Application of total quality management in aircraft maintenance organizations

Most important purposes of aircraft maintenance are to improve flight safety and aircraft reliability, to get aircraft ready for flight, to eliminate or reduce maintenance failures and to reduce maintenance costs. However, while improving flight safety and aircraft reliability to reduce maintenance costs covers two contrast purposes The most, effective method in reducing maintenance costs is improving efficiency, productivity and having zero maintenance failure. Also the cost occured because of poor quality maintenance is an increasing factor total costs. In order to reduce maintenance costs while improving flight safety and aircraft reliability, to apply a management model focused on quality will have a positive effect in realizing two contrast purposes. Establishment of management mode focused on quality requires believing quality, top management leadership, team work for management and daily routine works and continuous improvement. This management model focused on quality is named as Total Quality Management (TQM). In this study, applicability of TQM has been searched and suggestions have been presented in accordance with the results of this search.