Back Shop Commercial Edition: Change Agent

Rob Moore is the senior manager ARINC Engineering Services and is in charge of ARINC’s new modification and maintenance facility in Oklahoma City, Okla. He began his career as a Navy maintenance technician in 1990. He joined ARINC in 1994 working as a program manager. He transferred to the Oklahoma City area with ARINC in 2001.

AM: Tell us about the new facility.

Moore: The new facility is at the Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City. On the field there are other companies such as AAR, DHL, Fedex, the U. S. Marshall’s hangar facility and the FAA Mike Monroney Center. Tinker AFB is nearby. It’s our third hangar in 10 years. We started out at a small private field in Yukon, Okla. and transferred all operations from there to here. We have around 50 employees, 35 are full-time with ARINC, and the rest are contract labor.

AM: Describe the new hangar.

Moore: It is an 81,000-square-foot hangar that is the largest commercial aircraft hangar in the area. It can accommodate Boeing 767 and 747/200 aircraft, and military aircraft such as the C-130, KC-135 and the E-3 AWACS. There are about 30,000 square feet of offices and backshops with the capability to fabricate, test, and inspect modification test equipment. There are offices for visiting customers as well as ARINC management and operations personnel.

AM: What are the hangar’s capabilities?

Moore: On-site capabilities include heavy aircraft modifications and upgrades, avionics installations, line and heavy maintenance, aircraft systems integration and engineering design. We are an FAA-certified Part 145 repair station, and a Rockwell Collins-approved installation and modification agency for business and regional systems. We also offer aircraft maintenance training.

AM: What are the maintenance capabilities?

Moore: We do major modifications. We have the capability to do A- through C-checks on the aircraft we modify. We also do phase maintenance on Metroliners. We are preparing to do maintenance on KC135 and larger aircraft, but at this time we do not have any contracts for those. But, we are ready and have purchased the equipment necessary such as stands, tugs, GPUs and hydraulic mules.

AM: What is the history of ARINC?

Moore: ARINC was formed in 1929. It was created by the airlines of the day to develop communications technology. It became a for-profit organization during World War II and did a lot of work with the military.

AM: Is the new facility the only ARINC facility in Oklahoma City?

Moore: No. We have another, main facility right outside of Tinker. There is a 170,000-square-foot building that houses senior management and about 200 engineers and provides support services for Tinker. There are fabrication capabilities at both facilities.

AM: What prompted ARINC’s decision to build the new facility?

Moore: Tinker is where it began. Engine services for the KC135, E3, KC 10. We provided white hat services — technical guidance, future planning, and we were prime contractor on two contracts, the R2CSR and the DESP2. We began growing in response to Tinker requirements. We were reverse engineering parts because the parts were no longer supported or available. They were reproducible in our metallurgical labs. We had a series of contracts. In 2002, we got another contract for heavy modification work of larger aircraft. We saw this as a growth opportunity. Available hangar space was scarce in Oklahoma City. We broke ground in April 2006 and moved in November 2006. We transferred all equipment and personnel to the new facility.

AM: Is it difficult to find area mechanics?

Moore: It’s always a challenge to find qualified, experienced mechanics especially with the structured, complex mod work and heavy maintenance we do. We have a unique blend of military and civilian mechanics. We have some employees with 15-20 years experience. We handle any surges with contract employees but the core team has been with us since 1999.