Sheppard saves Air Force $238,000

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Valerie Hosea
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Sheppard was the one of two Air Force bases to participate Sept. 16 in testing a different, more cost efficient way to dispose of excess aircraft. 

"The current method would cost about $250,000 to remove the eight aircraft we have," said Dave Ferry, the 82nd Training Group operations chief. "The cost of the new method is approximately $12,000." 

According to the information provided by Mr. Ferry, "This disposal method provides significant cost-savings, costing as little as $1,500 per aircraft. The conventional demilitarization methods can cost 10-20 times as much." 

"We're basically reallocating our resources to improve our training environment," said Brig. Gen. O.G. Mannon, 82nd Training Wing commander. The wing Aerospace Vehicle Distribution Office arranged for U.S. Navy contractors and the GeoMarine Corporation, to dispose of several aircraft. 

"The current method consists of checking with multiple sources before destroying the unused aircraft. We go through several sources and if no one wants the pieces of the aircraft we give it to the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office for 30 days," said Darryl Cason, 82nd TRG equipment manager. "This process basically allows the aircraft to vegetate for up to four years."

 He said the trial method is more efficient because it consists of simply having a Navy contractor come in to crush and cut up the aircraft, recycling the scrap material afterward. 

General Mannon said, "They've only been here for one day and have already finished four out of eight planes. This is something that was supposed to take two weeks to complete." 

Mr. Ferry said the process has been around for awhile, but that the Air Force has recently decided to try it. 

"This could be a great method to remove old aircraft that are just sitting there taking up valuable ramp space and they also require the use of maintenance resources while awaiting final disposition," said Mr. Ferry. "If all goes well, this system could be employed Air Force wide."