Team-based Aircraft Maintainer Support (TAMS)

Keeping the Air Force assets flying is difficult enough at depot level where there are extensive facilities and expert help. But in an austere environment, these advantages aren’t present. A recent innovation, the Portable Maintenance Aid (PMA), is a new type of tool to help the human through these situations. PMAs are mobile computing devices that can be used at the point of maintenance and range in size from hand-held devices weighing only ounces to bulky items weighing nearly 25 pounds. There remain many PMA issues including usability in the field, interoperability, cost, and more. The challenge is broaden the very finite set of resources the novice relies on during the maintenance and troubleshooting processes. 21st Century Systems, Inc. is pleased to propose continued research and development into a state-of-the-art maintenance support system. The concept is entitled “Team-based Aircraft-based Maintainer Support”, or TAMS, System. TAMS provides the individual maintainer a virtual workshop of tools, manuals, and connections to remote team members while at the aircraft. The collaboration tools for multimedia interaction with experts located near or far are avatars (a computer representation of a human). The virtual workshop with avatars provides an interpersonal session but greatly reduces the video requirements.