2014
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power

Technology Insertion
Aircraft Aging Rapidly
Average Age (20-30-40 Years)
Updated repair methods would improve

 Background o 2007 Aging Aircraft Repair Feasibility Study o Innovative process/mechanism for solving operational aircraft availability problems o Repair of previously un-repairable/unobtainable DoD managed components through the use of innovative technology o Integrated team: Operational Maintenance, Depot, Gov/Univ
R&D, Industry
 Mr. Victor Champagne – USA/ARL
 Col Charles McFarland – USAF/ACC
 Mr. Tosh Farr – AFMC 419 SCMS/CL
 Mr. John Robertson – HQ USAF
 Mr. Rob Norcross – USAF ACC
 Dr. Brian Kowal - USAF AFMC
 Mr. Robert Hrabe – H.F. Webster Eng
 Mr. James Yankel – USAF AFMC
 Mr. Omar Medoza – USAF AFMC
 Mr. Bill Raphael – USAF AFLMC
 Mr. Thomas Condron – USAF AFLMC
 Dr. Christian Widener – South Dakota
School of Mines and Technology
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power

2010 ARC
Applied Research Center
Industry
• HF Webster
• MOOG
Government
R&D
• Army Research
Lab
• Navy Mantech
Warfighter
Ellsworth AFB
Air Force
Maintenance
• AFETS
SD State
University
Center
• R3S
Air Force
Engineering
• OC-ALC
University
• SDSMT
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power

B-1 Forward Equipment Bay
Integrally stiffened bonded panel – composite metal hybrid structure
Chafing Point
Wear Tested
B-1 Hydraulic Line
Chafing Location – Cold Spray
Pretreatment
CS Applied Jan 2011 (2 A/C)
~3 Years 4151 Combined Flt Hrs
CS Repaired June 2012
1+ Year, 155 Flight Hours
Chafing Point
Wear Tested
CS Applied Mar 2009
4+ Years, 2202 Flight Hours
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power
Nose Landing Gear
Accumulator Line

B-1 FEB Panels
8 panels per aircraft
Four panels per side, Lt and Rt sides

Chafing Wear on
Operational
Panel
Before
After
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power

Grit Blasted Fastener Hole Cold Spray – as deposited
Note: Panel back surface temperature near hole can be maintained below 100°C to protect composite & prevent aging of aluminum panel
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Deposited material ground flush with surface
Before
Hole filled & re-drilled back to OEM specifications
Repaired Fastener OEM Fastener Hole
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power

Transition and Implementation
Official Approval Documents and Commitment:
1. Engineering Technical Assistance Request (ETAR) E12-00248 FEB Panel o Tinker Air Force Base-B-1 Chief Engineer Jeff Vaughn
2. Engineering Technical Assistance Request (ETAR) E09-00065 NLG Lines o Tinker Air Force base B-1 Hydraulic Engineer Barry Magerus
3. Aircraft Modification Proposal (AF-1067) Mar 2011 MLG Lines o Langley Air Force Base ACC B-1 A4V1 Lt Col Joseph Shirey
Cold Spray Transition Locations
Ellsworth AFB
Hill AFB
Tinker AFB
Mid-America/MOOG-Webster, MA and Fargo, ND
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power

Hydraulic Tubing Chafing

ROI primarily based on lost flight hours and reduced maintenance man-hours
 #1 Maintenance man-hour driver on the B-1
 Estimated at least 1800 Mission Capable (MC) hours ~75 days improvement per year
 Equates to $78M annually in lost training and maintenance costs*
* Based on AFIT Study, “Total Cost Comparison of B-1B Non-mission Capable (NMC)
Drivers using Finite Source with Spares Queueing, Maj Dan Diehl, 2012
Chafing Points
Wear Tested
Spoiler Actuator line
Nose Landing Gear
Accumulator Line
Main Landing Gear Line
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power

Cold Spray Hydraulic Line pre-treatment
 Goals o Reduce the occurrences between PDM/HVM cycles o Reduce MMHs o Improve aircraft availability
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power

Cold Spray Hydraulic Line pre-treatment
 Develop logistical and maintenance procedures for implementation chafing limits o Implementation TO changes
 Equipment o Define future development o Non-B nut lines o On vehicle
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power

F-16 Air Inlet Housing
Repair sites
Nominated by AFMC Gen Wolfenbarger
Staff
14

F-15 AMAD - Magnesium Housing
Repair sites
Nominated by AFMC
Gen Wolfenbarger Staff
Spares availability problem
High Cost/High Demand
Before After
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power
15

F-16 ADG- Magnesium Housing
Repair sites Nominated by AFMC
Gen Wolfenbarger Staff
Spares availability problem
High Cost/High Demand
Before After
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power
16

ROI
Annual Savings ($K)
$2M
ROI Ratio
$78M 1000
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
F-16 ADG F-16 Air
Inlet Hsg
F-15
AMAD
B-1 FEB
Panel
Hydro
Tubes
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power
Total Annual
Savings and ROI
$2.9M
Return on
Investment Ratio
11
*excluding hydro tube analysis

 Global Hawk
 A-10 Plenum
 B-2 AMAD
 F-15 CGB
 C-5 Match Set Housing
 The other 60 Candidates
 FY13 Rapid Innovation Fund Award Pending o Implement cold spray at 2 operational units and one depot, coupon testing, qualification, etc.
o Teaming Arrangement: H. F. Webster Engineering, VRC,

Brian L. James, USAF, GS-12
Chief Engineer - Air Force Engineering and
Technical Services
World Class Airmen … Expeditionary Combat Power

• FEB Panel
(ROI ~ 6 months)
– Single panel savings = $225K
– B-1B annual savings > $9.6M
– Huge Potential savings if implemented
AF wide
– Investment at field level < $1M in equipment, training, & qualification
– Anticipate ALC investment higher
 Hydraulic Lines
(ROI ~ 1 month )
 Primarily maintenance man-hour savings
 B-1B >1800 Mission Capable hours (75 days) improvement per year (potentially much more)
 Equates to $78M annually in lost training and maintenance costs*