Aircraft maintainers at Ramstein AB, Germany, just went through their last 10-day isonchronal inspection of an E model C-130 Hercules. The base is shedding its older Herks, making way for the new C-130J variants. The ISO work is only done about every 420 days, giving maintainers an opportunity to more thoroughly check out everything from engines to the electrical system. The importance of such attention to detail is not lost on the flight crew, as 1st Lt. James Stikeleather, 37th Airlift Squadron pilot, said, “The 86th MXS prevents disasters from happening with all of the inspections they perform.” Members of the 86th Maintenance Squadron will be conducting this same type inspection of their first J model in summer 2010. The base already has opened a new aircraft parts store for the C-130J, constructing a 17,000-square-foot “state of the art warehouse facility,” said Capt. Eric Wicklund, commander of the 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron Materiel Management Flight. (ISO report by A1C Alexandria Mosness; 86th LRS report)
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.