PIT Manager of the Engineering Support Center (ESC) Robert S. Kubicko recently wrote in with what he called, “A perfect example of cooperation between East and West that was beneficial to both.â€
A few weeks ago, West aircraft N837AW was struck by a cargo container in PHL. The cargo container was blown across the ramp during a thunderstorm and came to a stop when it ran into the plane. Due to the extent of the damage, the aircraft would not have been able to fly pressurized.
In order to ferry the aircraft back to PHX, the aircraft would have had to make a fuel stop. Therefore, the aircraft was going to be ferried to an outside maintenance vendor for structural repairs. That is when PHX maintenance suggested that the aircraft be ferried to PIT for repairs. PIT maintenance management agreed that PIT could accomplish the repairs. Rob explained, “In PIT, the ESC is a 24/7 area that provides support to all of maintenance. Our primary customers are line maintenance and planning, but we also assist base maintenance and anyone else who knows our number.â€
ESC acted as a coordinator for all activities between Airbus, maintenance and PHX liaison engineering, which is the West’s equivalent to the ESC. This included damage assessment, repair development, repair substantiation and repair accomplishment.
All work was accomplished by PIT Hangar 5 personnel. The paperwork was reviewed, approved, and signed by a West supervisor who was repositioned to PIT from Baltimore for this project. West liaison engineering stepped in to approve all engineering paperwork.
The aircraft was returned to service in only seven days, having undergone three "minor" repairs and two "major" repairs.
Rob said, “We pulled together to save a lot of money by not outsourcing and we quickly returned a damaged aircraft back to service.â€
A few weeks ago, West aircraft N837AW was struck by a cargo container in PHL. The cargo container was blown across the ramp during a thunderstorm and came to a stop when it ran into the plane. Due to the extent of the damage, the aircraft would not have been able to fly pressurized.
In order to ferry the aircraft back to PHX, the aircraft would have had to make a fuel stop. Therefore, the aircraft was going to be ferried to an outside maintenance vendor for structural repairs. That is when PHX maintenance suggested that the aircraft be ferried to PIT for repairs. PIT maintenance management agreed that PIT could accomplish the repairs. Rob explained, “In PIT, the ESC is a 24/7 area that provides support to all of maintenance. Our primary customers are line maintenance and planning, but we also assist base maintenance and anyone else who knows our number.â€
ESC acted as a coordinator for all activities between Airbus, maintenance and PHX liaison engineering, which is the West’s equivalent to the ESC. This included damage assessment, repair development, repair substantiation and repair accomplishment.
All work was accomplished by PIT Hangar 5 personnel. The paperwork was reviewed, approved, and signed by a West supervisor who was repositioned to PIT from Baltimore for this project. West liaison engineering stepped in to approve all engineering paperwork.
The aircraft was returned to service in only seven days, having undergone three "minor" repairs and two "major" repairs.
Rob said, “We pulled together to save a lot of money by not outsourcing and we quickly returned a damaged aircraft back to service.â€
