Photo By Cpl. Claudio Martinez | A Marine fastens a drill bit to his drill during a Fleet Readiness Center Southwest...... read more read more
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IWAKUNI, Japan - Several station airframe and powerline mechanics attended a Fleet Readiness Center Southwest Naval Air Station North Island Hole Quality Course at the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 Airframes' warehouse here April 28 – Monday.
Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 and MALS-12 Marines attended the course to learn the proper way to drill a hole in an aircraft to apply screws and fasteners.
“The process of drilling a hole is more than just taking a drill and making a hole,” said Gunnery Sgt. Hayden Vesprey, MALS-12 Airframes division chief. “There’s actually a process, especially when you drill holes on multimillion dollar aircraft. If you drill one hole the wrong way, it can damage the aircraft, and the aircraft will be down for awhile.”
The Marines attended the weeklong course for eight hours each day. They learned the indepth math, measurements and precision necessary to drill holes into the aircraft to help lengthen the aircraft life expectancy.
“The hole has to be perfect,” said Vesprey. “It has to be right and precise, especially when we have to replace rivets and studs. They have to know the precise procedures to replace those parts.”
During the course, the Marines learned the process involved in properly lubricating their drill bits and how to drill at a true 90-degree angle into aluminum, titanium and steel. The Marines also learned how to read blueprints and the procedures to install and remove fasteners without damaging the metal. The course tested the Marines’ mathematical abilities with several written exams.
“I’m hoping they will be better off with their new skills [after completing the course],” said Edgardo Abellar, FRCSW NAS North Island Hole Quality Course technical instructor.
If the students learn the necessary skills in drilling a hole, they will help to prolong the life and safety of the aircraft whenever they work on them, he added.
The Marines received a metal plate during the course on which they were required to install 61 fasteners of different sizes, head styles and diameters without causing any damage to the plate.
“This is technical training,” said Abellar. “You really need to focus on what you’re doing when you’re repairing a part.”
If the Marines don’t drill the holes perfectly, cracks around the imperfect holes can grow and potentially rip the metal into pieces, Abellar said.
The technical training the Marines received during the course presented them with more in-depth information on drilling than they originally received at their military occupation specialty schools.
Cpl. Lemuel M. Cardinoza, a MALS-12 airframes aviation structural mechanic and course participant, has been working in his MOS for more than three years.
“I didn’t know half of what I’ve learned from this course,” said Cardinoza. “I’ve been learning a whole bunch of new stuff I didn’t know.”
Cardinoza said he feels confident that once he passes what he learned to his junior Marines, it will help prevent improper maintenance being done on the aircraft they work on.
Safety, precision and longevity of the aircraft were constantly on the Marines’ minds as they went through the training. The effectiveness of what they were learning, what they would be able to do with their new skills wasn’t lost on them.
“[The training] will improve safety,” said Cardinoza. “It will make the components aboard the aircraft last longer. Also we will no longer have to send certain parts out for repair. We’ll be able to drill the holes we need right here.”
Although powerline mechanics don’t normally work directly with drills to bore holes into aircraft, they inspect them daily to ensure they are safe for flight.
Lance Cpl. Cheska Salen, a VMFA(AW)-242 powerline mechanic and course participant, said she probably won’t be drilling much as a powerline mechanic but she will be able to apply some of the principles she’s learned during the class whenever she inspects the aircraft. She has a better idea of what mistakes to look for, Salen added.
This is the first time the class has been taught here to MALS-12 and VMFA(AW)-242 Marines.
| Date Taken: | 05.09.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 05.11.2011 01:37 |
| Story ID: | 70194 |
| Location: | IWAKUNI, AICHI, JP |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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