Your turn: Excellence in manufacturing contributing to aircraft safety in Illinois
A state’s economy is the number one indicator of long-term strength and success. For Illinois, the manufacturing industry is a high-impact contributor.
Manufacturing accounts for nearly 13% of the state’s total output and employs over 9% of the workforce.
Advocating for this critical component of our economy is crucial to creating opportunity now, and in the years to come.
Our manufacturers produce everything from fabricated metals and electronics to rubber products and chemicals. Illinois’ manufacturing sector represents a market size of $4.4 billion and includes businesses across the state that provide jobs and economic output for our communities.
These companies also play an important role in the aerospace industry; producing parts that help build aircraft engines, fuselages, and aircraft technological systems.
Multi-million-dollar investments from companies like Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, which designs, develops, and services the world’s leading business aircraft, help to increase the capacity of operations and jobs.
The work of our state’s aerospace manufacturers not only is a contributor to the state’s economic outlook, but it also is important to maintaining commercial aviation’s safety standards.
The parts produced throughout Illinois are high-quality, premium products that follow the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) best practices guidance for manufacturers as well as undergo rigorous safety checks and tests before they’re shipped and included in an aircraft’s final assembly.
The self-imposed safety checks performed by Illinois manufacturers within their facilities are the first steps in a long process of quality control measures that an aircraft and its parts endure to ensure that they meet FAA safety standards.
Once an aircraft is assembled and delivered to an airline operator, it is required to go through a Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program, also known as CAMP.
The National Aviation Academy explains that the variety of routine checks an aircraft undergoes ensures that it is “fully vetted for any issues” prior to a flight and meets the safety regulations set by the FAA.
In addition to regular flight line maintenance checks, which includes standard flying essentials like fuel and oil levels, aircraft also go through higher-level maintenance checks.
These are labeled A, B, C, and D checks, with D checks being the most thorough.
These happen anywhere from every two years to every six years, and include scheduled repairs for “known problems,” replacing aging parts depending on their life cycles, and troubleshooting any new concerns.
They also happen at Illinois airports, large and small, not just at O’Hare.
When an aircraft needs a replacement part, Illinois manufacturers can be counted on to provide quality parts efficiently. The intricacies of this supplier network provide additive benefits to the state’s economy.
As the leading business advocate in the state, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce can be counted on to represent our state’s diverse network of member businesses.
This business ecosystem also includes manufacturers as the chamber supports their efforts to make the aviation industry safer and more reliable.
Flying is the safest mode of transportation. That is true thanks to the dedicated workers on manufacturing floors, like the dozens here in Illinois, who are committed to producing safe, quality parts.
Our manufacturers need and deserve support to continue the important work they do to improve our lives through their innovative products. It’s one of our core missions at the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, and one we fight for every day.
Lou Sandoval is the President and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Your turn: Good manufacturing contributing to aircraft safety in Illinois
