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GREENSBORO, N.C. — Defense Contract Management Agency employees play a crucial role in making sure KC-10 Extender pilots and crew have safe aircraft ready for flight.
DCMA Aircraft Integrated Maintenance Operations personnel here recently started the fifth year of supporting the Air Force’s KC-10 contract. In addition to the Greensboro team, there is also a group located at the Lake Charles Maintenance and Modification Center, a Northrop Grumman facility in Lake Charles, Louisiana, that supports the contract with the prime contract management office based at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
The Air Force currently maintains 59 KC-10s that serve as tanker and cargo aircraft with a primary mission of aerial refueling. The Air Force has used the aircraft since 1981, and it was used extensively during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
“It was important to get the right people in place to support a complex program covering facilities at two different depots,” said Charles Riddle, Greensboro’s quality supervisor. “We have a diverse group of veterans that bring flexibility, aircraft maintenance and vast leadership experience to the program.”
At both depot locations, there are quality assurance specialists and industrial specialists. The teams perform quality management system surveillance, safety of flight surveillance, and monitor and review the contractor’s internal processes. This information is reported to the Air Force’s KC-10 Program Office with detailed recommendations to help prevent schedule delays or cost overruns.
“A KC-10 pilot or mechanic isn’t as much concerned with an aircraft in a depot regarding schedule or budget,” said James Burns, an industrial specialist here. “What they do expect is a fully mission ready aircraft. What is vital as industrial and quality specialists is to ensure that sparse budgeted resources are used to provide uncompromising quality and on-time deliveries.”
Aaron Woods, Greensboro’s manufacturing and engineering supervisor, added, “The team strives hard to meet its overall on-time delivery date for customers. The Greensboro team has a streak of 54 straight on-time deliveries over the past three years. We take some things for granted until we have a dose of reality from other contractors and realize the expectation of 100 percent on-time delivery is a serious challenge throughout the industry.”
According to Bruce Shirkey, the quality group manager for Lake Charles, the teams at both locations were instrumental in making sure the contractor celebrated the 150th delivery of a KC-10 in June.
“This achievement was a combined effort of the Greensboro and Lake Charles sites,” said Shirkey. “DCMA played a major role in ensuring all safety of flight inspections were accomplished and accepted for each aircraft prior to delivery. As the quality group manager, I take great pride in the integrity and professionalism the quality assurance specialists, industrial specialists and our quality assurance engineer exhibit on a daily basis. The team is made up of DCMA professionals who take their jobs seriously, never losing focus on the goal of providing our warfighters with the highest quality equipment needed to accomplish their missions.”
Burns said communication is key to making sure the KC-10 contractor logistics support program runs smoothly, since both locations are almost 1,000 miles apart. The group continually shares information with the program support team concerning surveillance activities within production and quality.
“We are very fortunate to have Alan Edmondson, an industrial specialist, on our team, who we call ‘the chief.’ He has extensive background working on the KC-10 when he was on active duty,” said Burns. “To the team, he is our bread and butter when it comes to the technical knowledge of the aircraft. Alan brings to our team years of contractual knowledge and common practices within the civilian maintenance repair and overhaul industry. Having this information helps blend a well-balanced culture between the contractor and DCMA.”
Burns also said AIMO employees here value teamwork and being a part of the DCMA mission.
“What makes this place thrive is the culture,” he said. “Everyone in the office is a veteran with aviation and logistics experience. As in the military, we all push each with the goal of excellence.”
| Date Taken: | 10.27.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 10.27.2015 14:58 |
| Story ID: | 180078 |
| Location: | GREENSBORO, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 560 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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