, in which electricians aircraft mechanics, and hydraulics specialists all worked together. Members of one specialty were given elementary training in other specialties. Repair crews would now have a better idea of the whole problem of an aircraft as they were now cross trained. They would be able to repair their aircraft much faster now that they would not have to wait for specialist to arrive from a central location. The centralized supply system was also completely dismantled. Now it would operate for the aircraft. All supplies relating to aircraft supplies were moved to the flight line, coupled with dedicated supply specialists who were devoted only to their flight line customer. With available repair crews as well as a dedicated supply system the only thing needed now was accountability. For that the system of dedicated crew chiefs was implemented. The crew chief was responsible for the aircraft, there name was painted on it and in essence it became they "owned" it. The crew chief was responsible for decisions about the plane, if the aircraft malfunctioned it was his/her job to explain what had happened. With this change came a sense of ownership and pride. With the changes came a clear cut accountability, it was now easy to problems. Instead of a lumbering monolith the Air Force had begun to operate as a fluid unit. Bill Creech's reforms truly revitalized the Air force, the before and after effects of his reforms are amazing: -the on average three and a half hours from the order of a part to its delivery shrank to eight minutes.-Pilot training sorties were doubled, increasing pilot skills and readiness.-the number of grounded aircraft for maintenance was reduced by 73 percent -Fighters that landed with problems were fixed more quickly. Before one out of five were flyable the same day, now it was four out of five.-The ability to generate combat sorties more than doubled.The Air force once again became a deadly fighting force. I...
