MAY 2024AEROSPACEDEFENSEREVIEW.COM8In My OpinionEMPOWERING MECHANICS AND TECHNICIANS IN FLIGHT SUPPORTBy Dennis Dabney, Operating Unit Director, Northrop Grumman Corporation [NYSE: NOC]Dennis DabneyIntroductionI've been a part of flight support for over 30 years. I chose a career in the Air Force and had the privilege of serving my country while living out my childhood dream of working in organizations that provided flight support in a variety of environments. In this article, I will explore how adopting the Theory of Constraints and Little's Law can optimize work in progress (WIP) within flight support, empowering mechanics and technicians to deliver exceptional results.Aerospace flight support involves various teams working together to ensure the safety, efficiency, and on-time performance of aerospace platforms. Whether I was providing mission-ready air-refueling capability, combat airlift platforms for the National Command Authority, high-demand, low-density platforms to the warfighter, or in my current role of building and sustaining space systems, mechanics and technicians hold a critical position. Their expertise and dedication directly impact platform readiness, turnaround times, and overall operational success. Once the supported and supporting relationship is established, the organization must remain vigilant to remove barriers and constraints to keep operations efficient. Theory of Constraints (TOC) in Flight SupportThe Theory of Constraints, developed by Eliyahu M. Goldratt, is a powerful management philosophy that aims to identify and overcome bottlenecks to achieve optimal performance. When applied to flight support, TOC helps streamline processes and enhances overall efficiency when the mechanic or technician is the focus of the operation.Identifying Constraints: The first step in applying TOC is to identify constraints within flight support. These constraints can be anything that hinders the smooth flow of operational tasks, such as a shortage of skilled mechanics, insufficient tools/equipment, or delays in the availability of spare parts or engineering support. Exploiting Constraints: Once identified, the focus shifts to exploiting the constraints effectively. This involves maximizing the utilization of available resources, providing additional training to mechanics, or optimizing tooling to get the most out of the existing constraints.
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