Reducing aircraft life vest underutilisation by implementing RFID-enabled inspections

Achieving the required onboard serviceability of safety equipment at minimum cost is of interest to airlines. This paper addresses the integration of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology into aircraft maintenance programs to improve the economics of safety equipment inspections. A problem that airlines face, which is addressed in this article, is how to determine the frequency of scheduled maintenance tasks that should be applied to RFID-enabled life vests. This article outlines formal thinking behind scheduling RFID-enabled life vest inspections and the same logic can be applied to other equipment that is subject to routine inspections such as oxygen generators, and other higher value life limited safety equipment.