185 in fiscal 2013: Robins looks to the future with optimism Published Oct. 4, 2013 By Jenny Gordon Robins Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Despite a challenging fiscal 2013, the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex delivered a total of 185 aircraft back to its customers. "As we move into fiscal 2014, our goal is to continue to be competitive," said Col. Timothy Molnar, 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group commander. "We want to be the depot of choice and the best value for our Air Force." While the on-time delivery rate this past year stood at only 76.3 percent, several factors contributed to that number. They include the impact of civilian furloughs during the summer - a loss of six working days; and uncertainties with rightsizing the workforce, which resulted in offering civilian employees incentives to retire early or resign through the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority and Voluntary Separation Incentive Program, or VERA/VSIP. "In addition, some of the rules changed for how we delivered airplanes," said Molnar. "In fiscal 12, we had a five-day delivery window - we didn't have that this year." Once a contract date was firmly set, if an aircraft wasn't delivered by midnight, it was a late aircraft. "While this was not always the case, the rules became stricter," Molnar said. "That affected our due date performance as well." As a result, 20 aircraft will be carried over in fiscal 2014. A total of 236 are scheduled. "We're excited about the work ahead of us," Molnar said. "We have an opportunity to land on our feet and come through this much more competitive and efficient." Ed Montano, 402nd AMXG deputy director, pointed out that with a loss of experience due to earlier rounds of VERA/VSIP, a current goal is to enter some of the workforce into training programs to backfill positions. Budget crunches also resulted in a contract termination which caused an additional loss of 300 employees. "With all the turmoil that happened in fiscal 2013, the men and women out here did a fantastic job," he said. While it's important to be fast while producing quality airplanes, Molnar said that safety would never be sacrificed to make up for time lost as a result of the summer's furloughs. He credited the diligent force of 4,000 employees, reporting for duty across three shifts no matter the weather. "Safety is paramount in everything we do," he said. "Our name is literally on every single plane that goes back to its home station. "As for Robins, there is no community or workforce more dedicated and more patriotic than the men and women on this flight line," he added.