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Comorant One Year Later

It was a typical morning at CFB Comox. The cloud ceiling had a
ragged base at 500 feet. Strong southeasterly winds were blowing
rainsqualls across the tarmac. The 25-knot windsock at midfield stood
like a soldier saluting. SAR techs, flight engineers, pilots and
navigators gathered in the 442 Sqn flight planning area. The Met Tech
gave the assembled personnel a picture of the day’s expected weather
and the forecast for the next three days. Probability of SAR launch –
“high.”

IMP Aerospace Group crews were to have a Cormorant towed out and
readied for some training.Wait a minute – IMP crew? What happened to
the servicing warrant officer from the Aircraft Maintenance and
Engineering staff (SAMEO), ordering the tow crew from his CF personnel
establishment?

Canadian Forces has entered an entirely new and uncharted era of
both daily and major maintenance and repair. The Cormorant will have
complete 24/7 servicing and maintenance provided by IMP as part of the
new contractual arrangements between IMP and DND. This is a literal
replication of the civilian Aircraft Maintenance Organization that must
meet the rigorous standards described in the CARs. But in this case the
overriding authority is the DTA or Directorate of Technical
Airworthiness. IMP has established an accredited level of service and
quality control that will meet or exceed the ISO 9000 requirements. IMP
will train the technical staff and handle program management. This will
include firstand second-line maintenance requirements. Under the
direction of Andy Giblin (LCol ret’d), who is the IMP equivalent of
SAMEO, IMP must meet ‘levels of serviceability’ that have been
established under the contract. Giblin has been the principal officer
in charge of this integration program at Comox. The procedures
established here set the standard upon which all other units will be
based. IMP has exceeded the levels of serviceability required.