Employing organizational modeling and simulation to deconstruct the KC-135 aircraft's programmed depot maintenance flight controls repair cell

Abstract

This research modeled and simulated the KC-135 aircraft's Programmed Depot Maintenance (PDM) Flight Controls Repair Cell to identify improvement opportunities for greater efficiency within the flight controls repair process. PDM is conducted by the 564th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 76th Aircraft Maintenance Group, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC), Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The researchers focused on the repair cell's internal formal and informal communication flows and information processing to evaluate the impact on flight controls repair throughput time. Computational organizational modeling was employed to examine organizational design modifications and their effect on repair cycle-time, project cost, and project risk. The modeling and simulation software used is based upon organizational design theory and information-processing research. To build the baseline organizational model that emulated the actual repair process, the researchers collected data through interviews with repair cell personnel and through observation of the repair process. Modifications called ''interventions" were developed to simulate and analyze organizational design changes. The study concludes with the recommendation of feasible organizational design alternatives for OC-ALC decision-makers to improve the flight controls repair process and throughput time.