Big IDEAS: Maintenance workers awarded for innovations

Published Oct. 9, 2008
By Micah Garbarino
Tinker Public Affairs

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., -- Work can be a challenge. But, by taking what's challenging and improving it, service members and civilians in the Air Force are creating a whole new working environment, and submitting IDEAs. Two $10,000 awards were handed out for IDEA initiatives in the 76th Maintenance Wing recently.

"The Innovative Development Through Employee Awareness program is an incentive program that rewards people for improving their processes and saving the government money," said Donna Davis, an IDEA Program Analyst here.

Bryan Chandler, 566th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, received an award for his IDEA that resulted in a savings of $157,923 on 16 E-6 aircraft zero-skin assembly, removal and replacement. Prior to Mr. Chandler's IDEA, all zero skins were completely removed to gain access to pins in the fitting that attaches the wing to the aircraft's body. Now, each skin is removed as a whole assembly, preventing any damage due to drilling and scraping. This saves the Air Force from ordering new zero skins. Mr. Chandler received $10,000 for his idea.

Burt Renard, Mary Wood and Mike Sullivan from the 76th Propulsion Maintenance Group, shared a $10,000 award for their IDEA to develop a new way to check for proper crimping of the scavenge pump key on TF-33 engines. Before their IDEA, the engine had to be completely disassembled to inspect the pump key. Then the team came up with a process that sounds similar to a surgical procedure. They suggested inspecting the piece using a 6-millimeter Iplex bore-scope to enter the scavenge pump area through a guide tube, saving the time of pulling the engine apart. This process saves the Air Force $538,659 on 39 TF-33 engines because it only requires full engine re-work if the scavenge pump key is not properly crimped.

"People need to look for ways to improve their work environment. There is no set way to come up with a good idea," Ms. Davis said.

There is, however, a set process to follow when submitting an idea. The program uses the IDEA Program Data System. This online tool allows users to create an account and provides menus and fields that must be filled out for the IDEA to be considered.

"Having a good IDEA is great, but people need to do the footwork to make it happen and follow through on all the paperwork. We will work with people and if an IDEA is turned down, we will tell them why and help them fix it if we can," Ms. Davis said.

Last year, at Tinker alone, there were more than 400 IDEAs submitted, and this year the program is on track to best that number. With such a win/win situation for government and employee, officials say there should be more submissions.

"Any time that you can improve your job and save the government money, that is a great outcome. It is doing what you say and saying what you do. If there is a workable change, follow up on it," Ms. Davis said.

The IDEA program rewards submissions at different rates based on the monetary savings of the IDEA and whether it is inside or outside of the submitters regular work area. All of this is governed by Air Force regulations that can be obtained from the IDEA office. For more information, call the office at 739-2004.