NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – The logistics team of the CH-46E program office, PMA-226, located at Cherry Point, N.C., was notified Sept. 21 it was selected as a finalist for the Adm. Stan Arthur 2009 logistics team of the year.

The Adm. Stanley R. Arthur Awards for Logistics Excellence are bestowed annually to individuals and teams who epitomize logistics professionalism and excellence. Nominees may be involved in any or all phases of Navy logistics from early life-cycle planning to in-service logistics support.

The teams’ consideration was based on the members’ decision to coat the T-58’s engine compressor blades with titanium nitride (TiN). According to the award citation, this action was critical in mitigating safety issues, lessening the operational impact on the Fleet and greatly diminishing the potential loss of life and aircraft due to engine failures.

According to Joel Keefer, H-46/T58 PMA-226 assistant program manager for logistics, “The TiN upgrade was successful due to the hard work of many people and demonstrates the commitment and passion we have for supporting Marines.”

The team’s work allowed the engine retrofit process to increase from two per month up to 18 per month. As a result, the entire fleet of aircraft was able to complete the retrofit process in less than a year. The program produced 419 reconfigured engines to support Fleet requirements including aircraft operating in Iraq, Afghanistan and for several overseas deployments.

“This was a team effort involving the Fleet, Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps, NAVAIR, and industry,” said John Thatch, T58 Integrated Program Team Lead, PMA-226, “From ramping up production to staging motors all over the world, the team executed the acceleration plan flawlessly to get the product to the war fighter.”

PMA-226 is in Air 1.0, the Program Management competency, and provides complete life-cycle management of the H-46 helicopter and T58 turbo shaft engine.

Photo: “The CH-46E program office (PMA-226) logistics team, located at Cherry Point, N.C., was notified Sept. 21 that it was a finalist for the Adm. Stan Arthur 2009 logistics team of the year.
Kneeling (Left to Right): John Eubanks, H-46/T58 Fleet Support Team Lead, Joel Cannon, H-46 Deputy Assistant Program Manager for Logistics, Joel Keefer, H-46/T58 Assistant Program Manager for Logistics, Dan Smith, T58 Deputy Assistant Program Manager for Logistics.
Standing (Left to Right): Eric Jackson, H-46/T58 Logistics Manager, Alex Ramos, T58 Logistics Lead, Robert Montedonico, T58 Engine Planner, John Thatch, T58 Deputy Program Manager, Eric Massie, T58 Engines Engineer, Lt. Col. Paul Riegert, PMA-226 Program Manager.”