base in the form of analogs; that is, similar situations they have seen before.