One Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) team recently earned recognition for its contribution to improved flight line readiness for the MH/CH-53E heavy lift helicopter. The Naval Air Systems Command Heavy Lift Helicopters Program Office (PMA-261) honored the FRCE Fuel Control Shop as PMA-261 “Gold Stars” during a March event.

The CH-53 Sea Stallion and MH-53 Sea Dragon helicopters have been mainstays of the Navy and Marine Corps for decades. On any day, these heavy lift helicopters can be seen around the world performing a wide variety of critical missions.

A marked decrease in turnaround times earned Fleet Readiness Center East’s T64 engine production team recognition during a Naval Air Systems Command ceremony March 31.

NAVAIR Commander Vice Adm. Dean Peters presented FRCE with the NAVAIR Commander’s Award for Best Performing Fleet Readiness Center Shop during a virtual event live-streamed from NAVAIR Headquarters in Patuxent River, Maryland. This year marked the 21st annual observance of the awards, which recognize teams that improve speed and readiness within naval aviation.

Following a string of success in reducing maintenance, repair and overhaul turnaround times on V-22 Osprey aircraft, Fleet Readiness Center East has set its sights on improving turnaround times for the H-53 heavy lift helicopter.

Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David H. Berger and Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Troy E. Black visited Fleet Readiness Center East March 15 to receive updates regarding the support FRCE provides to Marine Corps aviation and the facility’s current status of operations.

Berger and Black toured the facility with FRCE Commanding Officer Capt. Mark E. Nieto and Executive Director Mark Meno. The itinerary focused on the V-22 Osprey, F-35 Lightning II and future plans for F-35 maintenance and capabilities at FRCE.

At the end of fiscal year 2018, the T64 engine program was in trouble. Across the fleet, supply constraints contributed to ever-increasing turnaround times for engines inducted for overhaul or repair. At Fleet Readiness Center East, facilities constraints compounded the issue. The Navy’s H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopters program office, also known as PMA-261, was facing a T64 inventory that fell more than 90 engines short of its engine readiness goal.

During a visit to Fleet Readiness Center East Friday, July 17, Rep. Greg Murphy received updates on the future of naval aviation, the current status of operations and the economic opportunities FRCE brings to Eastern North Carolina.

Murphy, who represents North Carolina’s 3^rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, toured the facility with FRCE Commanding Officer Capt. Mark E. Nieto. The itinerary focused on the F-35 Lightning II and future plans for F-35 maintenance and capabilities at FRCE.

Improving readiness of the Navy and Marine Corps’ heavy lift helicopter fleet is a top priority at Fleet Readiness Center East, and the H-53 component repair line has implemented innovative solutions to reduce production barriers.

An organizational realignment, ingenuity and collaboration between FRCE’s aviation maintenance professionals and engineers is addressing supply chain shortfalls for critical components.

Fleet Readiness Center East is boosting readiness for the H-53 heavy-lift helicopter by breathing new life into the depot’s H-53 rotor head program. A partnership agreement with Sikorsky is generating positive results.   

In early 2019, fleet demand for H-53 main rotor heads exceeded the number the contractor could produce; additional assets were urgently needed. While FRCE hadn’t conducted extensive production of H-53 rotor heads in several years, the depot had the facilities, skilled artisans and historical knowledge needed to successfully produce the component.  

When supply system shortfalls led to a work stoppage on two H-53 heavy-lift helicopters at Fleet Readiness Center East, the depot’s manufacturing and engineering teams stepped up to close the gap.