Blacksheep,
I think that both methods have their drawbacks.
With paper copies, you have the already mentioned issue of having to trust a person/dept to update them. You also have the familiar problem of pages getting dirty and sometimes even falling out!! (NO, surely not !!!
)
With computer copies you have a different set of issues entirely. You can now get AIS's on CD ROM rather than the 3+ hefty binders full, but they are only valid from a certain date to a certain date.
1) Would the same be applicable with MM's etc..?
2) What would happen with rush revisions? Would the operator get authorisation (via a CD re-writer, of course) to amend the disk?
3) Computer illiterate engineers, and there are plenty of them out there! Training costs etc, not THAT bad if you are a small company, but where you have a whole swarm of engineers....?? Would the computer skills then have to be covered in 'Continuation training'
4) Cost of computers and upkeep thereof.
On a plus for the computers, if you could have a search facility that would enable you to type in a component name and it will tell you where there is a referance to it, that would eliminate the need for the common phrase as previously mentioned of 'it's in this chapter somewhere'.
Also we must remember that some aircraft manufacturers haven't even adopted the ATA system, let alone a computerised programme!!
Either way, I don't really have a distinct preferance, I can read a book and use a computer, so it makes no odds!
[ 09 November 2001: Message edited by: HeliEng ]