By Multi-National Division – Center
CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Soldiers of Company B, 603rd Aviation Support Battalion handle one of the most important parts of AH-64 Apache Longbow phase maintenance – the 500-hour phase.
"Our section is important because without us all the in-depth maintenance that needs to get done for the brigade wouldn't get done," said Sgt. Michael Scholl, an Apache helicopter maintainer from Peoria, Ill. "Since we do all the in-depth maintenance, a lot of things get looked over for 500 hours. We're saving lives 500 hours at a time."
The Department of the Army standard allows 30 days to complete a 500-hour phase maintenance, but the Soldiers of this platoon complete the phase much faster.
"A 30-day phase is done in 10 days - usually fault free," said Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Carrier, helicopter repair supervisor, who credits success to his Soldiers' proficiency.
"This is the tightest, best-working section I've ever been a part of," said Carrier, a native of Billings, Mont.
The platoon's 22 Soldiers are divided into three work shifts with an hour overlap each shift. When Soldiers arrive during the shift change, the previous shift briefs the oncoming shift on the status of the aircraft.
"When we're working on phases, we do a hand-off," Sgt. Steven Sorenson said. "We get a briefing so things don't get forgotten about, and then we get to work."
When Apaches are brought into the hangar they are completely disassembled and inspected.
"We check it for cracks, corrosion, leaks – anything that's just not right," said Sorenson, who resides in Hesperia, Calif. "We take it all apart and fix everything. Then we put everything back together."
According to Sorenson, it takes 12 hours to disassemble an Apache and then two to three days to reassemble it again.
"We fix any problems, put it back together and then turn it on to make sure everything works right," Sorenson said.
The pilots test fly the aircraft and then Soldiers troubleshoot as needed.
Specialist Zachery Dunn said the best part of his job is seeing the final product of his labor.
"After we're done with a bird, it's nice to look back and see that on the first day the bird was just an empty shell and then to see it 10 days later, and to see it fly," said Dunn, a resident of Alexandria, Ky. "We see what it took to get it from point A to point B."
| Date Taken: | 06.03.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 06.03.2008 08:34 |
| Story ID: | 20052 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 276 |
| Downloads: | 242 |
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