Reducing risks with the Hercules

An aviation technician at RAAF Base Richmond developed a simple 3D-printed solution to prevent costly foreign object damage.

LAC Brendan Kiesey, an aviation technician with 37SQN, designed a propeller dolly cover after a rare aircraft servicing incident.

“The idea stemmed from an Air Safety Report involving a C-130J propeller change, where propeller nuts were inadvertently left inside the centre cavity of a propeller dolly before a propeller was lowered onto it,” LAC Kiesey said.

“The nuts protruded above the dolly's mating surface and damaged the propeller flange, rendering the component unserviceable.”

While the incident was uncommon, it highlighted how foreign objects could be inadvertently introduced into critical aircraft components from an area that may be difficult to monitor throughout a maintenance task.

Motived to find a practical solution, LAC Kiesey turned to computer-aided design and 3D-printing to create a protective cover that securely fits over the centre cavity of the propeller dolly.

Developed with support from the Richmond EDGY Lab and 37SQN's Aerospace Systems Technician workshop, the final design costs about $20 per unit to produce.

“The cover prevents personnel from placing tools, hardware or other foreign objects into the dolly cavity while a propeller change is underway,” he said.

To further enhance safety, the cover has “Remove Before Use” etched into the surface, creating an additional checkpoint before the propeller is lowered onto the dolly.

“When it is time to lower the propeller onto the dolly, maintainers must remove the cover first,” LAC Kiesey said.

“That action naturally forces ‘techos’ to look into the cavity and undertake an additional but necessary visual check to detect any final errors on completion of the task.”

For LAC Kiesey the project demonstrated how small innovations can have a significant impact on safety and operational effectiveness.

“The original incident occurred because a required inspection step was missed,” he said. “If that check had been completed correctly, the damage would not have occurred.”

“The cover isn’t a replacement for existing procedures, it’s an extra layer of protection that supports maintainers and helps reduce the potential for human error.”