SLEP Cutlines

SLEP 1
Ken Norton, Code 6.2.1.3, works on removing an engine from a C-2 in Building 460. Photo by Bill Bartkus

SLEP 2
Don Ward, front, and Tony Julio, both Code 6.2.1.3, remove tunnel covers inside a C-2 Greyhound. Photo by Bill Bartkus

Depot begins SLEP on Greyhounds

By Bill Bartkus
NADEP North Island

The Navy has only 36 C-2A aircraft in its entire fleet, and Naval Air Depot North Island is prolonging their life span through the Structural Life Enhancement Program (SLEP).
“There are two parts to the SLEP for the Depot – structure enhancement and rewiring,” said Leon Julienne, Code 6.2.1.3, who has been tasked with putting SLEP together at NADEP North Island.
Julienne said that the life span of the C-2 today is 10,000 flight hours and 15,000 landings. “If the SLEP isn’t done, these aircraft won’t be able to fly any more,” Julienne said, “because once they reach their maximum number of flight hours or landings the airplane is no longer serviceable. They need the structural enhancement to prolong the life – or further use – of the aircraft.” Typically, the C-2 will reach its limit on landings before flight hours.
According to Julienne, Navy officials expect the C-2A SLEP to extend the life of the aircraft to 15,000 flight hours and 36,000 landings.
The C-2 Greyhound is the Navy’s and the world’s only fixed wing aircraft to carry cargo and personnel out to an aircraft carrier.
The center wing section of the aircraft needs to be pulled (or taken off) in order to perform the structural enhancement on the center wing. “Apparently this was done many years ago, so now we need to perform this service again. There are a lot of logistics that need to be done,” said Julienne.
The airframe change includes a tabletop review, bringing in Production and Planning personnel, and electrical and structural engineers. “We went through the change to make sure that everyone understands what needs to be done and that we are well organized. We want to be sure that the steps are being accomplished in proper order,” said Julienne.
He said that the tabletop review has been completed and the first airplane is in Hangar 460 ready for the Standard Depot Level Maintenance (SDLM) portion. “The first aircraft is in SDLM/SLEP. It will be a combination of the two programs,” Julienne said.
Julienne hopes to have the first aircraft – SDLM/SLEP – out of the hangar in a year. “This is the validation aircraft,” he said. “We’ll perform a validation on this aircraft, and the next aircraft will be a verification, meaning the Depot will work on two aircraft this year.”
“Next year we will work two production aircraft – as the system is called – and the following year we will go to four,” he stated. “The plans are to increase the number per year to six aircraft.”
The biggest challenge the artisans will face is removing the C-2 center wing section. “This will be a major milestone,” Julienne said.
He said that everyone involved in the program is just now getting going. “The airplane is here, we’re getting the documentation in place, we’re working closely with the engineers, Production and industrial engineer technicians (IETs), to get everything in order.”
Facilities are being set up for the artisans and workstations for the engineers and IETs, so they can be on-site. “We’re working from about 140 prints so we need work benches and places to store the prints. All the logistics are still being worked out.”
Julienne said that he expects about eight people to be working on the aircraft at any one time. “We will be working on the fuselage, then the center wing section, then the electricians need to perform their work for the rewire.” The work has to be done in sequence, he said.
The analysis had been in the planning stages for two years and has just started coming together in the last five months.
“We have a lot of people working real hard to assure that the program melds together – people in Facilities, the Business Office, Production, planners, engineers. A lot of people working together,” Julienne said. “Everyone is working and talking from the same sheet. It’s excellent teamwork.”