The U.S. Air Force is grappling with an urgent dilemma due to a marked increase in maintenance-related accidents, endangering its aircraft fleet and crew. This concerning trend emerges in the context of persistent issues with an outdated aircraft fleet, an overextended maintenance team, and a relentless pace of operations that has continued for the last twenty years.

The service’s top leadership acknowledged the troubling spike in maintenance mishaps during fiscal year 2023, unable to single out a specific cause despite thorough investigations. Gen. David Allvin, the Air Force’s Chief of Staff, stated, “We’re really hunting and pecking to see if there’s anything specific. We have not found a specific cause. But it certainly has caught our attention.”

This surge in accidents is not only inflicting millions of dollars in damages but also resulted in a rising number of maintainer injuries. The Air Force’s most serious non-combat mishaps jumped to a five-year high, with accidents during ground maintenance nearly doubling from the previous year.

Tragically, the incidents have already claimed lives, including that of Stephanie Rodriguez-Cosme, a 32-year-old test engineer and contractor who died following an accident with an MQ-9 Reaper drone’s propeller during ground testing.

The crisis has prompted the Air Force to intensify its focus on managing risk at the unit level and to implement new measures like a two-page worksheet for assessors to evaluate each task’s risk before commencing work. Yet, the efficacy of these initiatives remains to be seen.

Operational risk management extends beyond safety, according to Allvin. He emphasized the importance of not allowing the service’s efforts to develop multi-capable airmen to overshadow the focus of maintainers.

Flosi mentioned that as the Air Force’s training programs progress, they aim to incorporate technology to enhance the qualifications of airmen working on expensive aircraft and their associated systems.

The Air Force has made progress in reducing overall aircraft maintainer staffing gaps, but it still faces a shortage of experienced maintainers.

From fiscal year 2015 to fiscal year 2017, the Air Force managed to decrease the gap between actual maintainer staffing levels and authorized levels from 4,016 to 745.

However, over the past 8 fiscal years, the Air Force has consistently experienced shortages of experienced maintainers, who are crucial for meeting mission needs and training new maintainers.

Initially, maintainers lack the necessary experience and proficiency, but they gain expertise through on-the-job training and eventually upgrade to higher levels. In fiscal year 2017, the Air Force had shortfalls of over 2,000 5-level maintainers and 400 7-level maintainers, while having a surplus of over 1,700 3-level maintainers. Air Force officials anticipate that staffing gaps will persist intermittently until fiscal year 2023.

During the past 8 fiscal years, the Air Force has observed a growing loss of experienced aircraft maintainers, and it lacks a clear strategy and goals to address this issue. Although overall maintainer loss rates have remained relatively stable, the loss rates for 5-level maintainers have increased from 9 percent in fiscal year 2010 to 12 percent in fiscal years 2016 and 2017.

Air Force officials also anticipate an increase in loss rates for 7-level maintainers. It is acknowledged by Air Force officials that retaining more maintainers is necessary to bridge the experience gaps, but the Air Force has not established annual retention goals for maintainers. Furthermore, while the Air Force has increased the use of retention bonuses since fiscal year 2015, there is no specific strategy in place to improve retention.

Without measurable goals and a comprehensive retention strategy, the Air Force may encounter further difficulties in managing its maintenance workforce, including ensuring an adequate number of experienced maintainers.

As it stands, the confluence of an aging fleet, maintenance mishaps, and staffing challenges paints a picture of a service at a critical juncture—one where the need for experienced maintainers and cutting-edge training is more pressing than ever.

Relevant articles:
– Air & Space Forces Magazine, Air & Space Forces Magazine
– The Air Force doesn’t know why maintenance mishaps spiked in 2023, Air Force Times
– Air Force’s costliest accidents, maintainer injuries rose in 2023, Air Force Times
– Military Personnel: Strategy Needed to Improve Retention of Experienced Air Force Aircraft Maintainers, gao.gov