NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – A new aviation support equipment test lab was dedicated May 20 at Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.

The On-site Test Engineering lab will give automatic test equipment engineers and fleet maintainers the ability to work closely together to solve fleet problems.

“This lab was jointly established by our program office, the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division engineering office and the Fleet Readiness Center Mid-Atlantic,” said Capt. Mike Belcher, Common Aviation Support Equipment program manager (PMA-260). “This partnership gives Fleet maintainers an unprecedented opportunity to provide valuable feedback on potential new ATE technologies that will be introduced into the fleet. The result will be an increase in mission readiness across the Navy and Marine Corps aviation communities.”

The lab is essential to the future success of the development and implementation of new and improved Test Program Sets that can be run on the Consolidated Automated Support System (CASS) and Reconfigurable/Transportable Consolidated Automated Support System (RTCASS) to improve the maintenance capabilities of the Navy and Marine Corps Intermediate Maintenance activities and to reduce repair times and costs.

Photo 1: “The new aviation support equipment on-site test engineering lab at Naval Air Station Oceana, Va. was officially opened May 20 by (Left to Right) Cmdr. Joseph Rodriquez, production officer, Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) Mid-Atlantic, Capt. James Cobell, executive officer, FRC Mid-Atlantic, Mr. Terry Cook, engineering lead, St. Inigoes lab, Chief Warrant Officer Ed Rickett, St. Inigoes lab, Mr. Chris Giggey, CASS/RTCASS/eCASS team lead (PMA-260), Bill Ross, deputy for avionics support equipment (PMA-260), Lt. Eric Quarles, avionics officer, FRC Mid-Atlantic and Cmdr. Bob Stailey, CASS deputy program manager (PMA-260).”