📋 Tender Overview
Published Aug. 18, 2026 By Airman Olivia Perkins 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFNS) -- A 1st Special Operations Wing flightline expediter designed and built upgraded aircraft wash carts to streamline aircraft engine maintenance at Hurlburt Field. An Airman-designed aircraft engine compressor wash cart is connected to an AC-130J Ghostrider assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Aug. 6, 2026. The upgraded cart enables maintainers to wash all four engines in a single cycle, reducing standard wash times by 75% and reducing overall ground maintenance hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Olivia Perkins) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res This grassroots innovation reduces wash times and equipment costs for Air Force Special Operations Command. Before upgrading the carts, the process was somewhat complicated regarding both timeliness to complete washes and serviceability of wash carts on base, said the flightline expediter. A lot of us hear thats the way weve always done it, but it doesnt have to stay like that. A wash cart is used for compressor washes and rinses that remove salt contaminants and debris from aircraft engines to restore performance and proficiency. The modified wash cart enables maintainers to clean all four engines in a single cycle rather than servicing them individually. The result is a staggering 75% reduction in standard wash times. This upgrade significantly reduces total ground maintenance hours required for routine engine flushes and expedites aircraft availability for operational missions. Extra time back helps our maintainers in the long run with the flying schedule, said the expediter. More available aircraft allows us to share the wealth and fly different aircraft instead of the same ones repeatedly. An Airman-designed aircraft engine compressor wash cart is connected to an AC-130J Ghostrider assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Aug. 6, 2026. Maintainers use wash carts to remove salt contaminants and debris from aircraft engines to restore optimal engine performance and maintain operational readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Olivia Perkins) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Beyond saving time, the initiative is a financial win for the wing. Utilizing just 18,000 in innovation funding to build two prototype carts, the project saved the wing more than 300,000 compared to commercial alternatives. Standard replacement carts cost nearly 56,000 each, totaling 324,000 to fulfill the wings six-cart requirement. My strategy for keeping parts cost-effective was market research and cost comparison between companies, explained the expediter. Additionally, locally sourced parts played a huge role in building the wash carts. This assisted me with building a parts list that everyone looking to build a similar cart would be able to purchase. By addressing flightline challenges at the unit level, this Airman-driven innovation supports 1st SOW priorities to adapt operations, modernize outdated processes and maintain readiness across AFSOC. I hope that innovations like this can inspire our Airmen to realize that good ideas dont have to remain as thoughts, the expediter said. Every person in the Air Force will have a time in their career to refine something and make it a better environment for each other. This helps us stay operational and relevant despite logistical hurdles, any time, any place. U.S. Air Force Logo
