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This paper presents a model which is representative of the current environment within which most domestic repair stations performing work for air carriers operate. The model illustrates how the successful habits of visionary companies, as documented by Collins and Porras (1997), could be applied to the aviation industry and how Human Factors education could be used to effect a long-term change in the aviation safety culture. A review of the current research on Human Factors in maintenance strongly indicates that the various types of training programs have been effective in raising the awareness of safety issues among the participants, but the applications of those principles to advance safety have been limited by the absence of a systemic management vision. An incremental and radical change in the aviation safety culture could be sought by educating the future workforce in using Human Factors in maintenance and management practices.

MRM programs have impacted several operational and safety issues. However, many of these programs did not target a particular safety or performance goal by design. Consequently, MRM champions have had difficulty in presenting financial justification for the continuation of their programs. This paper presents a model that accounts for extraneous influences on the performance/ safety changes while distilling the specific effects of MRM training or other interventions on the corporate bottom-line. It also presents a case for strategic implementation of MRM programs with specific ROI goals.

This study, based on Helmreich and Merritt’s (1998) definitions of professional and organizational cultures, identifies the challenges faced by airlines in the United States and India in the implementation of MHF/MRM programs. Data was gathered through ethnographic observations and field interviews (n=350) at two major airlines in the United States and one regional airline in India. The results of this study indicate the following barriers at the professional and organizational levels. At the professional level, an appropriately qualified AMT or AME holds individual airworthiness authority; whereas, the human factors training promotes team performance. Unless specific mechanisms are developed so that the individual AMTs and the AMEs are not coerced into releasing an aircraft in a hurry, the implementation of MHF/MRM programs will not be successful.