New ISO stands provide better way to maintain C-130s

  • Published
  • By Paul Zadach
  • 934th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL AIR RESERVE STATION --  Beginning  this week, the 934th Maintenance Squadron has a new tool for maintaining the 934th Airlift Wing's fleet of eight C-130s.  The new version of the C-130 Isochronal Maintenance Stand system arrived here a couple weeks ago and was first put into place around a 934th C-130 on Monday.
 
ISO stands are used to provide access to all parts of the C-130 for the maintainers who work on the aircraft. The new system is part of an Air Force-wide replacement of  ISO stands for all C-130 aircraft.  In the case of the 934th, the old stands date back to 1963. They will now be recycled. 

The new stands are designed with safety being  the primary driver of the design.  "With the old stands we had to provide additional fall protection for our maintainers," said Master Sgt. Jude Quinn, 934th Maintenance Squadron ISO dock chief.  "With these new stands, there is a much greater surface area for the maintainers to move around on and the entire area is surrounded by safety railings.  It eliminates the need for fall protection and allows us to do quicker more efficient maintenance on the aircraft," he said. 

In fact, the new stands have more than 7,000 square feet of surface area compared with the 1,885 of the old stands.  They also incorporate built in electrical, lighting and pneumatic systems that were not present on the previous version.
The new ISO stands fit together around the aircraft in segments that are mounted on wheels for easy positioning.  The sections are attached to each other with turnbuckles and sliding panels come together to form a continuous platform around the aircraft.  The huge surface area provides many options for maintainers to move and position themselves where they need to be. 

"It's a whole new way of doing business for us," said Col. Cam LeBlanc, 934th Maintenance Group commander.  "It creates a safer work environment for our maintainers while making it easier for them to accomplish the mission."