Depot Delivers 400th Honeywell T-55 Engine

By Ed Mickley, CCAD Public AffairsNovember 19, 2010

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1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (l-r) Joe Herrera, Director, Power Train Production; Col. Christopher Carlile, CCAD Commander and Mike Boies, Honeywell Site Manager flank the 400th T55-GA-714 Honeywell engine overhauled at the depot, ready to return to the fight. Surrounding the tr... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Corpus Christ Army Depot with partner, Honeywell International, celebrated completion of the 400th T55-GA-714 engine overhaul with a small cake-cutting ceremony here Nov. 17, 2010. The first engine overhaul was completed in May 2006. The T55-GA-714A... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Corpus Christi, TX - Corpus Christ Army Depot with partner, Honeywell International, celebrated completion of the 400th T55-GA-714A engine overhaul with a small cake-cutting ceremony here Nov. 17, 2010. The first engine overhaul was completed in May 2006.

The T55-GA-714A engine is used in the Army's CH-47 Chinook helicopters and Special Operations MH-47 helicopters. This engine replaced the older T55-712 engine and with its additional power, allows the Chinook to operate safely at the extreme altitudes in Afghanistan.

"This milestone was made possible by the great partnership we share with Honeywell", said Col. Christopher Carlile, CCAD Commander.

Honeywell International began its relationship with CCAD in 2005 with a Technical, Engineering and Logistical Services and Supplies (TELSS) contract. 18 personnel, ranging from a site manager, logistics manager, material coordinators, Lean-Six Sigma analyst, engineering support and a production analyst, are embedded in the T55 Engine Shop.

Carlile, a Chinook pilot, understands how critical quality engines are. "It's important when you have Soldiers pinned down and you got to get them out. Since CCAD has been supporting the fight with engines and transmissions, I do not know of a time when we were not able to get the Soldiers out."

"Joe Herrera [Director, Power Train Directorate] and his team continue to produce quality engines for the Warfighter," Carlile said. "Our Soldiers flying Chinooks can be confident the engines on their birds are of the highest quality."

Due to continuous improvement, new technologies, and process streamlining within the partnership, the repair turnaround time has been reduced from 150 days on average at the start of the program in 2006 to just over 100 days for 2010. This year, the depot is scheduled to overhaul 138 engines, the highest total to date.

Stephen Bachmeyer, supervisor for CCAD's T-55 Engine Shop, mentioned his goal is to get the turnaround time below 90 days. He believes the team is capable. Complimenting the team on how far theyAca,!a,,cve come, he said, Aca,!A"this team is the best out there in the aviation industry.Aca,!A?

Carlile added, "This support is what Army aviation is about, the dedication our branch has to our Soldiers and the joint fight."

CCAD's team of maintenance, repair, and overhaul artisans work in concert to generate an asset for Army Aviation that is equal to or better than a new one. The CCAD team presently repairs T-55 and T-700 engines, transmissions, components, OH-58 Kiowa Warrior, UH-60 Black Hawk, AH-64D Apache, and CH-47 Chinooks, returning them to the fight.