The technicians at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins AFB, Ga., completed routine depot maintenance for C-5 #87040 in just 159 days, beating the previous record by 12 days. What’s more, a year ago, the same process took 200 days. For the most recent Galaxy, the Robins team used new project management software called Concerto, which gave them a visual depiction of the aircraft, the tasks, and status of each task—part of the process called critical chain project management. David Mann, C-5 Production Section chief, said the 160-day flow rate will be maintained for both C-5A and C-5B aircraft despite the older A-model’s demands for more man hours, thanks to new techniques, management, and the work ethic of the depot.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.