Dyess Air Force Base Virtual Collider

Flexibility is the key to airpower AND success in business, which is why we are shifting the in-person Spark Collider at Dyess Air Force Base on April 28th to a virtual space.

Our programming will act as a catalyst for the Air Force’s toughest problems to collide with Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I companies and Airmen who have potential solutions.

Activities during the April 28th event include:

Airmen Problem Statements: 10 – 11 a.m. CST

Open Q&A Sessions with Airmen: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CST

1-on-1 Customer Discovery Sessions (Invite Only): 12:30 – 2 p.m. CST

If a company has a solution that they think would solve one of the problems presented, they can apply to take part in a -on-1 Customer Discovery Session, by filling out this form, by April 20th: https://forms.gle/f2oqAFhXt9vss65B6

The 12 problems the Collider will be focusing are:

Aircrew Standards and Evaluations Office Administrative Duties - The Aircrew Standards and Evaluations Office acts as the quality assurance office for all Air Force flying. Each office requires approx. 10 people to keep up with routine administrative tasks, which means senior instructors have less time available to focus on teaching.

Aircraft Training Solution - Airmen are required to have in-depth understanding of the layout and data about specific aircrafts. The training materials about these aircraft are textually based, with no easy to access graphical data. The lack of visual resources makes studying difficult and time consuming.

Manned Security Checkpoints - Every security checkpoint currently requires manned staff to allow people on base. This setup causes congestion at entry gates, and limits base accessibility for Airmen by closing certain gates after hours.

Aircraft Drone Defense - Airports and Air Force bases are vulnerable to attacks from drones.

Security Forces Patrol - Security forces are required to manually patrol entire bases, costing many man hours, and exposing the staff to possible threats.

Exposure Risk When Shopping - Air force personnel are forced to do in-person shopping for essential supplies, possibly exposing them to potential viral risks.

Aircrew Flight Training Scenarios - Flight crews use an intranet network to conduct in-flight training scenarios. This capability requires a dedicated staff on the ground in order to run the scenarios.

On-boarding Procedures - When new Airmen arrive on base they are required to complete on-boarding procedures and gather signatures from the relevant staff. Little to no instruction is given on how to navigate facilities or personnel, and as a result this process can take days or weeks to complete.

Airpark Revitalization - Retired Airplanes are moved and stored in Airparks on base, to serve as historical and recreational spaces. Over time interest and engagement with the Airparks has waned as the surrounding community doesn't have access, or incentive to visit.

Design Methodology for Aircraft Loader - The loading equipment used to load weaponry onto an aircraft is 70-years-old. As a result, it is slow and requires frequent maintenance. It has been difficult to organize consensus on the needs of the product, the scope of the project, and develop a methodology for designing a new piece of equipment.

Air Force SBIR Project Leads - All Air Force SBIR contracts require a dedicated project lead to select a solution provider, coordinate with relevant personnel, and oversee the implementation of a solution. Airmen who are acting as project leads can be reassigned or deployed during the contract, which is detrimental to the project’s success.

Updated Education Design - Official classroom settings and curriculum are designed using outdated educational methodology that doesn't meet the needs of Generation Z users.