Extending Service Life of Aircraft Through Fleet Management: A Study in C-17 Base and Aircraft Assignments
Abstract
Modern aircraft leverage tremendous advances in technology, engineering, and manufacturing, resulting in synergistic systems, multirole platforms, networked fleets, and asymmetric advantages. However, leaps in technology generally suffer from long and uncertain acquisition programs leading to production delays and escalating costs, especially in military specific airframes. Initial C-17 proposals specified an aircraft service lifetime of 30 years and 30,000 flight hours. Since no suitable replacement exists in the near future, this research investigates operational decisions that may slow aircraft aging and extend the effective service life of the aircraft fleet. The research indicates that if aircraft basing assignments are changed as the aircraft return to active flying after their five year depot level heavy maintenance, the service life of the entire fleet can be extended by over fifteen years. Additionally, the schedule tracks and limits each aircrafts exposure to severe corrosion environments by regularly changing aircraft base assignments between high and low corrosive environments.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 16, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1054224
Entities
People
- Charles L. Eichner
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology