Courtesy Photo | A crew chief from the E-3A Component gives a thumbs-up to an AWACS pilot signaling...... read more read more
By Maureen Geraets-Head
GEILENKIRCHEN, Germany - It’s Monday, 6:50 a.m. at Hangar I, when crew chiefs start to walk in for their 7 o’clock daily briefing. Senior Master Sgt. Marco Welling, from Aircraft Maintenance and Inspection Branch, starts the short, morning meeting and assigns crew chiefs in groups of three to prepare the various E-3A aircraft that need to be launched or serviced that day.
“…And Frank’s group goes to 455 on spot 7,” he ends the tasking list and the guys get up to start their working day.
Welling explains that during the past months there have been more aircraft to be serviced than crew chiefs available. It has been extremely busy with launching, recovering and servicing the 17-aircraft strong AWACS fleet.
For Welling, it is the challenging task to schedule the team of crew chiefs – military and civilian - in such a way that the operational side can fly the jets and fulfill their tasks without any delays.
He continues, “It is an advantage to have a wonderful team here and it is great to work with them. Although, I’ve noticed that slowly they are reaching the limit of their flexibility, - the stretch is gone -, so to speak. One can only do so much within a given time and with fewer hands. We feel the lack of manpower. Mainly, everything still runs because this team has an enormous work experience.”
“Last week, we were short of crew chiefs but we were lucky to have some additional hands from FOB Konya personnel who are here for their currency training and we managed to launch the E-3A which otherwise would not have been possible,” says Welling.
Seven military colleagues from Forward Operating Bases Konya, Aktion and Trapani are presently deployed to the Component for their annual currency and refreshment training. Besides the daily servicing support also towing, de-icing and tire change are part of the package. This runs parallel to deploying for exercises and ongoing operations and providing flight line support on weekends.
“It becomes critical when a Red Ball* pops up. Then, the complete schedule has to be revised,” Welling adds with a grin. “And, it is of utmost importance that our work is performed in such a way that it complies with the safety requirements.”
“Colder weather is on its way and, for us, that means de-icing, which demands a five-person crew: one supervisor, two drivers and two basket operators. It is a labor-intensive task and a burden when being undermanned. I wish other units could provide some assistance by, for instance, providing a driver, that would already be a tremendous help,” Welling continues.
Two crew chiefs are also trainers and they instruct FOB/FOL crew chiefs and newcomers. Sandy McIntosh who has been here since July 1, 1982, explains, “These crew chiefs attend once per year the three-week training session. This is training is given four times per year with six to eight persons attending from the FOBs and FOL.”
McIntosch and his colleague instructor John Amos are responsible for the training program providing currency training and newcomers training. It takes three full months followed by two months of monitoring before the newcomer is qualified to work with NATO’s E-3A aircraft.
“Unfortunately with the current budget limitations, we did not get any new civilian colleagues to replace those who have left the Component,” Welling adds.
Overall, I see a group of highly motivated people, proud in what they do under any circumstance. While I drive back to my office it starts pouring down rain. They spend their workday mainly outside, rain or shine.
*Editor’s note: Red Ball: An unscheduled deficiency on a jet that has to be handled within 10 minutes.
| Date Taken: | 09.20.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 10.07.2013 08:30 |
| Story ID: | 114841 |
| Location: | GEILENKIRCHEN, NW, DE |
| Web Views: | 481 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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