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History makers: Team overhauls aircraft in record 99 flow days

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. O'Brien
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Tinker recently achieved a feat that a few years ago was nearly unimaginable. On May 15, Tinker returned a KC-135 Stratotanker to a customer an incredible 66 days early. The overall programmed depot maintenance took just 99 flow days.

Aircraft 63-7988 from Lincoln Air National Guard Base, Neb., is the first KC-135 to be overhauled at Tinker in less than 100 days. Officials said it was a team effort; personnel from across the entire enterprise worked together to meet or exceed requirements at every gate. Plus, Voluntary Protection Program achievements and the successful Air Force partnership with the American Federation of Government Employees Local 916 attributed to the accomplishment.

"Ninety-nine flow days and we are not stopping there," said Col. Brad Tannehill, 76th Aircraft Maintenance Group commander. "Many experts said producing a KC-135 aircraft in less than 100 days was impossible. Well, this team made the impossible possible. They did it by significantly increasing speed while continuing to improve quality and safety. This team illustrated the art of the possible by going above and beyond warfighter expectations and performing to their capabilities. Even more exciting, this winning team continues to improve every day, and is not even close to reaching their full potential."
On average it takes Team Tinker roughly 127 flow days to overhaul a KC-135. Four years ago, the same process averaged 226 days; 12 years ago that number was over 400 days.

"What amazes me most is the way this workforce continues to exceed expectations and beat previous records," said Theresa Farris, 564th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron director. "It's very humbling for me to watch this great workforce continue to exceed expectations."

When a KC-135 arrives at Tinker, it is processed through five stages, or gates -- pre-dock and wash, inspection dock, speedy structures or extended flow dock, systems check and post-dock where the jet receives a functional check flight. Within those gates, there are countless people who touch or are affiliated with the aircraft including personnel from the aircraft maintenance group, the 76th Commodities Maintenance Group, supply chain personnel, and test pilots.

"Just like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes an enterprise to make tankers' successful," Ms. Farris said. "There are a lot of other folks besides those in the aircraft maintenance group who touch this plane and make this process successful."

Ms. Farris credits continued process improvements, eight-step problem-solving methods, and a workforce of believers in the mission that continue to strive to achieve the art of possible.

Delo Anderson, 76th AMXG union steward, said lean transformation and VPP also deserve credit for reducing flow days.

"Through lean transformation and VPP, total case incident rate, or TCIR, and the Days Away/Restricted/Transferred, or DART rates have lowered, which puts more mechanics on the floor. Additionally employees are empowered to use lean transformation to streamline the process, which also contributed to this 99 flow day success," Mr. Anderson said. "Plus, the union and managers have partnered together to make sure the employees are empowered to have a voice in each process.

"Once you give people a voice, they'll jump leaps and bounds to make sure the goal happens," Mr. Anderson said. "This is a very proud organization."

Four aircraft are expected to be completed in June. Of them, officials said, one more has the potential to be finished in less than 100 days.

"World-class teams recognize their potential and learn how to turn it loose," Colonel Tannehill said. "Our KC-135 family is turning their potential loose and achieving the art of the possible by making yesterday's dreams today's reality!"