hotzenplotz
3rd Dec 2006, 16:23
Sikorsky battling major quality control problems
(WTNH, Nov. 29, 2006 11:15 PM) _ There are startling new indications that quality control problems at Stratford based Sikorsky Aircraft are resulting in defective parts getting onboard U.S. military helicopters. For the first time Senior Sikorsky officials are sitting down with News Channel 8 to talk about the problem on camera and on the record.
* by Team 8 Investigator Alan Cohn
Sikorsky's Vice President for Quality, George Klug, tells Team 8 the company is being very aggressive at trying to track down defective parts. But as you're about to see one recent scary incident underscores the problem and the concern.
This internal Sikorsky document from earlier this month describes a harrowing incident on board a U.S. Navy Seahawk flying cross country.
The document says that the aircraft "experienced an unusual vibration" and "upon landing" they found a piece of the tail rotor had fallen off. A Navy Flight Safety Board determined the tail rotor blade had a "manufacturing defect."
How serious was this incident? We asked Sikorsky.
"If it failed would there be a big problem?" asks Alan Cohn.
"A total failure of any flight critical part would be an issue, absolutely," says Klug.
In fact, a top aerospace expert tells us that the crew was "very lucky to get back."
When the Navy inspected other Sikorsky built Seahawks it discovered 41-other suspect blades.
"The obvious question is how did 41 tail rotor blades with some kind of defect make it onto aircraft that are flying?" asks Cohn.
"In this particular case we're not happy they got out there," says George Klug. "This is an on going investigation right now."
But it's not an isolated incident. Also this month, the Army issued a warning after discovering the walls were too thin on "main gear box housings" on Blackhawk helicopters.
Tail rotors, main gear box housings, the most critical kinds of flight safety parts on helicopters, a top aerospace manufacturing expert tells us. The fact these defects were not caught by Sikorsky's supplier or the company, is "embarrassing" and "sloppy."
We began investigating reports on quality control problems at Sikorsky three years ago and we continue to receive reports those problems persist.
For the first Sikorsky is willing to sit down and talk to us about it on camera. George Klug is Sikorsky's Vice President for Quality.
"No manufacturing system is perfect we strive for perfection we don't always reach it so getting people to identify the issues to address is what we're about here," says Krug.
But sources inside Sikorsky point out the company has reduced the number of its quality inspectors at its Stratford plant from 70 down to eight.
The company says it's simply relying on its suppliers to perform quality inspections.
"We've also added inspectors at our supply base," says Klug. "It is more effective to take those resources and put them where the parts are made than check them on the way into the factory here."
But according to these internal company charts, since 2004 quality problems at Sikorsky have gone up 8-fold.
"It sounds like a recipe for disaster," says Nick Schwellenbach, POGO.
Nick Schwellenbach is an investigator at the project on government oversight in Washington. He echoes other experts stating the company's apparent inability to fix its quality control problems may be endangering U.S. troops.
"Obviously, Sikorsky hasn't prioritized the safety of American soldiers who are flying these helicopters who depend on every single part in this highly complicated flying machine to work properly under stressful conditions," says Schwellenbach.
Klug says,"Our safety record is better than ever so from an end standpoint, the aircraft is performing magnificently in the toughest environment in the world."
Sikorsky says it doesn't believe the defective edge on its tail rotor blades are what caused part of the tail rotor to fall off that Navy aircraft in flight.
As for what impact the company's quality problems have had on business, that's hard to say. While the Pentagon is ordering new Blackhawks to replace those being worn out in Iraq, in the recent past Sikorsky has lost the contract to build the new Marine One, the Comanche, and in the last month, it lost a $15-billion Air force contract to Boeing to replace the Sikorsky built Pave Hawk helicopter.
[source] (http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=5748076&nav=3YeX)
(WTNH, Nov. 29, 2006 11:15 PM) _ There are startling new indications that quality control problems at Stratford based Sikorsky Aircraft are resulting in defective parts getting onboard U.S. military helicopters. For the first time Senior Sikorsky officials are sitting down with News Channel 8 to talk about the problem on camera and on the record.
* by Team 8 Investigator Alan Cohn
Sikorsky's Vice President for Quality, George Klug, tells Team 8 the company is being very aggressive at trying to track down defective parts. But as you're about to see one recent scary incident underscores the problem and the concern.
This internal Sikorsky document from earlier this month describes a harrowing incident on board a U.S. Navy Seahawk flying cross country.
The document says that the aircraft "experienced an unusual vibration" and "upon landing" they found a piece of the tail rotor had fallen off. A Navy Flight Safety Board determined the tail rotor blade had a "manufacturing defect."
How serious was this incident? We asked Sikorsky.
"If it failed would there be a big problem?" asks Alan Cohn.
"A total failure of any flight critical part would be an issue, absolutely," says Klug.
In fact, a top aerospace expert tells us that the crew was "very lucky to get back."
When the Navy inspected other Sikorsky built Seahawks it discovered 41-other suspect blades.
"The obvious question is how did 41 tail rotor blades with some kind of defect make it onto aircraft that are flying?" asks Cohn.
"In this particular case we're not happy they got out there," says George Klug. "This is an on going investigation right now."
But it's not an isolated incident. Also this month, the Army issued a warning after discovering the walls were too thin on "main gear box housings" on Blackhawk helicopters.
Tail rotors, main gear box housings, the most critical kinds of flight safety parts on helicopters, a top aerospace manufacturing expert tells us. The fact these defects were not caught by Sikorsky's supplier or the company, is "embarrassing" and "sloppy."
We began investigating reports on quality control problems at Sikorsky three years ago and we continue to receive reports those problems persist.
For the first Sikorsky is willing to sit down and talk to us about it on camera. George Klug is Sikorsky's Vice President for Quality.
"No manufacturing system is perfect we strive for perfection we don't always reach it so getting people to identify the issues to address is what we're about here," says Krug.
But sources inside Sikorsky point out the company has reduced the number of its quality inspectors at its Stratford plant from 70 down to eight.
The company says it's simply relying on its suppliers to perform quality inspections.
"We've also added inspectors at our supply base," says Klug. "It is more effective to take those resources and put them where the parts are made than check them on the way into the factory here."
But according to these internal company charts, since 2004 quality problems at Sikorsky have gone up 8-fold.
"It sounds like a recipe for disaster," says Nick Schwellenbach, POGO.
Nick Schwellenbach is an investigator at the project on government oversight in Washington. He echoes other experts stating the company's apparent inability to fix its quality control problems may be endangering U.S. troops.
"Obviously, Sikorsky hasn't prioritized the safety of American soldiers who are flying these helicopters who depend on every single part in this highly complicated flying machine to work properly under stressful conditions," says Schwellenbach.
Klug says,"Our safety record is better than ever so from an end standpoint, the aircraft is performing magnificently in the toughest environment in the world."
Sikorsky says it doesn't believe the defective edge on its tail rotor blades are what caused part of the tail rotor to fall off that Navy aircraft in flight.
As for what impact the company's quality problems have had on business, that's hard to say. While the Pentagon is ordering new Blackhawks to replace those being worn out in Iraq, in the recent past Sikorsky has lost the contract to build the new Marine One, the Comanche, and in the last month, it lost a $15-billion Air force contract to Boeing to replace the Sikorsky built Pave Hawk helicopter.
[source] (http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=5748076&nav=3YeX)