I Did NOT get the 10 Million Dollars last week...

But I did get the go-ahead to find out how much it would cost to buy a couple kits and the instructions to install the modification to the landing lights. While this approval was not a full-on, "go ahead and do it" blessing, it was at least an indication that the powers that hold the purse strings are interested and willing to press futher ahead.

In case you missed it, I had a significant meeting to attend last week and my purpose was to convince the commands that own the F-16 that they should spend that previously mentioned $10 million to improve the taxi lighting system on a large number of the jets. Right now the light is on a main lnding gear strut and its light is blocked by a number of accoutrements that have been hung on the jet over the years. Moving the light out to the front of the airplane, onto the nose landing gear puts much more light out on the runway & taxiways and significantly improves the pilot's view while moving on the ground.

So I did not get the whole grundle of money. The approval to develop a cost estimate for a test or two was all I really expected and was better than my co-worker Matt got for his proposal. Woohoo! I was able to restrain myself from running a victory lap around the conference table but I was very pleased with the outcome.

I also discovered, after the conference, that the stated time to install this modification might be horribly overstated. I met up with one of the engineers that had his fingers in this program initially and he told me that the 91 hours to install was based on all the operational checks that must be accomplished whenever wire connections are disconnected.

So it was a very hectic week at the job last week. I have also inherited a program to monitor CPI, Conductive Path Infrastructure, otherwise known as wires. And wire harnesses! Its a "still-in-development," online, tracking system to monitor how many man-hours are spent troubleshooting and repairing wires in the jet. The AF has for years cared deeply about every component in the jet with a wire attached to it, they are just now figuring out that an awful bunch of manpower goes into fixing the wires. This program tracks and reports wire issues by airplane, unit, or wire but its just a developmental system and now its time to make it a real program and get it funded for every F-16. And it looks like it wil be my job to make all the arrangemenets, beg for the funding and approvals and institutionalize it. this could be fun...