Ohakea - Maintenance Support Squadron facility

[nige]

Not sure where to put this, but it should be noted. Link below includes a pic inside the facility.


www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/7585775/NZ-air-force-gets-43-million-workshop

NZ air force gets $43 million workshop
Last updated 12:00 31/08/2012

The biggest air force construction project since World War II is nearly complete, with the opening of a $43 million workshop at the Ohakea Air Force Base.

The Maintenance Support Squadron facility, opened yesterday by Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman, will house about 140 staff in five buildings.

Air force chief Air Vice-Marshal Peter Stockwell said the facility was part of the Project Takitini project, which includes the construction of hangars for the new NH-90 and A109 helicopters and a helicopter simulator.

Air Vice-Marshal Stockwell said the support facility had been designed in partnership with the staff who would use it.

"It was to make sure we get their experience and knowledge."

Staff had been working in the workshop for two weeks already, and had been enjoying the extra space, he said.

Dr Coleman said it was a great time to be opening the workshop.

"We celebrated 75 years of the air force this year, and it is fitting we are here opening this brand new facility.

"It shows Ohakea is an important part of the Government's plans for the force."

Although he admitted it had been a "tough couple of years across the defence force" with the civilianisation of jobs, Dr Coleman said the savings being made were being funnelled into frontline systems, such as the new workshop.

"It's great to be here showing something that is in our plan for the future."

The main workshop area had been awarded a Five Green Star rating, because of the addition of solar water heating, water recycling and its use of natural light.

Some equipment in the workshop was made in-house, including a fault-finding machine.

Sergeant Martin Caseley said a steel version would have cost $300,000 to buy. He made a stainless steel one for about $60,000.

"Even when you factor in the man hours, you still save 50 per cent."

[phil]

Although he admitted it had been a "tough couple of years across the defence force" with the civilianisation of jobs, Dr Coleman said the savings being made were being funnelled into frontline systems, such as the new workshop.


HAHAHAHAHAHA

And that's all I've got to say about that.

[Dave Homewood]

When I worked at Ohakea I thought that the place I worked was Maintenamce Support Wing, rather than a Squadron, but I cannot recall clearly. Has the size reduced that much within maintenance at Ohakea that it's down to a squadron?

I guess it may be down to the old Wing minus all the civil contractors who nowadays maintain Ohakea's aircraft equals a much smaller unit?

[nige]

Further to your questions Dave, if there are 140 staff there now (and are they all uniformed?), how many staff were there typically in the ACF days?

Also the report mentions five buildings (or should that be staff came from 5 buildings scattered around the base)?

[dakdriver]

FWIW Back in my day it was one cold draughty hangar and called ASF (aircraft servicing flight) But I was keen then so little things like that didn’t matter we had a team of about 50 and maintained Dc3, Vampire, Canberra, Harvard, and Devon aircraft

[jonesy]

I finished my brief career as acftmech working in SEMS in MSS. Bit of an anticlimax really...I'd put in my 717 with 6 months notice, so worked on my car most of the time. A great place for doing homers-even got the S&S guys to paint the car once I'd finished the mechanicals....and they did a great job too!
Good bunch of guys there at the time, that I do remember!

[skyhawkdon]

MMS was a Squadron back in my day at Ohakea. Avionics was too, but after the ACF was disbanded it became a Flight under the Auckland Avionics Squadron. Not sure if it is back to a Squadron now with the new helicopters?

[raymond]

looking at the display photo on the newspaper site they are showing off NVG's so the assumption is that Avionics "flight" or whatever it is now called is housed in the new buildings?

[harlequin]

There are no avionics bays in the new MSS building, only the aircraft bays from the old AMS hangar, the GEF work shops and th S & S work shops ( including a new paintshop.)
There were trade displays for all tech trades set up in the new MSS building for the opening day.

It has always been MSS at Ohakea and Auckland. Maintenance Wing is the over arching unit that contains MSS Ohakea and Auckland.

Maintenance Support Wing is the over arching Supply unit.

[raymond]

Used to be called Tech Wing once

[Dave Homewood]

Sept 2, 2012 16:27:33 GMT 12 skyhawkdon said:

MMS was a Squadron back in my day at Ohakea.

