rickyb

Experience

• Chief Structures ENG & Technical Advisor Royal Saudi Air Force · Contact Oct 2024 – Present 2 mos Saudi Arabia • Technical Expert and Chief Structural Engineer for the F-15 C/D/S/SA/SR, C-130H, KC130H, & B707 A/C Model
  o Served as the intermediary between Boeing, the USAF, and the RSAF during ASIP PMR and for the F-15SA/SR preliminary and critical design upgrades and analysis subject to military/OEM standards
  o Created documentation and logic for new automated tools
  o Opened and Closed Action Items, white paper studies, military letters, and Created Monthly Reports
  o Assisted in the F-15S Conversion program and the F-15C/D Upgrade Induction at PDM
  o Developed a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) for life-exceeding aircraft and salvaged aircraft
  o Reviewed SAFE Reports and SAFE Supplementary Reports for fatigue and damage tolerance changes to critical points on the aircraft (IATPs)
  o Performed crack growth analysis (LEFM), lifing analysis, stress analysis (Bruhn, Shigley, Roark, Nui, and Perry), aeroelastic analysis, and static/dynamic FEA on various components and repair schemes (linear/nonlinear) on all airframes (thermo-stress combo on engine mount and engine components).
  o Developed repairs as well as preventative repairs at critical IATP locations per PSE contained within the ASIP tech publications and structural repair manual (SRM).
   Notable repairs include damaged floor + wing box + empennage structures, cracked canopy sill longerons, fractures to the fuselage frames, widespread cracks in the main wheel well, and skin panel incineration.
   Engine parts fixed I.A.W. the SRM as well as lifing analysis (LCF/HCF depending on service life)
  o Developed repairs for the main cargo hold for the C-130 fleet mainly due to fatigue cracking caused by hard landings and exceedances as well as mission interior swaps.
   Notable repairs include plastic failure at the critical joint between the high wing and the fuselage, buckled panels, and widespread cracks through main stiffeners.
   Notable interior configurations include utility, medical, and emergency evac
  o Performed preliminary sizing and manufacturability studies on composite radomes and composite aircraft structures using various FEA packages (Ansys, FEMAP, Hyperworks, Patran, and Abaqus)
  o Drafted Risk Assessments per Air Force Instruction for Aircraft Exceeding the Maximum Service Life
  o Provided fleet management decisions to maintain flight within reasonable fatigue limits
  o Reviewed drawings, service bulletins, ACs, etc. for compliance
  o Supported OEM testing efforts (static/fatigue) and proposed preventative repair mods
  o Executed avionics data extractions, strain gage readings, and instrumentation efforts per T.O. work instruction and OEM in-house procedures
  o Served as a technical writer for drafting and reviewing compliance documentation
  o Helped bring old aircraft, scorched aircraft, mission-damaged aircraft back in-service.
  o Recommended T.O. modifications to the OEM based on in-service findings
  o Provided guidance to younger engineers (Training + FEA + Flight Data worksheets + stress tools + Technical English) and created workflows for multiple engineering disciplines
  o Communicated analytical results, optimization studies, and repair schemes in a practical way to military personnel, OEM, approved IPT, and the assembly floor.
  
  USAF Priority Docs: JSSG-2006 - Aircraft Structures, MIL-HDBK-516 – Airworthiness Certification Criteria, MIL-STD-1530 – Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (includes plans for Continued Operational Safety and Instructions for Continued Airworthiness), Airworthiness Directives
  
  Air Force Service Bulletins: EN-SB-008-011 – Nondestructive Inspection of Safety-of-Flight Structures, EN-SB-008-012 – In-Service Flaw Assumptions for Metallic Structures, EZ-SB-13-003 – Revised Initial Flaw Size Assumptions for Slow Crack Growth (SCG) Metallic Structures, EZ-SB-15-001 – Aircraft Structures Teardown Inspection and Evaluation Program Protocols, EZ-SB-15-002 – Requirements for NDI Procedure Development, Validation and Verification for Aircraft Inspection During Operations and Support Phase
  
  Boeing Resources: WebSAFE for data processing (VRAMS/SFDR) and load spectrum generation, F-15 SRMs, FSDT Reports, Technical Orders (-6 IATP Inspections, -36 NDI Inspectable Flaw Sizes + Methods, -101 Systems, Forms, & Data), D6–24956 - Structural Design and Durability (Book 1), D6-24957- Structural Fatigue Methods and Allowables (Book 2), D6–24958, Damage Tolerance Methods and Allowables (Book 3), and CSW Boeing methodologies.
  
  - Please note that Books 1-3 was used primarily to declare Detail Fatigue Ratings (DFR) for PSE found during FSDT and in-service cracking to Boeing for the acceptability of the F-15S to F-15SA/SR upgrades and proposed repairs outside the SRM scope. This OEM acceptability, however, never took precedence over USAF standards.
  
  Lockheed Resources: AIRCAT International for data process of CFDR and load spectrum generation, Technical Orders (-6 Inspections of SSI and Fatigue Critical Parts, -16 A/C Fatigue and Mission Reporting for EFH, -36 NDI, -101 General), Strain Gage Testing/Correlation methodology for fatigue tracking, Initial EFH Netting Cross-Plot Analysis Procedure
  
  RSAF Internal Resources: DaDT spreadsheets mainly based on Jaap Schijve + SB, ASM Handbook Vol. 19, AFGROW