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Mechanics’ brainstorm resourceful IDEA

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. Armstrong
  • Tinker Air Force Base Public Affairs
Tinker Air Force Base --  Russell Anderson, Timothy Miller and Randy Roy are ingenious. The three sheet metal mechanics made a discovery that rewarded the Air Force and themselves threefold.
   Mr. Anderson, Mr. Miller and Mr. Roy, of the 76th Maintenance Wing's 551st Commodities Maintenance Squadron's KC-135 Flight Control Back Shop, suggested and submitted a method to fix the KC-135's damaged elevators through Tinker's Innovative Development through Employee Awareness (IDEA) Program. In FY 06 their idea saved the Air Force more than $3.5 million and they were rewarded a total of $10,000.
   "We all know how old the KC-135 is and how important it is to the Air Force in terms of our combat capability," said Brig. Gen. Judy Fedder, 76th MXW commander, at the mechanics' IDEA award presentation, June 15. "Thank you for sticking with (this idea) and making sure that you got credit for something as big as this that has such a big impact."
   Prior to the mechanics' suggestion, KC-135 elevators with too much rear spar damage were placed into a "J" account (unserviceable account).
   Without two working elevators, a KC-135 is futile and remains grounded, the sheet metal mechanics said.
   Ideally, a new elevator would cost approximately $280,000. However, the Air Force has not bought any KC-135 elevators from Boeing, the last known elevator producer, since 1979, said Sam Nowakowski, 76 MXW IDEA Program facilitator. Since it has been so many years, Boeing estimates that production cost for them to build new elevators would be in excess of one million dollars due to tooling.
   Before the mechanics' discovery, 13 elevators were put into the "J" (unserviceable) account.
   The mechanics determined the elevators only needed a new rear spar; a process that cost about $7,700. Replacing a rear spar not only spares an elevator but also limits future maintenance and keeps a KC-135 airborne.
   Mr. Roy said when the elevators return to the KC-135 Flight Control Back Shop in four years for periodic depot maintenance, it would be "a piece of cake."
   The mechanics first submitted their suggestion to the IDEA Program in FY 2003 but it was deemed ineligible. After several small changes, they resubmitted it in April 2006 (approved with intangible savings) and again in July 2006. It was approved this past April.
   "What they did was awesome," Mr. Nowakowski said.
   The men were rewarded a total of $10,000. Mr. Anderson said his share was spent installing hardwood floors in his home. Mr. Miller said his share will likely be spent on his wife and school clothes for their two teenage daughters. Mr. Roy said he will use his allotment for his oldest son's freshmen year at Rice University in Texas.
   "It feels good to do something right," Mr. Anderson said.
   This is the second IDEA award presentation for Mr. Anderson and Mr. Miller this fiscal year. Their first idea, a Zero Overpricing Challenge, was awarded in October and saved the Air Force more than $68,000 and the two mechanics each received $5,000.
   In fiscal year 2006, 435 submissions were sent to the IDEA Program. Of them, 420 were new ideas and 15 were reconsidered submissions. Only 65 were approved and the Air Force banked more than $3.4 million in tangible savings. Approximately $128,000 was paid out in rewards, according to the IDEA Program Web site.