HVM improves maintainers’ readiness for C-130s Published July 29, 2011 By Wayne Crenshaw 78 ABW/PA ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Although implementation of High Velocity Maintenance in the C-130 section is still in its infancy, a key feature of it is already having a big impact. The technical term for it is "supportability." It encompasses everything that is involved with being ready to meet each task to be done on an aircraft before it arrives. Before HVM, about 25 percent of the known parts requirements for each C-130 were analyzed and determined to be supportable, said Jerry Mobley, HVM team lead. Now that number is 75 percent. In a recent meeting with local media, Maj. Gen. Robert McMahon, Center commander, cited the improved readiness for the aircraft as a key reason why the time it takes to complete C-130 programmed depot maintenance is decreasing. While full implementation of HVM is a gradual build up, the supportability analysis element has proved so successful in testing it is already in widespread use. In some cases, aircraft are inspected in the field before arrival for PDM to learn their needs. However, even without a hands-on preinspection, much is learned about the aircraft prior to PDM just through contact with the operational base. If it seems a no-brainer that all parts and necessary equipment should be here and on hand when an aircraft arrives, it's not as simple as it sounds. Consider taking your F-150 to the local Ford dealer. You would expect the dealer to have the basic parts needed for the truck, but it wouldn't have every part for every model. Also, if you are really concerned about limiting the downtime for the truck, you might get the mechanic to "HVM" it by informing him ahead of time exactly what is wrong with it. That way, even if it is a simple job, he could have every part and tool set up and ready when it rolls into the garage. Considering C-130s have many more parts than a pickup truck, and are vastly more complex, it's impossible without supportability analysis to have everything immediately on hand for every aircraft. Each aircraft has different problems and, in some cases, parts may even have to be manufactured. The basic concept of HVM is not only to have everything on hand needed for PDM, said Mobley, but to have a detailed work schedule laid out so the correct parts and tools are available to the mechanic at the right time. It's all aimed toward keeping the mechanics working on the plane rather than tracking down the things they need. "What we are doing for every one of these tasks, is breaking it down to say 'To do this task, here is everything you need to do it,'" Mobley said. The four tenets of high velocity maintenance are knowing the condition of the aircraft, supportability, standard work and man-loading. Preinspections aid in knowing the condition of the aircraft before it arrives and planning for its needs. Supportability is having everything in place to meet those needs. Standard work is having tasks mapped out in a step-by-step process so each task is done the same way and therefore more efficiently. Man-loading is being able to have as many mechanics as possible working on the plane rather than spending time chasing down parts and supplies.