Maintainers at Ogden Air Logistics Center in Utah decided they needed a better way to work on C-130 airlifters, rather than suspending themselves from the ceiling via a harness and cable. Some guys still have to strap up, but most get to move around the aircraft with much more freedom on the specially built C-130 maintenance stands that snug the cargo hauler around its wings and down the fuselage. Besides offering a solid work area, officials say, it enables different skill groups to work together, thus speeding up overall maintenance.
Facing competition from fast-growing startups, Lockheed Martin is speeding up production of an “affordable, scalable” hypersonic glide body, dubbed the Next Generation Glide Body, the firm said in a June 24 release.