If Army Helicopter Maintenance Is To Be Ready for Wartime, It Must Be Made Efficient and Effective in Peacetime

The Army owns about 8,000 helicopters. Routine maintenance normally is available at flight organizations or local repair shops. When maintenance requires more complex facilities, equipment, and skills, it is provided at the Corpus Christi, Texas, or New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, Army depots or contractor plants. The Army spends over $177 million annually for depot maintenance of helicopters and their components. In fiscal year 1976 the Secretary of Defense directed the Army to begin using reliability-centered maintenance. This means replacing the former use of extensive scheduled maintenance only when it is meaningful to safety, reliability, and economy.