Examining the Drivers of C-130J Maintenance Requirements through Multiple Regression Analysis

As a result of increasing system complexity and cost, new aircraft acquisition, upgrade and repair timelines continue to lengthen. As a result, aircraft are kept in service longer than originally intended. Therefore, age-related wear continues to play a large part in determining mission-capable status, and therefore, aircraft availability (AA) rates. Combined with decreasing fleet sizes and manpower resource pools, each aircraft declared not mission capable (NMC) exerts an out-sized influence upon fleet AA rates. This research used multiple regression analysis to identify and quantify the effects of age, Major Command (MAJCOM) and operating location ambient weather on unscheduled not mission capable time. The research found that age and ambient weather have a small but statistically significant effect upon unscheduled not mission capable time, while MAJCOM does not appear to have a statistically significant effect. The research serves as a foundational study to identify and propose new and more in-depth research into the root causes of the identified effects