Abstract

Republic of Korea Army(ROKA) has been founding new attack helicopter troops since last year by adopting US main attack helicopter, AH-64E Apache, and peripheral system like pilots and mechanics training systems and their organization. The AH-64E Apache is a major attack helicopter of the US Army and all of its systems are verified in terms of the effectiveness in real operations for several decades. However, ROKA still needs their own version of systems including tactics, template, and maintenance which are suitable for Korean terrain, climate, personnel, and so on. At least ROKA needs to have a chance to verify that the adopted system is working well with different circumstances, especially with a different maintenance system. As basic characteristics, routine maintenance and management are essential for accident prevention for a helicopter, there are specially formalized maintenance systems for every kind of helicopter respectively. It was established by a manufacturer in maintenance manuals and can be modified and integrated by users and operators. Apache also has its own maintenance schedule and system including 25-hour, 50-hour, 125-hour, and 250-hour maintenance and inspections which are implemented according to the operation hours. Those schedules are done by a task force or temporary maintenance team which is led by one or two inspectors and supported by 3~4 mechanics. Maintenance troops restrict the number of aircraft to get in the process by managing the flight hours considering the limit of manpower and equipment so that the operation rate stays above at least 80%. It is important to stipulate their capacity in need and max capacity with given personnel and facility for newly founding military troops. Especially since ROKA aviation branch is applying a more strict maintenance process, it might cause insufficiency of resources if organized by same template and procedure with the US Army. The goal of this study is to verify if existing personnel organization is affordable for new maintenance system of AH-64 Apache helicopters. As a further step ahead, this research found the most critical personnel pool and their relationship by sensitivity analysis. This research specified actual maintenance procedure and restrictions on computer and simulated virtually. During the repetition of the test, existing organization was found inadequate to satisfy all restrictions and requirements. Test pilot and inspector pool are critical to secure the successful maintenance support and to prepare for contingency. Also, there were interesting relationships between the mechanics groups. They are in supplemental relationships with each other because of the condition of one pool affects the other.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2017

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Lee, Gene H.

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Industrial Engineering and Management Systems

Degree Program

Industrial Engineering

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0006776

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0006776

Language

English

Release Date

August 2018

Length of Campus-only Access

1 year

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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