CH124 Sea King Fleet Update
“Keepin’ ‘em Flying!!”
Major Richard Loewen
Senior Design Engineer
US Army Air Corps – 1941 – Recruiting Slogan
Universal Pictures – 28 November 1941
CH124 Highlights
• General Fleet Information
• Fleet Service Life Status
• Attributes of Success
– Maintenance Program
– Aircraft Structural Integrity
• Sunset Years
– Challenges & Capabilities
• Wrap-Up
General Fleet Information
24 of 41
“Available for Operations”
(4 x non-active)
High Time Aircraft – 16 658 Hrs
Low Time Aircraft – 13 081 Hrs
Fleet Average – 14 848 Hrs
CH124A – ASW Dipping Sonar, Self
Defense, ISR
CH124B – Utility
& Troop Config
(14 Pax)
Main Operating Bases & HQ
406 OTS
423 Sqn
12 AMS
443 Sqn
Victoria, BC
Shearwater,
NS
NDHQ
Ottawa, ON
CH124 Highlights
• General Fleet Information
• Fleet Service Life Status
• Attributes of Success
– Maintenance Program
– Aircraft Structural Integrity
• Sunset Years
– Challenges & Capabilities
• Wrap-Up
Fleet Service Life Status
• Entered service – May 1963
Fleet Service Life Status
• Entered service – May 1963
•
•
•
•
Oct 1992: ELE extended to Dec 2000
Oct 1998: ELE extended to Dec 2005
xxx 2005: ELE extended to Dec 2012
Jul 2011: ELE extended to Dec 2015
Fleet Service Life Status
• Summer 2013: 50th Anniversary Celebrations
Fleet Service Life Status
• Sept 2014: … ELE Extension Request …
– Align with CH148 Cyclone (S-92) Introduction
– CH124 operations out to August 2018
• Proposed Flying Rates
Flying Hours
Fleet Size
FY14/15
FY15/16
FY16/17
FY17/18
FY18/19
7200
7200
5500
3700
500
28
24
20
16
12 to 0
CH124 Highlights
• General Fleet Information
• Fleet Service Life Status
• Attributes of Success
– Maintenance Program
– Aircraft Structural Integrity
• Sunset Years
– Challenges & Capabilities
• Wrap-Up
Attributes of Success
Attributes of Success
• Maintenance Program
– Preventive
– Corrective
– Upgrades / Modifications
• Mechanical System
• Avionics/Electrical/Mission System
Maintenance Program
• Preventive
– Depot Level Maint (Third Level Insp & Repair - TLIR)
– Base Level Maint (Periodic Inspections – PER)
• 600 hrs +/- 50 hrs
• PER #1 & #3 – Minor
• PER #2 & #4 – Major
– Squadron Level Maint (Supplementary Insp – SUPP)
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•
•
•
25 hrs +/- 2.5 hrs
After & Before Flight Checks
Corrosion - #1 & #2 – Alternate Every 7 Days
Conditional Inspections – Hard Ldg, Lightening Strike, etc
Maintenance Program
• Corrective
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Structural Repair Manual (Standard Repairs)
System Maint Manuals (Fault Diagnosis & Repair)
OEM or Contractor Developed Repairs
Temp or Non-Standard Repairs
Aircraft Battle Damage & Repair
Maintenance Program
• Upgrades / Modifications
– Mechanical System
– Avionics/Electrical/Mission System
– CD (Depot Level)
• Approx 225 CD mods to date
– CF (Field Level)
• Approx 600 CF mods to date
Attributes of Success
• Maintenance Program
• Aircraft Structural Integrity
Attributes of Success
• Aircraft Structural Integrity
– Technical Airworthiness Manual
• Since 2003 provides ASI related Rules & Standards
• Replaced Tech Order based on MIL-STD-1530C ASI
• ASI Program Elements
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–
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Statement of Operating Intent
Baseline Usage Spectrum with Mission Profiles
Structural Usage Monitoring (SUM)
Structural Condition Monitoring (SCM)
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan (ASIMP)
Aircraft Structural Integrity Process
Inspection-generated data
SCM uses data from:
Scheduled maintenance,
Repairs
SIs
Service bulletins
Full-scale tests
Foreign operators
OEM
Structural
Condition
Monitoring
Baseline Usage
(SOI)
Structural Analysis
Fleet Structural
Maintenance Plan
Final product of ASI process,
used to generate maintenance program
Analytical
Methods
Structural
Usage
Monitoring
Models, software, data
Includes usage data collection,
transfer, analysis and reporting
Baseline Usage Spectrum
• CH124 BUS Analysis (Sikorsky 2005)
– BUS Development
• Operations & Flight Witnessing
• Pilot Interviews
• Usage Data Analysis from CF335 Forms
– Dynamic Component Fatigue Usage Spectrum
• Adjusted fatigue lives
– 9 Mission Profiles
– Produced Composite Worst Case Usage Spectrum
Baseline Usage Spectrum
• CH124 Mission Profiles
A – Reconnaissance/Surveillance (Recce)
B – Crew Operational Readiness (COREX)
C – Pilot Proficiency Flight (PPF)
D – Maintenance Test Flight (MTF)
E – Helicopter Delivery Service/Utility (HDS/Utility)
F – Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
G – Search and Rescue (SAR)
H – Cross-Country/Pilot Proficiency Instrument Flight
K – Waterbird (Ceased Trg Fall 2013)
COREX Mission Profile
(a) Flight Initiation, RADAR
Tracking / Surveillance
(b) SAR Exercise
(c) SONAR Dips
(d) Return to Base
(e) Yard Work (off-levels)
(f) Yard Work (slung loads)
(g) Flight conclusion
Baseline Usage Spectrum
Baseline Usage Spectrum
CH124 “Composite Worst Case” Spectrum (cont)
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan
• CH124 Structural Usage Monitoring (SUM)
– Fatigue monitoring program
• Includes individual aircraft tracking
• Requires sufficient and relevant data to track usage
– Review process to compare actual to baseline
– Process to re-evaluate component lives
– Maintenance program review based on findings
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan
• CH124 SUM Dataset
• Mission Type;
• Approx % of time spent:
• Below 90 knots;
• # of main rotor starts and
• Between 90 and 120 knots;
stops;
• Above 120 knots;
• # of landings;
• Approx time spent in In• # of auto-rotations;
ground Effect (IGE) and
• Slung Loads;
Out-of-Ground Effect
• Fuel weight at take-off
(OGE) hover; and
and at landing;
• Approx time running on
• Flight duration;
ground in flight drive.
