The Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) and Navy Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) F/A-18 F404 Engine Team has earned the 2008 Naval Air Propulsion Award, the Fliedner Trophy.

NAVAIR Propulsion and Power awarded the team its highest honor for developing a risk mitigation strategy to address unrecorded cycle counts on legacy F/A-18 Hornet aircraft engine rotating components.

In April 2008, General Electric (GE) delivered updated engine component life-usage data from the just completed 2006 mission analysis. FRCSE Fleet Support Team Lead Jack Fichter recommended an in-depth analysis of the findings.

During this review, F404 Reliability-Centered Maintenance Engineer David Renn discovered the GE life estimates were not matching the Navy’s actual Fleet values.

By August 2008, the team concluded there were cycle count discrepancies with F404-400 and F404-402 engines; in particular, the loss of full speed cycles. A full speed cycle occurs when an aircraft engine is turned on, accelerated to full power and then turned off. These cycles are expressed as N2F values and captured by the onboard mission computer.

Highly stressed rotating engine parts are routinely replaced based on usage as determined by N2F cycle counts. If the mission computer is not accurately capturing the cycles, there is a potential risk to the aircrew from uncontained and catastrophic system failure.

Fichter said, “Dave found out we were missing counts.” The review revealed the discrepancy had existed for many years, but by August 2007, it had become more problematic. At that time, 100 percent of all F404-402 flights and 33 percent of all F404-400 flights were not collecting N2F counts. “We were not counting full cycles for the fan, compressor and both turbine rotors,” he said.

Renn was subsequently presented with the Admiral Stanley R. Arthur Award for Logistics Excellence in July 2008 for his contributions to the discovery and ultimate solution of the discrepancy.

The three-part mitigation strategy included risk reduction, ground station solutions and Fleet support. Fichter said, “Rob Sutor from NAVAIR Life Management, along with Jim Spencer from NAVAIR Systems Safety assessed the risk and helped to develop a plan.”

With the aid of GE, the F404 Engine Team developed a correction factor to account for the missing cycles and provided support to correct the database information that tracks the life usage for hardware.

As a result of this correction, the NAVAIR Propulsion and Power Life Management Board gave approval to increase life limits for rotating F/A-18 engine components, which reduced the initial calculation of overflown parts from 1174 to 467, a 61 percent decrease based on the new parameters.

Once the team established which aircraft were affected, they drafted an inspection plan to prioritize and address higher risk parts. They reanalyzed the engine risks and refined an engine removal plan to minimize Fleet impact.

Power Plant Bulletin 122 was issued to the Fleet in December 2008 to remove 80 high risk engines from the Fleet. A fix to the ground station, which evaluates the mission computer data, was implemented and the lost N2F cycle counts were accounted for in June 2009. Repair and maintenance solutions were executed within six months of rolling out the plan.

The swift response of the team to understand the issue, execute risk mitigation and devise a timely, workable solution resulted in minimal disruption to the Fleet. Further, their efforts avoided a forced reduction in flight operations with potentially negative consequences for the Warfighter on the battlefield.

The unprecedented achievements of the F/A-18 F404 Engine Team, both individually and collectively, make them truly deserving of this lofty award. FRCSE members include Jack Fichter, David Renn, Steve Singer and Dave Phelps. NAVAIR members include Ken Cornet, Rick Robinson, Robert Dixon, Robert Prior, Rob Sutor, Bruce O’Donnell and James Spencer.
//USN//

10-05A:
Navy Air Systems Command Propulsion and Power awarded the F404 Engine Team its highest honor, the Fliedner Trophy, for developing a risk mitigation strategy to address unrecorded cycle counts on F/A-18 legacy Hornet aircraft engine rotating component parts. FRCSE awardees include (left to right) Aerospace Engineer Dave Renn, Logisticians Steve Singer and Dave Phelps and Team Lead Jack Fichter. (Photo by AT1 Mark Whittlesey)

10-05B:
The FRCSE F404 Engine Support Team worked tirelessly on a maintenance solution to correct an F/A-18 Hornet cycle count discrepancy found during a routine data review in April 2008. The team identified overflown rotating engine components and quickly implemented a maintenance fix to ensure aircrew safety. (Photo by AT1 Mark Whittlesey)

10-05C:
FRCSE Fleet Support Team Lead Jack Fichter (left) and Aerospace Engineer Roger Feldner (right) examine a low pressure turbine conical shaft. Fichter recommended an in-depth analysis in April 2008 to determine if F/A-18 engine components were being overflown creating the potential for a mishap. (Photo by AT1 Mark Whittlesey)

10-05D:
FRCSE Aerospace Engineer Karen Eiswerth (left) and Fleet Support Team Lead Jack Fichter (right) examine an overflown FA-18 Hornet engine fan blade for wear. Within six months of identifying overflown engine components, the team implemented a repair and maintenance solution to correct the problem. (Photo by AT1 Mark Whittlesey)

10-05E:
Aerospace Engineers Dave Renn (left to right), Roger Feldner, Logistician Steve Singer, Aerospace Engineer Karen Eiswerth and Fleet Support Team Lead Jack Fichter compare an overflown FA-18 Hornet engine fan blade with a newly fabricated part. The F404 Engine Team won the 2008 Fliedner Trophy for their outstanding work and technical expertise toward the advancement of Naval Aviation Propulsion Systems. (Photo by AT1 Mark Whittlesey)

Source: NAVAIR