Volume
48, No. 16, Sepetember 7, 2006
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PRODUCTION
LINE: Fuselage 166 (in foreground) is third from the end
of the production line at Boeing’s Long Beach C-17
plant. The workers on that bay now call her ‘Aussie
One.’ She’s due to test flight in less than 63
days.
Photo
by SGT Michelle Lucraft
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By
SQNLDR Phil Smith
AUSTRALIA’S C-17 Project Management Review team has been
‘back at the dealership’, working through the purchase
of the C-17 with Boeing and the US Government.
As 1300 assembly workers continued wiring and fitting out the
primer-coated aircraft, 60 people from the Project Management
Review Team gathered nearby for gruelling discussions to manage
the processes by which four C-17s will be introduced to Air Force
by 2008. The review team involves uniformed and civilian Australians
and Americans from Boeing, the US Air Force and other government
departments.
The newest C-17 off the production line went to Travis Air Force
Base three years after it was ordered. When the team met earlier
this year, the Australians said they wanted the RAAF’s first
C-17 delivered in six months.
“There was a sharp intake of breath,” said GPCAPT Axel
Augustin from the Defence Airlift and Training Systems division.
“[However,] it’s going ahead at blinding speed and is
stretching everybody’s comfort level. Certainly there’s
nothing like a deadline to focus people’s attention, and
we’ve broken quite a few paradigms in the process of getting
this aircraft delivered on time.”
The US Air Force was prepared to forego Fuselage 166, which is
presently third from the end of the production line at Boeing’s
Long Beach C-17 plant. The workers on that bay call it ‘Aussie
One’ and the engineless hulk is due for its test flight in
only 63 days. It is the first C-17 sold to a foreign air force;
the Royal Air Force’s jets are leased.
GPCAPT Augustin said once the C-17 is delivered, the ADF and Air
Force will have to respond to a new model of aircraft fleet operation.
“Our major hurdle in many respects is trying to change the
cultural paradigms under which we operate,” he said.
“The C-17 is a significantly different aircraft from what
we’re used to working with. “We normally have a lot
of direct control and detailed information on the aircraft because
we traditionally manage all support aspects of the aircraft ourselves.
“However, the C-17 operates off the ‘virtual fleet’
concept, where our support will be managed by the USAF and Boeing
as part of a larger, worldwide, fleet of C-17 aircraft.”
Australia will need to depend on a worldwide network of common
parts and technical facilities. Canada, Sweden and NATO are watching
closely to see if the virtual fleet concept works for Britain
and Australia.
“The C-17 acquisition process will continue to challenge
the diverse government, military and commercial partners involved,”
GPCAPT Augustin said.
