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An Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century event took place Feb. 25 to March 1 as a way to mold the aircraft maintenance process with the goal of improving 86th Airlift Wing aircraft availability.
The AFSO21 program is a tool for the Air Force to improve its processes and increase global readiness, which Ramstein’s 86th Maintenance Squadron experienced firsthand.
“AFSO21 is a continuous process improvement,” said Master Sgt. Lester Goodwin, 86th Maintenance Group AFSO21 program manager. “The (AFSO21) program mainly focuses (on) looking at major processes and then eliminating no-value-added items and occurrences.”
One of the main focus areas of this AFSO21 was reducing the amount of time it took to wash an aircraft.
“Currently, this takes three days to accomplish,” Goodwin said. “However, after the effects of the AFSO21 program take place and we eliminate the unnecessary steps, this process should be only a single day.”
The 86th MXS isn’t the only unit that stands to see an improvement.
“On an Air Force scale, we are talking about aircraft availability,” said Randy Glick, 86th Force Support Squadron senior management analyst. “As long as we are increasing aircraft availability and predictability, then the Air Force stands to gain a strategic advantage.”
With AFSO21 there are four elements to every problem-solving model: observe, orient, decide and act. These four steps are used to break down and simplify a problem.
The five desired effects of any AFSO21 are: Increase productivity of our people, increase critical equipment availability rates, improve response time and agility, sustain safe and reliable operations, and improve energy efficiency.
Goodwin and Glick said they hope to see all five desired effects instilled. By removing unneeded steps during the washing process, all AFSO21’s desired effects should fall into place.
For more information on how your unit can become part of the solution, email the 86th FSS at 86fss.fsemidea@ramstein.af.mil.
