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BANGOR AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, MAINE - Collins Aerospace as well as Air Force Lifecycle Management – Legacy Tanker Division conducted nearly 50 hours of advanced troubleshooting on A/C 58-0021 May 8th through May 12th at the 101st Air Refueling Wing in Bangor, Maine.
The teams specifically focused on the Block 45 Autopilot system and its takeoff/go-around function (TOGA). Having previously examined this aircraft before, which consisted of testing for extreme environmental conditions and vibration testing in a controlled lab, the teams focused on the TOGA function of the system physically on the jet, looking for sources of erroneous ground
inputs to the Autopilot computers.
The team interfaced with the aircraft systems using bus analyzing equipment to monitor data bus messaging traffic, oscilloscopes to monitor AC and DC power distribution as well as ground signal applications, thermal imaging equipment to monitor operations and testing effects on component temperature, and videographic equipment to historically capture anything that was not immediately recognized by a member of the team; a check and recheck process to ensure things are working properly.
Testing included full ground operations by 101st Avionics Element personnel, interfacing with multiple systems from high, very-high and ultra-high frequency radio operation, to identification friend or foe functions, hydraulic and fuel pump operations and even simulating many aircraft
power loss and re-distribution scenarios potentially encountered during flight.
“Being able to work together with the systems engineers from not only the Air Force but the OEM, provides an invaluable level of training to the field maintenance technicians of the 101st that is rarely afforded anywhere,” Senior Master Sergeant Kristopher Robichaud said. He’s an Avionics Element Supervisor at the 101st ARW. “The opportunity to freely ask questions
directly to systems subject matter experts and operate aircraft systems outside of the normal capacity gives a level of understanding to the technician that otherwise may take years to develop,” Robichaud continued.
Ground operational checks and tests were conducted as well as engine starts and idle runs by aircrews as they would normally prepare the aircraft for flight operations. The purpose of all these tests were to simulate any condition that the autopilot system might encounter at any point in flight, while maintaining the absolute safety of personnel and the aircraft.
An issue that has plagued the KC-135 Stratotanker since the Block 45 modification is the ability to identify potential sources of electro-magnetic interference (EMI) and sources of inadvertent ground signal generation that could cause an unexpected and unsafe change in aircraft attitude during a mission. This week-long testing process included a rigorous and extensive testing process to identify a cause to the issue.
Situations and scenarios like these are prime examples of MAINEiac work ethic and compatibility; working with outside teams toward a singular goal to ensure the mission is completed. Colonel Ian Gillis is the 101st Air Refueling Wing Commander and welcomed the teams with open arms. "I am proud of our Maintenance Team and the fact that they were able to
help provide insight into a problem that has been plaguing the KC-135 fleet," Colonel Gillis said. Being a former Maintenance Group Commander, he holds the utmost respect for our maintenance troops and the hard work they do to keep the mission going. "It is another great example of MAINEiacs making an impact on the entire enterprise," Colonel Gillis continued.
In true MAINEiac fashion, the Airmen of the 101st ARW provided unmatched hospitality, grateful for the teams that came here to help. “Developing that personal connection to those individuals that you may only ever see deep in an email chain is something that you cannot begin to quantify. Establishing a network of connections at that level sets the MAINEiacs up for successful involvement wherever future missions may take us,” Robichaud added. The teams operated collaboratively and dynamically to ensure the engineering team had what they needed during their stay and testing processes.
| Date Taken: | 06.22.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 06.22.2023 08:46 |
| Story ID: | 447708 |
| Location: | BANGOR, ME, US |
| Web Views: | 104 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, MAINEiacs, Collins Aerospace, and Air Force Life Cycle Management Team Up, by MSgt Andrew Sinclair, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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