Soldiers keep Apache aircraft flying

Courtesy Photo | Spc. William Thalacker, AH-64 helicopter repairer, with Bravo Co., 122nd Aviation Support Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, removes components from the crew station in order to change a worn glass shield from an AH-64 Apache, during a 500 flight hour phase maintenance on Simmons Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C, Nov. 9, 2015.  

FORT BRAGG, NC, UNITED STATES

11.12.2015

Story by Capt. Adan Cazarez 

82nd Combat Aviation Brigade

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Before any NASCAR vehicle is ready for its race, the pit crew conducts routine maintenance ensuring it’s ready for race day. The AH-64D attack helicopter repairer Soldiers from Company Bravo, 122nd Aviation Support Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, inducted their first 500 flight-hour phase maintenance on an Apache at Simmons Army Airfield, N.C., Nov., since the battalion redeployed late last year from Afghanistan.

Just as a pit crew, the Apache maintainers have a critical and essential task ensuring aircraft remain in a suitable condition to continue their tireless missions into the fight.

"Phase maintenance is a scheduled period that occurs, after 125, 250, and 500 flight hours,” said Staff Sgt. Daniel Raymond, phase team leader with Company B. “The maintenance begins when the aircraft is received from the owning unit.” At that point our Soldiers conduct a detail inspection, he added.

During this phase a complete tear down of the aircraft begins to ensure if whether or not the aircraft requires a complete overhaul or replacement.

“The aircraft is basically stripped bare to include all panels and major components,” said Spc. Steven Jones, attack helicopter repairer with Company B. “Having completed multiple phase maintenances, each one possesses different constraints.”

Every action taken during the maintenance from the smallest part must be accounted for and logged into the computer to ensure accountability, he added.
As a NASCAR crew chief orchestrates the multiple moving pieces in the pit stop, the phase team leader ensures the same.

“All of the shops within Company B are involved collectively working as a team, from sheet metal, avionics, engine, power train, and armament,” said Raymond. “For this 500 flight-hour phase maintenance, we have 25 Soldiers contributing to this mission.”

The maintenance and breakdown of the aircraft is extremely time consuming and at times tedious.
“With a target date of 25 days to complete this phase, many challenges occur along the way,” said Raymond. “It’s hard planning or predicting the unpredictable.”

As a noncommissioned officer and the phase team leader, it’s my responsibility to ensure the safety of our Soldiers even if it means going over 25 days to complete the mission, he added.

Though the Soldiers diligently work on the aircraft as swiftly as possible, they do not sacrifice the quality of their work.

“It’s vital that we ensure every inch of the aircraft is mission ready,” said Daniel. “We can’t afford to run the risk of putting the pilots’ lives in danger.” Our job is to ensure our customer has a suitable product in order for them to accomplish their missions, he added.

Once an aircraft has been reassembled and serviced, technical inspectors (TIs) check all repairs have been made and haven’t been overlooked. A test pilot would then fly the aircraft to ensure all parts are operational and no new problems have surfaced that might endanger the crew or other pilots.

“It’s a team effort with many people behind the scenes to complete this phase maintenance,” Raymond said. “But collectively it’s a great feeling knowing we contribute to the overall mission.”

• Date Taken: 11.12.2015
• Date Posted: 11.12.2015 11:03
• Story ID: 181760
• Location: FORT BRAGG, NC, US