New Project Office Manages Fixed Wing Fleet

Wed, 11/09/2011, By SKIP VAUGHN, Rocket editor, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
 

 Army aviation doesn’t just mean helicopters.
 
About 350 fixed wing aircraft serve the Army worldwide. Their missions include providing a platform for executive travel for senior leadership of the Army, not just in the United States but also in Iraq and Afghanistan. They include special electronic mission aircraft which provide intelligence to commanders on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are also used to support the joint improvised explosive devices efforts in theater.
 

The Golden Knights parachute team uses fixed wing aircraft. And fixed wing aircraft provide support to the Army test community to collect data on test experiments.
 
Management of the Army’s fixed wing fleet has been consolidated under the Fixed Wing Project Office, the newest project office under the Program Executive Office for Aviation. The office was established in a ceremony Oct. 28.
 
"Friday (Oct. 28) was definitely a tremendous milestone for Army aviation," fixed wing project manager Col. Brian Tachias said.
 
Until that day, the former product office managed 256 aircraft. With the Army acquisition executive’s directive to consolidate, that mission grows to managing the entire fleet of about 350 aircraft worldwide. The Army vice chief of staff saw value in centralized management and oversight of all the aircraft; and the Army acquisition executive approved standing up the project office.
 
"I’ve inherited a great team," Tachias said. "I’m just extremely humbled to take on this new role and put a plan together to take on this new responsibility."
 
The office, in Huntsville’s Research Park, includes more than 90 civilians. With its growing mission, plans are to expand to about 140 workers. There are also plans for three product managers, lieutenant colonels, for each of its three areas: utility, special electronic mission aircraft and nonstandard. Lt. Col. Jong Lee, who currently manages all three areas, is due to leave next summer and will be replaced by Lt. Col. Brian Forrest. Two additional lieutenant colonels should arrive within the next year. Tachias hopes to have them onboard by spring.
 
Tachias, 46, recently graduated from the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pa. At the lieutenant colonel level, he was a product manager at Rock Island Arsenal, Ill. From 2003-07 he worked in the Program Executive Office for Aviation as a member of the Scout Attack Product Office and the Utility Helicopters Project Office. He grew up on a small cattle farm in New Mexico. He earned a bachelor’s in business management in 1988 from the College of Santa Fe and went on to get a master’s in information management systems from Central Michigan University and a master’s in strategic studies from the Army War College. He and his wife, Judy, have two sons, Brian Jr., 16, and Nicholas, 14.
 
"The first goal is to consolidate, to bring in all of the Army fixed wing under one centrally managed office and looking to provide safe and reliable aircraft for our war fighters to use," Tachias said, "while gaining efficiencies and saving taxpayer dollars."
 
Of the Army’s central management decision, he said, "We foresee savings of millions of dollars by this action taking place."
 
The deputy project manager is Brian Sabourin, a proud Mississippi State alumnus. He had served as the deputy product manager when the former fixed wing product office was under the Aviation Systems Project Office.
 
"I think it’s exciting," Sabourin said. "To be a part of a new office standing up, being able to put my own thoughts and ideas on how it should be done, I think it’s a great time. And it’s fun. I’m looking forward to the challenges. That’s for sure."