In article , Jim Carriere
wrote:

Harry Andreas wrote:
This 3 level maintenance was the same for both USAF and USN.

Lately, since the mid-90's, contracts have gone to 2 level maintenance.
Getting rid of the intermediate shop has eased a lot of problems;

Harry, there is still 3 level maintenance. In the USN, what you
refer to as flightline is usually called "O level" as in organization
(squadron). "I level" for intermediate, may be as close as across
the street on base, but it is a separate entity from the squadron.
(It is also usually a "good deal" for the maintenance folks for a
shore tour after their time in the squadron, especially if the guys
with families, because they don't have to move.) Depot level is
usually not on the same base, as one depot serves a geographical
reqion of several hundred miles radius or more.


Yes, I know about O and I level. I try to KISS these subjects because
this newsgroup is read by a lot of people who who don't know.
I should have mentioned that many, many programs/platforms
still use 3 level maintenance; that what I described as 2 level
maintenance is really just now starting to hit the fleet with the
newer systems like the new APG-79 radar in the F/A-18E/F.
I recently worked the GPS receiver for the JSF. F-35 is using
2 level maintenance also.

From what I've seen so far, I agree with how you describe the
direction of the work on the flightline. Fault codes,
troubleshooting flowcharts, and replacing black boxes. The avionics
guys still know how to detail work like repair individual pins in
connectors, check for continuity, but I've seen major components like
an entire FLIR turret get shipped to swap out with a bad one on a
deployed aircraft.

By the way I'm a helicopter guy, not fast mover, but maintenance is a
pretty similar business through all of naval aviation.

Agreed. The philosophy of maintenance and testability is the same
regardless of platform.
As the older systems are replaced, 2LM will be increasingly common
and the costs should drop, as long as the PMA funds enough spare
LRUs for the pipeline.

r/

--
Harry Andreas
Engineering raconteur