KBR Optimizes Flight Hour Phase Intervals for U.S. Air Force’s A-10 Aircraft
KBR will boost the availability of the A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft for the U.S. Air Force thanks to the company’s proposed changes to maintenance requirements.
In 2017, the Air Force tasked KBR to review, assess and optimize the maintenance schedules for the A-10 Thunderbolt II – the first Air Force aircraft specially designed for close air support of ground forces. After two years of in-depth analysis, KBR recommended the Air Force extend the phase maintenance interval of the attack aircraft from every 500 flight hours to 600 flight hours.
KBR concluded this could be achieved by establishing inspection limits for each preventive maintenance task and optimizing times for phase intervals when safety margins were not in jeopardy.
The Air Force approved the recommendation after careful review from the configuration control board, technical evaluation review board, Air Combat Command weapon systems team, A-10 leadership, and key subject matter experts.
This change has the potential to eliminate 526 days of phase maintenance, resulting in increased aircraft availability, reduced maintenance man hours, and overall cost savings to the entire A-10 fleet in the Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. The Air Force plans to implement tech orders to extend the A-10 phase interval this summer. The 600 flight-hour interval will make the A-10 one of the longest phase maintenance intervals among all Air Force combat aircraft.
“For this to be implemented so fast by the Combat Air Forces during COVID-19 is remarkable and reflects well on KBR’s team and dedication to the customer,” said Trevor Bryant, KBR’s A-10 and T-38 Program Manager. “During test and evaluation, interval optimization was weighted against the safety, reliability and sustainability of the aircraft and aircrew. Being able to find and implement a solution that meets all of these needs and saves time, money and labor is the ideal outcome.”
This is not the first time KBR has optimized mission performance and assets. KBR’s reliability centered maintenance program is a similar initiative that has saved customers millions of dollars in man-hour maintenance. Due to the success of the A-10, KBR is currently doing the same study analysis for the T-38 Talon aircraft.
