AFSO21 initiative means FOD checks reduced

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Tracy DeMarco
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  Just over a month and a half ago, the former 100th Air Refueling Wing commander, Col. Michael S. Stough, signed a new policy letter governing the flight line foreign object damage check procedures. The main change -- FOD checks are only required after a vehicle is operated on an unpaved surface.

"At first, I was against the idea, but after compiling some data and doing a lot of research ... I changed my mind," said Tech. Sgt. James Rose, the FOD manager for RAF Mildenhall. "A lot of time was being wasted performing FOD checks with no tangible results."

This new policy applies to all government vehicles including heavy equipment as well as privately-owned vehicles. If a vehicle is driven off-road, then the driver is required to stop before entering the flight line area and remove any foreign materials from the tires. What hasn't changed is the responsibility of all GOV operators to inspect tires for FOD daily, per Air Force Form 1800, the Operators Inspection Guide.

It was through the Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century event for an aircraft parking plan that the supportive data to change the FOD check policy was gathered.

"It turned out that over 6,000 man hours yearly were being spent on this task," Sergeant Rose said.

Once this information was provided to the former 100th ARW commander and the 100th Maintenance Group commander, Col. Michael Saville, the decision was made to remove the checkpoints. 

"I must say that on a day like today, it's outstanding," said Tech. Sgt. Adam Joyner, a member of the 352nd Operations Support Squadron, "It's great for my morale when I don't have to get out of the vehicle and run around in the rain."

Regardless of the fact that vehicle drivers are no longer required to perform a FOD check unless they've driven on an unpaved surface, they must still remember to stop at designated points to look both ways for oncoming vehicles or aircraft traffic.

"The removal of the required FOD stops at the entry points to the flight line is only one piece of the FOD prevention program. Things such as weekly FOD walks are still required in order to have an effective FOD prevention program," said Master Sgt. David McHenry from the 100th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, who was involved in the AFSO21 initiative. "But the most important thing is when the maintenance technicians are working on or around an aircraft they need to be even more vigilant in maintenance discipline."

Anyone concerned about how this new policy will affect flying safety needs only to look at Mildenhall's FOD mishap track record.

"Our last 'preventable' FOD incident was in September 1997. The KC-135R Stratotanker has some really tough engines and FOD incidents are rare," Sergeant Rose said.