First MSG-3 production bird returned to nest Published March 11, 2011 By Wayne Crenshaw 78 ABW/PA ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The C-5 Galaxy enterprise at Robins reached an important milestone recently in its transition to a different way of performing programmed depot maintenance. When C-5B Tail No. 86-0015 was declared ready to return to its home at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., it marked the first production C-5 PDM to be completed here using Maintenance Steering Group 3 inspection concept. Patterned after methods commercial airlines have used for decades, MSG-3 is a dramatically different way of performing PDM which reduces downtime while still keeping aging planes flying reliably and safely. As is the case with other C-5s, work on Tail No. 86-0015 was a team effort of the 559th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, the C-5 program office in the Aerospace Sustainment Directorate, the Warner Robins Defense Logistics Agency, the 402nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron, the 402 Aircraft Maintenance Support Squadron, and the 638th Supply Chain Management Group. The aircraft was finished on time and flew an operational mission only 55 hours after returning to its base, added 559th AMXS director David Nakayama. That shows confidence in the work of the team, said Nakayama, because users usually like to first run the planes on short training missions after PDM to make sure there are no problems. The second production aircraft, and the first C-5M model, Tail No. 86-0013, was completed on time shortly afterward. As a part of MSG-3 implementation, a close study was done of all maintenance inspections performed through the life of the aircraft, including isochronal field inspections and PDM inspections. The isochronal inspections, which include major and minor inspections done between PDM, are somewhat similar to PDM but on a smaller scale. Nakayama explained the study found work being duplicated through the two inspections. To streamline the process, MSG-3 shifts some work done in isochronal inspections to PDM and vice versa. The shift not only improves efficiency, and means for C-5B models the aircraft will go from needing PDM every six to every eight years. "The MSG-3 effort gave us the opportunity to build an even better partnership with our program office in the Aerospace Sustainment Directorate and our supply chain," said Col. Randall Burke, commander of the 402nd Maintenance Group. "Without that strong partnership, this effort would not succeed." Nakayama said two C-5s currently at Robins for service are being completed under the previous PDM method because those were started prior to the implementation of MSG-3. However, after they leave, work on all C-5s here will be completed under MSG-3.