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Cannon ‘Idea Man’ earns recognition, cash

  • Published
  • By Janet Taylor-Birkey
  • 27th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Master Sgt. Kenneth Oswald, 27th Fighter Wing Safety, will represent Air Combat Command for the 2006 Air Force Exceptional Innovator Award.

Sergeant Oswald recommended changing the technical order procedure pertaining to the engine compressor blade lock removal on the F-16 engine. The new procedures prevent future damage to the compressor case when blind drilling set screws to remove the blade locks. The new procedures resulted in tangible savings of $50,342 Air Force-wide.

While investigating a mishap that resulted in damage to an F-16 engine compressor case, Sergeant Oswald found that though the technical order was followed to attempt to remove a screw, something had gone wrong. The screw had to be removed by drilling it out and heated during the drilling process, which caused it to harden and become brittle. This led to damage to the compressor case during subsequent attempts to remove the screw.

Sergeant Oswald reasoned that the mishap could have been avoided if the stop sleeve used during the drilling process was shortened.

Working with General Electric engineers, Sergeant Oswald found that the stop sleeve could be shortened, which would allow the drill bit to bore deeper and remove the screw more easily.

His aggressiveness to share ideas has not only saved the Air Force money, it netted him cash as well.

"From the old days of the suggestion program I've been awarded as little as $25. This is my largest [before taxes] check for $7,000," he said in May after receiving a check awarded to him through the Air Force Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program.

Sergeant Oswald returned from a recent TDY with more good news awaiting him: he won the National Aeronautic Association Robert Collier Trophy at the ACC level. The Collier Trophy is awarded annually "for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year."

Sergeant Oswald encourages anyone with a good idea to submit it to the idea program at https://ipds. mont.disa.mil/ IPDS/ dv_new_home_page.

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