My life with the C-17.
I first became involved with the C-17 when I was hired in 1989. Because this constitutes "Original research", it cannot be put in the Wiki. I will be happy to work with anyone in writing a book on the airplane.
DO NOT COPY THIS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. It is still my work, and has some copyright protection. I will very likely grant permission to use in exchange for recognition. Thank you
"Pre-History" edit
Some of this is hear-say but I believe it is fairly accurate from evidence I saw in person.
The C-17 program was one of the last programs during Ronald Reagan's term in office for his massive military buildup. MDD (McDonnell Douglas) was involved in a number of them (MD-80, MD-11, Harpoon missile, AH-64 Apache, F-15, T-45 trainer, F/A-18, Delta Rockets, some defense satellites, maybe "NOTAR", and I am sure others (YF-23?, Next Gen Carrier Attack Aircraft, A-6 replacement?)). The ranks of MDD was swelling fast, must have been close to 300,000 by 1990, and exceed that by 1991.
The First mistake edit
However MDD was desperately short of engineers (told to me directly by engineers on the workspace floor), and the schedule for the C-17 was slipping fast. The original production plan was to build the empty Static test unit first (S-1), then partly empty Durability test unit (D-1), then the flyable Test (T-1). That was changed to build the T-1 first, before S-1 and D-1; a decision that would cost MDD dearly.
1/2 inch off edit
A design change at the last moment needed to move the wheel failings and all the systems forward a 1/2 inch (I think it was more like 2 inch, but a small move that cost a lot). I was taken to see the full-sized mock-up in another part of the complex and they specifically pointed out the change. IT was important becuase with moving T-1 to first unit, that meant all those changes had to be finished yesterday. Well, the drawings and parts did not catch up with beginning of production, so a lot of wrong dimension parts made it to T-1, which meant they did not fit, needing disposal, and weeks of delay.
1989 edit
Early in 1989 the first 2 structural parts, floor railings/track, was assembled with a "Golden Huckbolt". I later heard the parts where "not to specification", so it was scrapped. This was a forbearer of more issues to come.
I started work on the project late October after, I think, 3 weeks of MDD training (hired September 28, 1989). My first assignment was the 17V(?) assembly station/section, which was attaching the Upper Aft skin panels to the Ribs, between the Fuselage barrel and vertical tail, right over the ramp. Right next to us was the "Box" group, making the heavy, complex, and very troublesome box structure for the ramp. C-17 was pressurized and could carry load on the ramp itself, so it was a very beefy structure since it was part of the pressure vessle. There was hook locks every 1.5 feet along the side of the door opening.
The first ship was starting down the line from the skin panels department. It was not long before we started banging away on the assembly.
1990 edit
1990 was when part product started to really pick up, and then hit a screeching halt after Ship #1 went though. I think there was significant redesigns and most important a check of all the tool fixtures. It could be #2 also went though before the stop, cant remember now.
This was when the build order changed, but it is educated guess. #1 was originally a static aircraft, became the flying prototype as delays pushed the project back and this was done to get flight test started as soon as possible. This turned out to be an extremely expensive mistake because of the tens of thousands of changes and mfg mistakes caused enormous rework, so in the end took much longer to get airworthy then had it been #2.
IIRC, build ordered became #1 Flying Prototype, #2 Static, #3 Durability (maybe S and D was swapped?), #4 Flying Proto #2, #5 Flying Proto #3, and maybe #6 also flying proto. After that serial production started.