As early as 1982, HAI had recognized a need for a system that would facilitate the collection of data on any removable airframe or engine part to allow helicopter operators to report and OEMs and the FAA to track malfunctions, discrepancies, warranty claims, and service difficulty reports (SDRs) in one place. The benefits included increased reporting accuracy, efficiency, cost savings, and quality control. In 1984, HAI and the FAA jointly launched such a system, calling it MMIR, for maintenance malfunction information report. HAI’s Maintenance and Technical Committee led the research and development, and a design team tested and delivered a universal form that manufacturers accepted for warranty claims and the FAA took in lieu of an SDR.
In the beginning, the universal form had to be processed manually, although the data was entered into and maintained via a computer system. The one-page form quickly evolved into a comprehensive web-based maintenance management tool. By early 2023, more than 400 member companies and 700 individuals had taken advantage of the service, enabling the prompt and efficient submission of over 137,000 reports.
True to HAI’s core mission, safety was a crucial factor driving development of the MMIR system. The reports provided crucial information for trend monitoring, which helped in the real-time detection of incipient failures as well as provided justification data for extending life limits and/or overhaul times. The MMIR was one of the most prolific tools developed by HAI, and its ability to keep track of data has been invaluable to event reporting capabilities required for safety management system programs.
This year, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of HAI, formed on Dec. 13, 1948.
Countdown to HAI’s 75th: 28 days!
