AFSO21 changes streamline force

Published May 4, 2007
By Tyler Hemstreet
62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Several groups on base are working together to come up with more efficient ways to use available C-17 Globemaster IIIs for training missions during the week.

By shortening the turn time of each aircraft from three hours and 15 minutes to two hours and using an engine running crew change process, by June aircrews hope to use three aircraft instead of four to fly the required training missions each day, said Col. Damon Booth, 62nd Operations Group commander.

To turn C-17s in two hours, crews from the 62nd Maintenance Group and the 62nd Mission Support Group will already be at the parking ramp when the aircraft pulls up, said current operations chief Maj. Phil Kase, 62nd Airlift Wing.

"Everyone is waiting at the jet," Major Kase said. "That's the biggest time saver."

Aircrews will also execute an engine running crew change, where the aircraft pulls up near the aircrew launch facility so crews can walk to the jet and load up while the engines continue running, Major Kase said.

In addition to cutting down on travel time for crews, the engine running crew change also cuts down on C-17 maintenance duties, said Lt. Col. James Clavenna, 62nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander.

"From a support standpoint, our work load as it pertains to that aircraft has been lessened," Colonel Clavenna said.

"While that aircraft is undergoing the engine running crew change, we can tend to something else."

Having a quicker turn time and using the engine running crew change will enable the wing to extend the flying window for C-17 training from nine hours to 13 hours per aircraft, Colonel Booth said.

This means the wing will be able to schedule more training missions during the week and less on the weekend, Major Kase said.

Taking one C-17 out of the training flight rotation will also give the wing a dedicated spare to back up any of the aircraft, Colonel Booth said.

"The whole process is just about making better use of our resources," Colonel Booth said.

"The less time the aircraft is on the ground, the more time we have in the air for training."