• Approx time spent above
103% Nr;
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan
• CH124 Usage Spectrum Mission Weighting
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan
• Comparison of Mission Usage to Baseline
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan
• CH124 SUM - Exceedences from Baseline
– Limit or adjust usage patterns or mission profile
• AC 412 continue to limit usage of Mission A (Recce/Surv)
• AC 441 limit usage of Mission H (X-Country / PPIF)
• Autorotations / One Engine Inoperative / Waterbird
– Add or increase inspection requirements
• Reduce Interval for SSI#12- Left/Fwd Sponson Mount to 600hrs
Baseline Usage Spectrum
• CH124 Mission Profile - Damage Severity
Most Damaging - Dynamic Components & SSIs
A – Reconnaissance/Surveillance (Recce)
C – Pilot Proficiency Flight (PPF)
G – Search and Rescue (SAR)
K – Waterbird (Ceased Trg Fall 2013)
Moderate Damage to Specific Components
D – Maintenance Test Flight (MTF)
E – Helicopter Delivery Service/Utility (HDS/Utility)
F – Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
H – Cross-Country/Pilot Proficiency Instrument Flight
Non-Damaging
B – Crew Operational Readiness (COREX)
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan
• CH124 Structural Condition Monitoring (SCM)
– Program to monitor structural repairs and
inspection records
– Long-term impact assessment of structural repairs
– Review of inspection records to determine trends
– Review of structural related in-service monitoring
data
– Process to re-evaluate the maintenance program
• Adjust Preventive Maint Inspections
– (i.e. Corrosion Control)
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan
• CH124 SCM Policy
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SCM Function in CH124 ASIP
SCM Data Sources & Tools
Definition of Structurally Significant Items (SSIs)
Damage Mapping
• Corrosion
• Fatigue
• Mechanical
– SCM Reporting
• Annually
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan
• SCM Function in CH124 ASIP
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Monitor Structural Repairs & Inspection Records;
Consider Primary Structure as a minimum;
Determine trends in frequency of damage by location;
Review service difficulty reports impacting ASI
longterm;
– Document identified trends & provide
recommendations;
– Dynamic Components
•
Currently outside SCM scope but coming soon…
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan
• SCM Data Sources & Tools
– Primary Data Sources
• Historical TLIR & PER#4 Reports reviewed in FY11/12
• Up to four reports/aircraft were reviewed
– SCM Dataset
• Primary Structure not defined in Sikorsky documents
• CH124 SCM Policy classifies Primary Structural
Elements
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan
• CH124 SCM Definition of SSIs
– The part is a subset of aircraft primary structure;
– Failure of the part could cause direct loss of the
aircraft (Category I);
– Failure of the part could cause substantial damage
to the aircraft (Category II);
– The part has been shown, by experience or
analysis, to be prone to damage; and
– Part geometry and/or load carrying capability and
material did not change with a structural
modification yet show a history of chronic, severe
damage.
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan
• 37 x Structurally Significant Items
– SSI List is available to review if interested
• 64 x Structurally Significant Modifications
– modifications or repairs on the aircraft that have a
significant impact on the life and airframe
structural integrity
Aircraft Structural Integrity Mgmt Plan
• CH124 SCM
Damage Mapping
• Corrosion
• Fatigue
• Mechanical
CH124 Highlights
• General Fleet Information
• Fleet Service Life Status
• Attributes of Success
– Maintenance Program
– Aircraft Structural Integrity
• Sunset Years
– Challenges & Capabilities
• Wrap-Up
Sunset Years
Sunset Years
• Challenges
– 51 Year old Aircraft
– Obsolescence
• Limited Parts Availability
• Long Lead Times
• Increased Costs
Sunset Years
• ELE Initiatives
– Parts Procurement Project
• FY14/15 & FY15/16
– Aircraft Sampling Inspection
• Post TLIR Areas of Interest
– Obsolescence Mod Projects
• Minor system updates
Sunset Years
• Capabilities through Transition
– Increased focus on Intelligence, Reconnaissance,
and Surveillance;
– Prototype EO/IR, TCDL, SONAR Digitization
– Three letter snake names…From ASP to BOA.
• Augmented Surface Plot
• Basic Operational Augmentation
– Tactical Mission System enhancements
CH124 Highlights
• General Fleet Information
• Fleet Service Life Status
• Attributes of Success
– Maintenance Program
– Aircraft Structural Integrity
• Sunset Years
– Challenges & Capabilities
• Wrap-Up