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QuickTurnsFrom innovative repair strategies to a unique flight training program, discover the power of United Services’expertise and customer focus.

Save parts, save money

Imagine having not one technical expert at your disposal, but 23, all primed and ready to develop high-quality repairs to save yourengine and landing gear piece parts. That is the commitment

United Services’ Repair, Process, and Non-destructive Testing (RPN)Engineering department offers to its customers.

As an airline MRO, United Services understands the savings thatresult from developing durable repairs for parts rather than replacingthem with new ones. In 2004, RPN Engineering’s piece-part repairdevelopment efforts saved United alone more than $40.3 million. UnitedServices’ other customers also realized significant savings from this work.

In addition to pure cost savings, the team’s innovative approachfocuses on creating new repairs in the shortest possible time frame.One example involves the development of an in-house weld repair for a series of thrust reverser upper track hangers from the F117engine, which powers the U.S. Air Force’s C-17 aircraft. The replace-ment inventory for the cracked parts had been exhausted, and the lead-time for obtaining new ones was 120 days. Working with Boeing,RPN Engineering developed a repair within five days, with an estimatedcycle time to execute the repair of 10 days. During the process, theteam also developed a design improvement that reduces the probabilityof future cracking.

“In addition to having a variety of pre-existingpiece-part repairsand repair sources,we also have

experienced engineers who can quicklycreate new repairs that save expensive aircraft hardware—substantially reducingmaintenance costs for our customers,” saysByron May, manager–RPN Engineering. “Itis part of the value United Services provides.”

Additionally, May’s team constantly looks for alternative repair processes that are safer forhumans and the environment. One way they do this is by replacing chrome plating with a newercoating process using high-velocity oxy fuel (HVOF) whenever possible. In addition to being amore wear-resistant coating, the process eliminates a harmful by-product, hexavalent chrome.“We are proud of our success in developing and implementing ‘green’ repair processes that aremuch more occupationally and environmentally friendly,” says May. —Ginny Gaylor

Repairs to go

(L to R) Marcus

Griffin, Michael

Cook, and Aaron

Broumas are

three of RPN

Engineering’s 23

team members.

$40.3 million: the amount of

money saved through RPN

Engineering’s piece-part repair

development efforts in 2004

PHOTO: WAYNE SLEZAK