Task deadlines
Maintenix calculates the deadline of planned routine work according to the scheduling information and rules included in the requirement definition, or in the block definition when a block is used.
Non-routine work consists of faults that were deferred, on-condition tasks that became necessary because a specific circumstances, for example an inspection task for electric systems is needed because the aircraft was hit by lightning, and ad hoc tasks. For non-routine work, the deadline is set manually in Maintenix—on the Scheduling tab of the Fault or Task Details page—by the user who creates the task, the user who defers the fault, or it may be left up to the maintenance planner to set the deadline. However, on-condition tasks can include pre-defined scheduling information stating that, for example, the task should be completed five days after the prerequisite condition occurred.
The scheduling information in the requirement and block definitions associated with routine tasks includes the following:
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The scheduling start date or value.
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The interval to add to the start date or value to calculate the deadline. After the task has been completed once, the interval is added to when the task was performed to determine the due date of the next occurrence of the task.
The interval is specified using calendar parameters, usage parameters, or a combination of both.
You can see the due dates of tasks on many different pages in Maintenix, for example the Inventory Details page, the Task Details page, and many pages that list tasks such as the Fleet Due List tab.
Some organizations allow maintenance planners to do the following:
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Change the interval related to the deadline of an ad hoc task or a fault, which affects the deadline.
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Extend the deadline of a task.
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Add or remove a deadline to an ad hoc task or a fault; in some organizations, the engineering department is responsible for setting the deadline of ad hoc tasks, while the maintenance controller does the same for ad hoc faults.
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Switch a soft deadline to a hard deadline to ensure the work is completed during a specific maintenance visit. This can only be done on ad hoc tasks and faults, not tasks that are based on a task definition.
Several Maintenix pages also show the Schedule Priority tasks. Maintenix changes the schedule priority from LOW to HIGH when the deadline is within the notification interval specified in the task definition. If the work is not completed by the deadline, the task is considered overdue, which can ground an aircraft. Tasks with soft deadlines are never considered overdue.
Estimated due dates for tasks with usage-based scheduling
When Maintenix forecasts deadlines, the usage parameters considered are:
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Flight schedules (short term tasks),
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Forecast models, and blackout periods,
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Bypass thresholds,
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Rounding rules.
Except for forecast tasks due after today, the estimated due date is the latest time that the task can be done, or could have been done, before becoming overdue:
| In flight plan? | Estimated due date based on | Scenario | Estimated due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes* |
CYCLES LANDINGS HOURS |
Positive or 0 remaining usage Negative remaining usage |
One minute before the departure date of the flight during which remaining usage will become negative. |
| No | Forecast model | Task due after today | 23:59 the day before task becomes due** |
| No | Forecast model | Task due today | Today at 23:59 |