No "Sick Bay"

        The approach has paid off.

        CF-104 wings and other airframe parts come off production jigs at Canadair well within specified tolerances. So far it has been possible to avoid the "wing sick bays" and "twisting to shape" processes which the company’s production planners had been told they should anticipate in meeting specifications on the CF-104 airframe.

        As Production Superintendent Daniels puts it: "Our decision was to iron out any problems we might have in the production phase itself. With a schedule to meet, we didn’t want to have to waste time trying to correct mistakes after a part came off the production line.

        "Tightening up on manufacturing tolerances proved to be the answer."

        Or at least an important part of the answer.

        Just as vital was recognition that production of an advanced weapon system such as the Super Starfighter required a level of production skills and precise workmanship beyond any that had been necessary for previous programs.

        On the basis of past experience, there was every confidence Canadair employees and those of sub-contractors could do the jobs required, and at the levels of skill that would be necessary. But to be on the safe side, and to impress workers with the critical nature of the work they were undertaking, Canadair launched a comprehensive training and requalification program.

        As McKeown puts it: "We had not had any trouble with our level of skills on earlier programs. We wanted to maintain that record for this program. The way the program has moved along so far indicates we have been successful."

System Complexity

        The basic production phase of Canadair’s Super Starfighter program was, of course, only the first hurdle.

        "What we have here," McKeown explains, "is a fully automatic weapons system, with all the problems on integration of complex sub-systems which that term implies.

        "There are in effect seven separate systems on the CF-104, each of which must be tied into the other for cross reference and display of information or activation of a precise control. From this point of view too, we decided that we had to take a completely new approach to this program."

        The first step was to gather all available information from others working in the same area. Canadair teams visited a number of companies in the U.S. where advanced projects are under way.

        "These were the people," says McKeown, "who were pushing the state of the art the same as we were. We wanted to know what their problems had been and how they had solved them."

• In many instances companies had underestimated the level of skills and training required for various phases of the production and building program;

• It was also evident the quantity and quality of test equipment necessary to prove out systems and establish complete integration had not been fully appreciated;

• There had been a vast underestimation of the requirement for technical service representation from system sub-contractors and vendors.

        Canadair moved swiftly to cover areas of possible difficulty.

        The company’s employee training and requalification program was stepped up.

        A vast expansion of facilities for testing out the various systems which are part of the CF-104 was undertaken and specification was laid down for a tape type, automatic digital computer which would permit full test of the complete Super Starfighter weapons system.

        Suppliers were cautioned of a possible heavy demand for technical representation and asked to provide additional personnel where necessary.

        The verdict to date:

        Canadian industry, as represented by Canadair’s direct sub-contractors for airframe parts and components and by the vendors and suppliers of the various aircraft systems has shown itself capable and competent on the advanced production techniques the Super Starfighter calls up.

        As one Canadair spokesman put it: "There is a lot at stake here. Not only or us, but for the whole Canadian aircraft industry.

        "This aircraft, or versions of it, is being built in a number of other countries. The products of our program are going to be going into service not only with the RCAF but with he air forces of a number of our allies. In many instances, Canadian-built Super Starfighters will be operating side by side with those built in other countries.

        "We want the Canadian aircraft to stand out as a reliable, well built product of a capable industry. We have a good record on the basis of our past production. We want to enhance that record on this program."

        Production so far has been well up to the quality sought and expected. With the Canadian program roll along well in advance of product in other countries, Super Starfighter airframe and system components have been in demand to fill some of the lags which have developed in programs. So far, the Canadian products have shown themselves to be eminently acceptable.

Widely Subcontracted

        "On this program," Director Manufacturing Administration W. Meacher points out, "We have do, as much sub-contracting as we have ever done. We estimate that upward of 40 percent of what this company undertook to build on the CF-104 airframe has been sub-contracted in Canada.

        "And this sub-contracting involving much larger items than we have let out on previous programs. These are items which called for machined parts assemblies rather than sheet metal work. Our subcontractors were faced with all the problems we ourselves had on meeting close tolerances sophisticated components.

        "In general they have come through for us. The fact that we have been able to maintain our production schedules indicates the response we have had."

        On the Super Starfighter Canada’s aviation industry has shown itself equal to the challenge of today’s advanced weapons systems. No one expected anything less.