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First 'multi-skill' crew C-17 delivered ahead of time |
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Friday, 17 October 2008 |
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A multi-skill maintenance crew has completed work on its first C-17.
The first C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane to undergo maintenance at the hands of a new multi-skill crew has been delivered to the US Air Force a week ahead of schedule.
The multi-skill initiative is a new programme for engineers from the 562nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron to be trained with the skills to perform tasks that would previously have required three times as many mechanics.
By massively improving maintenance, repair and overhaul productivity, the scheme aims to speed up maintenance - work on the C-17 was completed in less than one month.
Marian Fraley, deputy director of the 402nd Maintenance Wing, explained that the 15 per cent reduction in flow days - the number taken to complete maintenance work on a plane from its arrival - would be improved upon further in the future.
"We are looking at reducing flow days over a period of time," she said. "It increases our productivity."
In the case of the C-17, just three mechanics were able to complete the same amount of work on the plane which would normally have required eight different people.
The C-17 Globemaster III is manufactured by Boeing Integrated Defence Systems and operated by the US Air Force, the Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force and the Canadian Forces.
Nato and Qatar currently have orders pending for the tactical airlifter. |
