Method, system and computer program product for analyzing maintenance operations and assessing the readiness of repairable systems

Abstract

An automated method, system and computer program product for assessing the readiness of a plurality of repairable systems, such as a fleet of aircraft, are provided. In addition to identifying the repairable systems that will be operational, the relative state of readiness of the repairable systems is determined such that the repairable systems that are most likely to successfully complete the designated task can be selected. Additionally, an automated method of analyzing the maintenance operations performed upon a plurality of repairable systems, such as a fleet of aircraft, is provided. In this regard, the relative states of readiness of the repairable systems are determined and maintenance resources are allocated based upon the respective measures of the relative states of readiness of the repairable systems. As such, maintenance operations scheduled for the aircraft that will have the greatest state of readiness upon completion of the maintenance operations can be prioritized.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . An automated method of assessing readiness of a plurality of repairable systems comprising:
 receiving at least one system allocation request including a date and a number of systems to be allocated; and   automatically determining relative states of readiness of the plurality of repairable systems with a processing element, wherein determining the relative states of readiness comprises:   analyzing maintenance information associated with the plurality of repairable systems to determine the repairable systems that will be operational on the date of the requested system allocation; and   determining respective measures of the relative states of readiness of the repairable systems that will be operational on the date of the requested system allocation based upon respective probabilities of failure of the repairable systems following completion of the maintenance operations.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising identifying systems that will be operational on the date of the requested system allocation. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2  further comprising providing the respective measures of the relative states of readiness of the repairable identified to be operational on the date of the requested system allocation. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein identifying systems that will be operational on the date of the requested system allocation comprises identifying the systems having the greatest state of readiness on the date of the requested system allocation. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 2  further comprising proposing a modification of the system allocation request in order to increase the relative states of readiness of the systems identified to be operational on the date of the modified system allocation request in comparison to the relative states of readiness of the systems identified to be operational on the date of the original system allocation request. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein determining the respective measures of the relative states of readiness of the repairable systems comprises determining respective measures of the relative states of readiness of the repairable systems on the date of the requested system allocation based upon an intensity function appropriate for the type of process that describes the probability of failure of the repairable systems.