ST. LOUIS, Sept. 08, 2006 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has selected the KC-135 Programmed Depot Maintenance (PDM) program as its 2006 Support Systems Lean Excellence Award winner.
Support Systems, a business of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, established the award earlier this year with the intention of making the performance recognition an annual event. The KC-135 PDM program's achievements included:
- An 18 percent improvement in the average number of days aircraft spent away from their unit
- An unprecedented 153 days to "pulse" the aircraft through all eight lean work stations; the effort included extensive structural repairs of the bulkhead web and belly skin
- Two aircraft deliveries in a single month with less than 160 flow days, demonstrating the ability to deliver KC-135 aircraft below the U.S. Department of Defense's 175-day future requirement
- 100 percent of aircraft met their scheduled delivery dates, including an average of 10 days ahead of schedule in 2005 (18 total aircraft)
- Quality performance of 0.63 defects per aircraft (as of July 31, 2006) for a 12-month rolling average, less than one-half of the U.S. Air Force KC-135 PDM program requirement
- 100 percent of factory workforce and program personnel supporting factory floor processes are assigned to and participate on Employee Involvement teams
"The credit for outstanding performance on execution of the KC-135 PDM contract goes to the Boeing Employee Involvement teams in San Antonio," said Pat Finneran, president, Boeing Support Systems. "They have made the most significant contribution."
Boeing Support Systems manages the KC-135 PDM program in Oklahoma City, Okla., where Tinker Air Force Base (AFB) conducts the second half of the Air Force's 50/50 depot maintenance program. Boeing performs its share of KC-135 depot maintenance in San Antonio, Texas.
"We've been able to work with our customer to find ways to improve processes and decrease the amount of time the aircraft spends away from its squadron, while maintaining our high level of quality," said Ben Robinson, Boeing KC-135 program manager. "It's the dedication our men and women have to the warfighter that elevates the importance of the team's 'lean' efforts. While we are a nation at war, we can do no less for our warfighters."
The services delivered under the original KC-135 contract, and now the bridge contract, include KC-135 depot-level inspections, repairs, maintenance, modifications, Time Compliance Technical Orders, (de)painting and supply chain services. Nearly half of the work performed on each aircraft is unplanned repairs resulting from PDM inspection activities.
The award will be on display at the following events:
- KC-135 50th Anniversary Celebration, Tinker AFB, Okla. Sept.8-9, 2006
- Air Force Association, Washington, D.C., Sept. 25-27, 2006
- Logistics Officers Association, San Antonio, Texas, Oct. 9-12, 2006
- Airlift/Tanker Association, Orlando, Fla., Oct. 29 -- Nov. 1, 2006