From Rivets to Retaining Clips

Employees and affiliates of AirCorps Aviation spent the early weeks of December 2016 conducting a massive inventory count update and system overhaul. Why? Not because everyone thinks 15,000 lines of data-entry and multi-tabbed spreadsheets are fun (cheers to all the accountant-types out there!), but because tackling a job that big puts our core values into action, just as much as rolling out a sparkling P-51 does.

AirCorps thrives on continuous improvement.

One might think being in an environment where “good enough” is never good enough would be wearing. To some people, it might be. The crew at AirCorps is different. “Good enough” is simply a stepping stone to “better” on the uphill path to being “the best.” There is no difference in purpose behind accurately weighing bins of bolts versus punching the perfect rivet on a Thunderbolt’s tailcone.

Stewardship is important around here.

This one is heavy. AirCorps believes that stewardship includes preserving history, honoring veterans, and serving the greater community – all huge responsibilities! Is it a stretch to say that tallying bags of meticulously labeled washers (thanks to the Partsteam) is a means of preserving history? Not when those washers are going to end up in an aircraft that saw combat time in a global war. Does marking the lot number of a batch of hardware honor veterans? Definitely; just look in the eyes of an elementary student learning about the Tuskegee Airmen tribute Red Tail P-51C for which some of that hardware was destined.

Integrity wins the long game.

Each time a customer places an order, the implicit message is that AirCorps is trusted to fulfill it fairly and as quickly as the scope of the work allows. Time and again, earning that trust comes down to working with integrity: doing the right thing when no one else is watching. Sourcing parts for a project isn’t highly visible work, but AirCorps minimizes the associated cost to the customer by being organized and prepared, and by taking the time to do things – like update inventory – the right way. Always.

If you you can’t wait to schedule a tour of the warehouse to see the inventory project in quiet action, click here. Bonus: you’d get to check out the restoration and fabrication shops at the same time!