C-5 digital technical order system (G-File)

This paper traces the evolution of the U.S. Air Force C-5 aircraft G-File from a paper based system to a digital technical order system (DTOS). The C-5 DTOS replaced over 275 kilograms (600 pounds) of paper based documentation carried aboard the aircraft with 12 compact discs (CD). More importantly, it allows maintenance personnel to focus totally on aircraft maintenance, by relieving them of the technical data maintenance chore. The system is providing flightline personnel access to digital technical data to support aircraft maintenance today. The electronic C-5 Technical Orders (TO) are also hosted on local area networks (LAN), at various bases, providing access to TO data for many more military and civilian personnel involved in the C-5, such as logisticians, project officers, TO managers, etc. The savings in fuel, due to the reduction in weight, plus the reduction in manpower, due to the eliminated requirement for flightline TO maintenance, was sufficient to provide an acceptable return on investment (ROI). The ROI is further enhanced by harder to measure factors such as improved aircraft mission readiness, decreased aircraft TO replacement costs, and increased productivity.