New maintenance platforms to increase safety, decrease inspection time

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Mark Hybers
  • 507th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE OKLA. --  The 507th Maintenance Squadron received and installed new KC-135 maintenance platforms here Jan. 14, designed to increase safety and efficiency while completing Isochronal Inspections (ISO).

These new platforms which are approximately 1,500 square feet, spanning the length of a KC-135 wing are also designed to decrease the ISO fly to fly time, which is the time it takes for an inspection.

Also included in the new maintenance platform package are stands that wrap around the nose of the aircraft and down both sides of the plane.

"Once the aircraft is towed into the hangar and the stands are positioned, our inspection team will have the ability to perform inspections and maintenance virtually anywhere on the aircraft," said Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Corporon, 507th Maintenance Squadron superintendent. "The inspection can be performed from start to finish without having to move or bring additional stands to perform different aspects of the ISO."

"It's going to save us so much time," said Master Sgt. Shaun Loeffler, 507th Maintenance Squadron ISO dock coordinator. "We will not have to climb up and down and move stands to different parts of the aircraft when someone needs help. We can just walk right over to them and give them the help they need."

The platforms arrived with a surprise addition. "They came equipped for electric and air," said Master Sgt. Travis Fowler, 507th MXS Maintenance flight chief.

"We won't have 200 feet of extension cord running across the hangar anymore," Fowler continued. "And the outlets are Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI) protected so it's safe to use around aircraft."

Corporon said, "This all translates to a safer, more efficient inspection process which ultimately gets the aircraft back to the flight line and into the air performing its mission."

According to Fowler, the new platforms should decrease the inspection time.

"A major goal in obtaining these platforms is to cut at least two days off the fly to fly time on the ISO inspection," he said.

Bidding for the platforms began three years ago. Fowler said he and members of his shop reached out to a few other bases currently using these new platforms.

"Ultimately, McConnell Air Force Base was using the identical platforms that we wanted," said Fowler. "So we got some good information from them."

Fowler said the process was kind of like "a reverse eBay. We gave the companies our high dollar amount and specifications and let them compete for the job."

Eight weeks and six semi-truck loads later, the new platforms arrived from River Metal Products. Representatives from the company remained on hand for assembly.

Corporon said the only downside is that "we don't have an ISO scheduled until the end of February, so we'll have to wait to give them the full test."

As for the old platforms, Fowler said they are still functional and available for other Air Force units in need.