101st and 134th Collaborate On Inventive KC-135 Repairs

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Sy White | Maintenance personnel from 101st and 134th Air Refueling Wings goes step by step through the proposed technical order and procedure changes on the aircraft on March 11, 2021, in Bangor, Maine. The units collaborated with Boeing Engineers and are verifying the alternative rigging procedures on the KC-135 Stratotanker that will help streamline the tanker inspection process across the fleet.  

BANGOR, ME, UNITED STATES

04.10.2021

Story by Tech. Sgt. Sy White 

101st Air Refueling Wing

MAINE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Me. (April. 10th, 2021) -- The 101st Air Refueling Wing, is doing a lot of things right, and it’s catching on. Recently the 101st of Bangor Maine in conjunction with the 134th Maintenance Squadron out of Tennessee was the host of a joint effort to substantially improve the procedures for rigging controls of the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
The initiative started in May 2019 on Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma with the goal to standardize the process, which up until then did not have clear guidelines for rigging the aileron system. Due to Covid restrictions the second part of the conference was delayed. So when it was time to reschedule the event our Airmen in the 101st Maintenance Squadron stepped up to be the host base for the seminar. In attendance was the 134th Maintenance Squadron, Boeing
Engineering, KC-135 System Program Office Engineering, Programed Depot Maintenance, and
Program Decision Memorandum Rigging Technicians.
Rigging is crucial for the aircrafts overall performance and stability. These airframe components can affect everything from the wings of the airplane, ailerons and tail surfaces. These new procedures will help ensure fleet wide processes will be more in line with the 101st’s expectations and standards.
“It’s a way to not just make changes on the local level, it’s a way to make changes on the overall Fleet level” Captain Ryan Wing, Commander of the 101st Maintenance Squadron explained. “It was a great opportunity to work with the other KC-135 Units. We don’t want to keep our techniques secret from the other Units. We want to share it widely and take the initiative to make it better for everyone.”
The 101st’s alternate rigging procedures will be updated in the Air Force’s Program Decision Memorandum with the aim of drastically decreasing downtime during inspection periods and increasing aircraft availability for the Fleet overall. In the coming months the 101st will continue working with Boeing and other Air National Guard units to continue their progress on improving rigging procedures and the malfunction analysis section for flight controls. Spreading the Maineiac ideals of excellence in all we do.

(U.S. Air National Guard Story by Technical Sgt. Sy Cody White)

• Date Taken: 04.10.2021
• Date Posted: 05.26.2021 21:13
• Story ID: 395387
• Location: BANGOR, ME, US