Inventory Controls

In response to a congressional request, GAO provided an interim report on its findings concerning the disposal and reuse of F100 engine blades by the Air Logistics Center (ALC) in San Antonio, Texas.

GAO found that: (1) the San Antonio ALC improperly condemned engine blades and sent them to the disposal yard to be sold as scrap metal; (2) the San Antonio ALC reintroduced some condemned blades into the maintenance system after contractor repair; and (3) Air Force officials reported that many repaired blades were defective and that some defects were potential safety problems. GAO believes that these conditions resulted from failures in the Air Force's blade inspection and condemnation management control systems. GAO also found that, to prevent the installation of defective blades in engines and to correct underlying management control problems, the San Antonio ALC: (1) began inspecting all stocks on hand of both first- and second-stage F100 engine blades that the contractor repaired; (2) is currently recalling uninstalled F100 first- and second-stage blades from field locations, worldwide, for reinspection; (3) is developing guidelines for maintenance workers to help ensure that only properly condemned blades are sent for disposal; and (4) is working to obtain a complete accounting for all F100 blades received by the repair contractor.