Thanks Don, my memory obviously confused it with Maintenance Support Wing from my Auckland days.

Avionics was too, but after the ACF was disbanded it became a Flight under the Auckland Avionics Squadron. Not sure if it is back to a Squadron now with the new helicopters?

With the budget cuts and civilianisation it's probably now a mere Squad.

[raymond]

Mere Squad.....I thought u were ex Airforce...Should read mere FLIGHT!!

[Dave Homewood]

But a Flight is the size of a platoon, a squad is smaller. If there are only three people are they a Flight? I honestly don't recall. A Section maybe??

[nige]

Some more info from the DefMin at the Beehive site beehive.govt.nz/release/43m-workshop-opens-ohakea


"30 August, 2012"
"Another milestone in the upgrade of the Ohakea air base was reached today with the Defence Minister opening the new $43 million aircraft maintenance workshop.

The Air Force Maintenance Support Squadron workshops will house 140 staff in two main buildings and three small ancillary buildings, with a foot print of nearly 13 thousand square metres.

The facility will provide all the aviation engineering for the new NH-90 and A109 helicopters as well as providing engineering support for other Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft for work such as structural maintenance and hydraulic component overhauls.

“The new workshop is an excellent facility which will serve the RNZAF well. It is further evidence of the government’s commitment to providing the infrastructure to support the new and upgraded aircraft coming into service,” said Dr Coleman.

Other developments at Ohakea, as part of Project Takitini, have seen the new No 3 Squadron Hangar and the Helicopter Simulation Centre constructed as well as a new duty centre, main gate and perimeter fence being built.

Design work is currently underway for a new Air Movements terminal and a new In-Flight ration store.

“The old work shops were no longer fit for purpose. The arrival of the new helicopter fleet served to highlight the need for such a purpose built workshop,” said Dr Coleman.

“This facility will also service the broader NZ Defence Force by performing some engineering functions for the Army and Navy,” he said.

The main workshop has been designed with a Five Green Star standard for including lighting efficiencies, solar water heating and water recycling."

- - - - - - - - - -

So what's the plans for Whenuapai, especially if the RNZAF ends up maintaining up to 11 new sophisticated Seasprites + simulator? Will they all fit into the existing hangar and how fit-for-purpose will it actually be?

[beagle]

whays happening with the old 3 Sqn hangar at Hobby. Could they move that to Wjenuapai and use that

[nige]

Sept 5, 2012 5:06:44 GMT 12 beagle said:

whays happening with the old 3 Sqn hangar at Hobby. Could they move that to Wjenuapai and use that

Seems to be out with the old and in with the new, which is a good thing. Apparently the new Whenuapai MSS building is near completion (AF News). It will be fit for purpose and a make a better environment to work in etc.

Where & when does a fit for purpose 6 Sqn replacement hangar come into the defence planning regime?

[Dave Homewood]

What is wrong with the No. 6 Squadron hangar?

[nige]

Sept 5, 2012 22:45:19 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

What is wrong with the No. 6 Squadron hangar?

I certainly aren't saying there is (after all a drafty hangar would have advantages at times compared to working out of tents when on exercise or some overseas deployments)!

What I mean is buildings do have finite lives and the state of up to 70-odd year old NZDF real estate as been noted in review after review over the years. At least the previous and now this Govt are addressing these areas and of course everything can't happen all at once, especially with the national and global economy remaining weak.

These modern buildings must be a dream to work in, better designed spaces, energy efficient, fully health and safety compliant, of a higher earthquake standard, better anciliary services - comms, ducting and so on - all of these aspects have annual operating costs associated with, which modern buildings are designed around etc.

So it's a genuine question as to where a new hangar for 6 Sqn would fit into the picture in the near future (as opposed to presumably around or post 2020 would be the timeframe for changes for 5 & 40 Sqns due to the planned replacement aircraft etc). Presumably a new 6 Sqn hangar would have segregated areas for each helicopter for containment of fires and for other such hazards such as spills etc.

[beagle]

so where is the new Whenuapai MSS building

[Dave Homewood]

And a new Air Movements terminal?

The No. 6 Squadron hangar is nowhere near 70 years old. Is it?