Depot-Level Maintenance Backlog Recovery Leader — Defence Aviation

The mandate

Aircraft enter deep maintenance against preliminary scope, then remain disassembled while corrosion findings, engineering dispositions and controlled parts compete for attention. Reported work completion excludes waiting and reopened tasks, so apparent productivity has not improved release. The depot director was removed after fleet availability fell again despite overtime and cannibalisation rising beyond approved assumptions.

The interim starts within three weeks for fifteen months, stabilising hangar flow, evidence and material decisions before resetting induction promises. The term covers one complete fleet planning cycle and two major maintenance waves. Permanent recruitment begins after month eight; the successor receives eight weeks of paired control and must independently progress two aircraft with materially different emergent findings.

Handover requires aircraft-level configuration and scope truth, decision ageing, critical-parts priorities, engineering-response clocks, work-package freeze rules, skilled-capacity plans, release evidence and base return commitments. Completion occurs when the successor leads both aircraft from discovery through accepted test and customer release without unsafe cannibalisation, hidden waiting, undocumented configuration or intervention from the interim.

The leader may resequence inductions, reallocate cleared labour and controlled spares, stop work lacking approved data, escalate engineering priorities, replace programme leads and release ₺6.5 billion within authorised recovery. Airworthiness disposition, flight release, security access, permanent supplier awards, workforce dismissal and funding above delegation require accountable approval. Quality, engineering and customer authorities retain formal decisions.

New aircraft acquisition, operational mission planning, platform design, export licensing, base-level maintenance reform and replacement of maintenance information systems are outside scope. The interim cannot sign technical dispositions, trade configuration evidence for schedule, conceal cannibalisation, borrow parts without custody or pressure release authorities. Restricted information must remain within granted access and need.

Why this seat is open

The former director left after an oversight review found that activity measures obscured aircraft waiting on unowned engineering and material decisions. Temporary command is required to restore accountable flow while a permanent leader with both depot and customer-fleet credibility is selected and cleared.

What you will own

• Reconstruct every inducted aircraft across baseline scope, emergent work, configuration, parts, skills, decisions and release forecast.
• Decide induction, hangar, labour, test and controlled-material priorities inside approved fleet and technical boundaries.
• Establish engineering and quality decision queues with consequence, evidence minimum, owner and response clock.
• Freeze executable work packages while preserving controlled entry of genuine emergent safety findings.
• Govern cannibalisation, repair, substitution and procurement choices through custody, configuration and recoverability evidence.
• Lead five trials covering corrosion growth, engine rejection, avionics shortage, test failure and priority-fleet demand.
• Transfer command after two unlike aircraft complete successor-led progression and release without hidden assistance.

Candidate qualifications

• Held depot-level military or government aviation maintenance authority across complex fixed-wing aircraft.
• Recovered deep-maintenance flow constrained by engineering disposition, controlled parts and scarce certified specialist trades across fleets.
• Managed aircraft-level configuration, cannibalisation and release evidence within strict security and airworthiness boundaries.
• Rebuilt induction and completion promises using executable work-package and decision-ageing information.
• Worked credibly with government customers, operating bases, quality authorities and restricted suppliers.
• Transferred a secure depot command seat through live aircraft progression and independently authorised customer release.

Non-negotiables

• Eligible for required clearance and available for Ankara residence and all five trials.
• Direct defence-aircraft depot command is required; commercial line-maintenance exposure alone is insufficient.
• Will disclose governments, operators, OEMs, MROs, suppliers and defence-investment interests.
• Will not sign airworthiness, export data, bypass custody or direct unauthorised technical work.

1. 49 words maximum. Describe an aircraft backlog where task completion concealed the true release constraint.
2. 49 words maximum. How did you control cannibalisation while preserving configuration and custody evidence?
3. 49 words maximum. State your clearance posture, Ankara availability and largest depot operation led.