Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) C-130 Hydraulic System Shop (HSS)

The Challenge

Due to the overwhelming success with the C-130 Propeller Shop, TNI-AU invited PPITS to a technical discussion to review logistics and technical support of their C-130 Hydraulic shop at Depot 10, Bandung Air Force Base (AFB), Indonesia (ID). Based on PPITS’s initial assessment, it had been determined that TNI-AU had limited in-house capabilities to support C-130 hydraulic maintenance. The facilities, equipment, materials, personal skills, and procedures were extremely limited, and this condition impacted TNI-AU’s ability to effectively maintain their C-130 aircraft and gain the full operational cycles typically achieved in facilities with sound on-going maintenance practices and resources.  In completion of this effort, PPITS was contracted to develop capabilities and provide TNI-AU the necessary resources, maintenance fundamentals, and operational foundation to gain self-sufficiency as a C-130 hydraulic systems maintenance facility (HSMF).

The Goal

PPITS’s goal was to become actively involved in providing remarkable quality throughout a 48-month period of performance effort by providing the necessary resources, maintenance fundamentals, and an operational foundation to achieve TNI-AU self-sufficiency as a C-130 hydraulic systems maintenance facility to maintain their Nation’s fleet of C-130 aircraft to provide support all over the country. The HSMF had to greatly shorten the turnaround time on the components that they received in for work for aircraft on the ground (AOG) situations, allowing their aircraft to return to a flying status without impacting their operational mission readiness requirements. 

The Strategy

PPITS needed to play a key role in implementing critical and transformational procedural enhancements driven daily by the professionalism of the in-country PM and SME. As the USG Contractor, PPITS planned on making vast documented improvements in overall shop quality control and oversight, which would be detailed in weekly status reports and annual audit reports to the USG and TNI-AU. The other half of the success would come from building a relationship with TNI-AU’s leadership team to gain trust and transparency to help identify root problems and build communication lines between them and USG. 

The Results

From the initial quality audit that was performed at the beginning of 2017, which revealed a total of 67 major and minor findings across most areas within the shop and its management programs. PPITS focused to initiate, train, and cultivate a quality control program to improve the previous incumbent’s quality compliance rating of 12% documented in the initial shop audit. Over the next two years of the program, they dramatically reduced those findings down to only four findings. This is a remarkable quality compliance increase of 83% to an overall quality compliance rating of 96%!  

PPITS had led the shop management team eventually turning this over completely to the HSS TNI-AU leadership in the work center working directly with LT. Agung the HSS leading officer. The quality program that PPITS put in place ensured that future conformance of any findings will be corrected and mitigated, while maintaining shop self-sustainment.  Most importantly this quality change mindset greatly mitigated aviation safety risks, while providing sound corrective action controls. Furthermore, these documented quality controls significantly reduced unscheduled equipment downtime and aided TNI-AU C-130 mission readiness reducing aircraft on ground (AOG) situations.

As the program ended, the Preventative Maintenance Program (PMP) that was created by PPITS’s in-country PM for all the HSS newly installed equipment was eventually turned over to the TNI-AU HSS leadership to maintain the PMP.  All the equipment OEM maintenance manuals shop standard operational procedures and photos were converted over to Basha to help with the maintenance of the equipment. The Depot 10 aviation maintenance operations, unlike the United States, provide immense environmental and operational challenges which are unique only to Indonesia.  The economies of operations, moist climate, and heat all uniquely affect the equipment, which is why OEM consumable recommendations could not solely be relied upon for implementation. This tailored plan was followed over the last seventeen months eliminating the potential wasteful spending during this reporting period reaching the goal of self-sustainment with TNI-AU.  All these consumables were added to the shop stores room and registers to maintain proper levels to ensure long-term capability of equipment and optimizing the PMP. The program also helped keep down the procurement cost of consumables by creating the logistical support piece for TNI-AU management fostering self-sustainment of their equipment after the program has ended.

PPITS’s program management team throughout the period of performance was very proactive in communicating with both the USG and TNI-AU leadership.  Questions and concerns were immediately addressed with a resulting positive impact on the program. The PPITS team always provided TNI-AU with guidance and recommendations for a path to self-sustainment and success in the HSS.  When faced with a never seen before Covid-19 epidemic that started at the beginning of 2020 in Indonesia, the PPITS team was on top communicating the ever-changing 

situation back to the USG. Working with the TNI-AU leadership during this unheard-of situation even while under a mandated quarantine from the TNI-AU leadership. PPITS in-country PM and 

SME adapted their work scope to remaining focused to the program providing guidance and directions while communicating via WhatsApp and Facetime calls with the HSS technicians that was still able to work on AOG requirements at Depot-10, allowing the shop to maintain a level of readiness supporting TNI-AU’s C-130 fleet required during this epidemic in Indonesia.      

The PPITS team allowed the TNI-AU and USG to develop strong customer relations and facilitated a strong “team” mentality.  Like many of our foreign partners, the TNI-AU value the consistency of a relationship and this ability of the Contractor to maintain a steady, positive presence. This is atypical open and transparent communication with the TNI-AU leadership, promotes trust and strong foundational relationships. 

To further strengthen relations with TNI-AU, PPITS organized and funded multiple team-building events with TNI-AU leadership. These efforts proved fruitful when PPITS was honored with invitations to attended multiple Change-of-Command ceremonies as TNI-AU leadership rotated. The new TNI-AU Depot 10 Base Commander requested that a group of TNI-AU recruits be assigned to work with the PPITS and HSS staff.  These recruits were shown how to perform basic repairs on the components within the work center. This was part of their basic military training to learn about aviation maintenance practices. The maintenance procedures that the new recruits were shown how to perform, were how to overhaul brake assemblies, landing gears, and booster packages. The TNI-AU leadership wanted these new recruits to receive this initial training from the PPITS team and learn about aviation practices because of the relationship that has been built over the POP.  Along with numerous times during this reporting period the TNI-AU leadership asked for the PPITS’s PM and SME technical expertise to assist with issues in the HSS and with other shops at Depot-10. This is to be considered as an over and above function showing PPITS’s commitment towards TNI-AU staff ensuring the success to the programs even after they are completed. 

As with all our customers, PPITS continually works to keep the relationship with the TNI-AU strong and to be good ambassadors of the United States. This is demonstrated by the success of this program, which has faced minimal problems and issues.

**See CPAR Scores Below***