SETTING A TECHNCIAL BASELINE FOR THE MHU 110 & 141 SUPPORT EQUIPMENT TRAILERS
Background
The Support Equipment and Vehicles Division at Robins AFB had a problem. They had thousands of MHU-110 and MHU-141 trailers out in the field with multiple configurations. However, their sustaining engineering team at Robins AFB did not have the correct technical data, drawings, and technical orders to provide effective engineering support the field units.
The Air Force owned data rights on one set of drawings however, the accuracy of these drawings had not been validated. Parts obsolescence issues and non-availability of parts for some configurations caused delays in the accomplishment of required preventative maintenance inspections (PMI). Technical orders, repair manuals, and engineering drawings did not accurately reflect current configurations of the trailers built by different manufacturers. This lack of configuration control resulted in the inability to maintain and sustain these munitions handling trailers.
These trailers are also exposed to the most extreme atmospheric and rough-handling conditions possible. A holistic look at corrosion control and mitigation strategies was needed in order to extend the service life of existing units. Additionally, a robust corrosion prevention approach integrated with acquisition of trailers is paramount to increasing life cycle of newly acquired assets.
They realized they needed to complete a technical data audit, survey the equipment in the field, update the technical orders in order to establish a new technical baseline for the MHU-110 and MHU-141.
Solution
Aging Aircraft Consulting LLC (AACL) was hired to help the Support Equipment and Vehicles Division establish a new technical baseline for the MHU-110 and MHU-141 trailers.
AACL drafted extensive revisions to MHU-110 and MHU-141 trailer Technical Orders. This task requires over 500 new part numbers to be incorporated into the existing manuals, validation of current maintenance procedures, correction of illustrations, development of corrosion mitigation strategies, and the creation of system to identify differences based on trailer manufacturer.
- MHU-110: AACL delivered 160 drawings files, 620 3D Models and 137 ECOs correcting errors with current drawings.
- MHU-141: AACL provided 194 drawings files, 540 3D Models and 98 ECOs correcting errors with current drawings.
Lastly, complete revisions were delivered for the maintenance technical order and illustrated parts breakdown for the both the MHU-110 and MHU-141 Trailers. AACL delivered the technical data and documentation packages to establish a technical baseline for the MHU-110 and MHU-141 trailers.
Benefits
The Support Equipment and Vehicles Division at Robins AFB now had a complete technical data package on both the MHU-110 and MHU-141, along with updated and validated technical orders.
The benefits of this project were:
- Updated technical orders were able to be published allowing field units to access additional sources of supply as a result of updated illustrated parts breakdown and new part numbers.
- Updated technical data packages, including drawings, allowed the Air Force to competitively procure replacement parts, thereby increasing supportability of the products, and potentially lowering sustainment costs.
- Engineering now had a reference to allow them to easily identify different configurations of these products so they can be supported quickly and more efficiently.
- Updated corrosion mitigation strategies lowered the cost of sustainment and increased the service life of these products.
