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Air Speed Aims to Quicken Pace on Kitty Hawk

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050607-20
Release Date: 6/8/2005 3:02:00 AM

By Journalist 3rd Class Christopher Koons, USS Kitty Hawk Public Affairs

USS KITTY HAWK, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) completed a two-week training period June 4 on a Navywide initiative called “Air Speed” that will greatly simplify the process of naval aircraft maintenance.

Air Speed is a program drawn up by the Naval Aviation Readiness Integrated Improvement Program (NAVRIIP). Companies such as Lockheed Martin are working with NAVRIIP to help the Navy adopt more business-like practices in regard to aviation.

“The goal of Air Speed is to achieve cost-wise readiness in naval aviation,” said Rick Splivalo, a senior consultant for the Navy’s Air Speed program who also works for Lockheed Martin. “We want to understand how naval aviation work is performed and how to eliminate waste while getting that work done.”

“Air Speed is the embracing of modern business practices to support the Navy’s mission,” added Lt. Jorge Anaya, quality assurance officer for Kitty Hawk’s aircraft intermediate maintenance department (AIMD).

Splivalo described the program as one that makes the jobs of deckplate Sailors easier.

“Air Speed’s aim is to allow those who do the work to have more input in the process,” said Splivalo. “We want to help Sailors involved with aircraft maintenance do their jobs more safely, efficiently and with greater satisfaction.”

Aboard Kitty Hawk, maintaining aircraft parts is the responsibility of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, AIMD and supply department. Air Speed aims to quicken the process of repairing aircraft by eliminating unnecessary rules and regulations.

Some of its suggestions have already been implemented on Kitty Hawk.

“Previously, it took us five-and-a-half hours to get an aircraft part down to the shop for us to work on,” said Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class (AW) Zachary Elkin from AIMD’s Aviation Shop No. 3. “Now, due to changes mandated by Air Speed, it’s much quicker.”

Before the Air Speed rules took effect, aircraft parts had to go through several hands before reaching his shop to be repaired, said Elkin.

“Before Air Speed, the air wing would turn the parts over to supply, which would do the paperwork on them,” he said. “Supply would then turn the parts over to AIMD’s aeronautical materials screening unit (AMSU), who would then turn them over to us.”

Elkin said the process of repairing aircraft parts is much less complicated.

“Now, the parts come directly to us, while the paperwork goes directly to a joint AMSU/supply unit,” he said.

Air Speed has also streamlined the way Sailors in the aviation shops work, said Elkin.

“Now, all of the tools our technicians need are close to where they work, so they don’t have to go around the shop looking for them,” he said. “This has led to less searching and more production time.”

Elkin said he thinks Air Speed will have only positive results for the Navy.

Air Speed practices are slowly but surely taking hold in the Navy, said Anaya.

"Air Speed rules are being implemented gradually and will eventually be employed by all aircraft carriers and squadrons," he said.

The Kitty Hawk Strike Group is the largest carrier strike group in the Navy and is composed of the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, CVW-5, the guided-missile cruisers USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) and USS Cowpens (CG 63), and Destroyer Squadron 15.