Plane Captains: VMFA-115 powerline division raises the bar

Courtesy Photo | Corporal Michael Miller, a plane captain with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), salutes Capt. Justin Grissom, a VMFA-115 pilot as he taxis past, ready to embark on a combat mission. "The salute when the pilot passes is a sign of respect and it is our way of saying, your aircraft is good and you are ready to go," said Miller, a Covington, Ind., native. (U.S. Marine Corps photo/Sgt. Lukas Atwell)  

AL ASAD, IRAQ

05.25.2008

Courtesy Story

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

By Sgt. Lukas Atwell
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Public Affairs Office

AL-ASAD, Iraq – Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 recently reached a unique achievement throughout the aviation community by qualifying all of their powerline division personnel as plane captains.

With so many plane captains added to the team, the squadron's flexibility and knowledge, along with its ability to meet mission requirements has increased.

In addition to the regular duties of a powerline Marine, which includes the maintenance of the aircrafts' engines, fuel systems and secondary power, a plane captain performs daily, pre-flight and post-flight inspections on each of the squadron's F/A-18s.

Every shop has collateral duty inspectors, people who inspect their section-specialized parts of the aircraft, but a plane captain must be cross-trained in multiple aspects of the aircraft.

"Plane captains have to be familiar with the entire aircraft," said Sgt. Jose Chavez, a plane captain with VMFA-115, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), "We are ultimately responsible for the condition the aircraft is in before it launches. We take it seriously because the pilot's life and the success of the combat mission are in our hands."

With so much at stake, becoming a plane captain is no easy task. It is a process that can take between six months and a year.

"The first day you get to the squadron, you receive a syllabus, which is a list of requirements that you have to fill before you can take the test." said Pfc. Yordan Artigas, a VMFA-115 plane captain, 3rd MAW (Fwd). "You have to read publications on all of the critical areas of the jet and do on-the-job training."

With the proper amount of OJT and after studying multiple publications, a powerline Marine may take the written plane captain exam, explained Gunnery Sgt. John Dalton, the powerline division chief for VMFA-115, 3rd MAW (Fwd). If they pass the test, they must then successfully complete an oral exam presented by their division chief, the aviation maintenance officer, the quality assurance officer and the squadron safety officer.

The board quizzes potential plane captains on everything from basic to emergency procedures, added Dalton, a Taylormill, Ky., native.

"I was pretty nervous when I went before the board," said Lance Cpl. Danny Rudolph, a newly appointed plane captain with VMFA-115. "I have been studying for this for eight months. This is what I joined the Marine Corps to do; to launch aircraft out on combat missions.

The plane captains also get the privilege of having their name stenciled on the jet, an incentive otherwise reserved for the pilots.

"The plane captains are an integral part of maintaining the squadron's aircraft," said Capt. Steven Nyland, a pilot with the Silver Eagles. "Without them, our aircraft would never leave the ground and we would not be able to perform our mission."

• Date Taken: 05.25.2008
• Date Posted: 06.03.2008 15:52
• Story ID: 20074
• Location: AL ASAD, IQ