CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
The 437th Maintenance Group here continues to find ways to streamline processes under Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century.
The 437 MXG strives to bring the work to the mechanics instead of the mechanics to the work.
"AFSO21 instills a warrior spirit with a business mindset so our Airmen can do work that makes sense," said Bob Langston, 437 MXG AFSO21 program manager. "Eliminating the waste, streamlining our processes and bringing the work to the mechanic, instead of the mechanic going to pick up supplies at a distant location [and bringing them back]."
The aerospace ground equipment shop is one area where this process is working.
The AGE shop has taken tools and supplies, grouped them together and made them centrally located in the workcenter.
"They've designed a cellular layout in the workcenter," said Mr. Langston. "All of the supplies and materials, nuts and bolts, everything they need to work is right there so they don't have to travel great distances."
According to Senior Master Sgt. John Bush, 437th Maintenance Squadron AGE flight chief, the layout seems to be working.
"We have a simple storage system where instead of having tools back in a tool room, or have to have someone give it to you, it's self-service, right here so there is no more walking back and forth," he said.
Items such as oil filters are also kept in the storage system.
The AGE shop changes oil filters 500 times a year. Without the storage system, that would have been 500 individual trips to another location just for the filters," said Sergeant Bush.
"Our goal is to eliminate trips back and forth," he said.
The AGE shop has also applied this mindset to work being done out on the flightline.
At the beginning of a shift, a mechanic will take a fuel bowser, which is a mobile fuel pump, and drive along the flightline to refuel AGE powered equipment such as generators and heaters used to support the aircraft.
By taking the fuel bowsers out to the flightline, it makes it so the mechanics don't have to take the powered AGE equipment back to the fueling station, said Mr. Langston.
"This eliminates wear and tear on the equipment as well as time, motion and transportation," he added.
For now, the maintenance group is meeting the goals set by the initial concept of the AFSO21 program by eliminating manpower hours to refuel equipment and having tools and supplies centrally located in the workcenters.
"The goal is to make the job easier for the Airmen," said Mr. Langston. "If they don't believe it's making it easier for them, it won't sustain. The worst thing you could do is give up too early."