C-5 Empennage Stand
What is a C-5 Empennage Stand? The Empennage Stand is also known as a Tail Stand. This ground support equipment is used in inspecting and maintaining the C-5 aircraft. The Empennage Stand is a six level self-propelled stand, which provides full access to the tail cone, vertical and horizontal stabilizers.
The docking stand also allows complete access to the rear cargo door while mated to the C-5 there-by enabling the removal of the cargo door and loading ramp. The stand has specially designed mechanically actuated sliders. Time for docking and de-docking is minimized through both the mechanized sliders and the stands self-propelled capabilities. The overall design of the stand fits well with the Air Force’s emphasis on Lean Systems. Click Here To Read More About Lean Manufacturing.
Kern Steel is currently finalizing the third C-5 Empennage Stand for the United States Air Force. Kern Steel was awarded this contract on August 22, 2005. Kern Steel was awarded a contract to provide for the design and production of this stand. This was a design build project. Kern Steel custom crafted this stand to the requirements and needs of the Air Force. They studied the base and worked with the Air Force to determine their specific needs. Kern Steel provided the Air Force with a comprehensive design and engineering.
Kern Steel was selected for this project through the Air Forces rigorous “Full Four Color” source selection process.
View an article from the Air Force’s AFOPO publication on this subject.
This selection resulted in Kern Steel being selected as the “Best Value” and most technically competent contractor. This is the second job that Kern Steel has done for the Air Force. The first was the repair of a C-5 Wing and Fuselage Dock for the Air Force at the Travis Air Force Base in California. Kern Steel was able to finish the job a full month ahead of schedule. To find out more click on link below.
The C-5 aircraft is one of the largest aircrafts in the world. It can carry outsize and oversize cargo intercontinental ranges and can take off or land in relatively short distances. Ground crews can load and off load the C-5 simultaneously at the front and rear cargo openings. Other features of the C-5 are:
- Able to take off fully loaded within 8,300 feet (2,530 meters) and land within 4,900 feet (1,493 meters).
- High flotation landing gear with 28 wheels sharing the weight. Nose and aft doors that open the full width and height of the cargo compartment to permit faster and easier loading.
- A “kneeling” landing gear system that permits lowering of the parked aircraft so the cargo floor is at truck-bed height or to facilitate vehicle loading and unloading.
- Full width drive-on ramps at each end for loading double rows of vehicles.
- A system that records and analyzes information and detects malfunctions in more than 800 test points.
- The C-5 is similar in appearance to its smaller sister transport, the C-141 Starlifter, although the C-5 is much larger. Both aircraft have the distinctive high T-tail, 25-degree wing sweep, and four turbofan engines mounted on pylons beneath the wings.
Taken from http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=84
