Photo By Tech. Sgt. James Hodgman | An Airman assigned to the 860th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, works on a C-17...... read more read more
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Nearly 20 Airmen assigned to the 860th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron’s production section are responsible for managing the maintenance effort of more than a dozen C-17 Globemaster III aircraft valued at $2.9 billion at Travis Air Force Base, California.
The team prioritizes work and dispatches technicians to perform pre-flight and post-flight inspections on every aircraft, as well as more in depth inspections, known as home-station checks, nearly 40 times a year. The oversight the production team provides helps ensure each aircraft is mission ready.
“We maintain the health of the aircraft and coordinate the maintenance effort to get our aircraft fixed,” said Tech. Sgt. Damon Thurman, 860th AMXS flight line expediter. “Flying is our No. 1 priority.”
Before every flight, members of the 860th AMXS conduct a careful inspection of each aircraft to ensure they’re healthy for flight, Thurman said. This inspection covers hundreds of items including the C-17’s fuel, avionics, hydraulics and flight control systems.
“We check everything on the aircraft,” Thurman said.
Ensuring each aircraft is mission ready and safe is of vital importance, Thurman added.
“If something is wrong with the aircraft, it could be disqualified from flying a particular mission,” he said. “If that mission is to provide humanitarian supplies somewhere in the world, those supplies could be delayed. We are there to try to reduce that possibility as much as possible.”
The hard work the production team puts in is showcased in the squadron’s aircraft availability rate of 88.3 percent, exceeding the Air Force standard by almost 14 percent, said Senior Master Sgt. David Penisten, 860th AMXS assistant superintendent.
“Because of their hard work our aircraft have flown 10 to 15 hours more per aircraft, than any other C-17 base,” Penisten said. “Every day is a puzzle and it can be hard to juggle everything, but these Airmen get it done. I’m proud of every one of them. We have an extremely high ops tempo, we’re constantly deploying and balancing the flow of people on a daily basis.”
The production team has been a key force behind the unit’s accomplishments, Penisten said.
In fiscal year ‘15, the 860th AMXS enabled 268 missions, many in support of Operations Freedom’s Sentinel and Inherent Resolve, delivering more than 5,000 short tons of cargo and more than 3,500 passengers to locations all over the globe.
The unit has supported numerous missions including special forces movements, efforts to fight the Ebola outbreak in Africa and several humanitarian and contingency operations. In April 2016, the unit prepared a C-17 from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, to transport a 621st Contingency Response Wing airfield assessment team to Ecuador to aid in relief efforts after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the country.
Thurman said he’s proud his Airmen have the capability to help people all over the world.
“We have a massive impact every week,” Thurman said. “If something is wrong, my Airmen are out there immediately to get it fixed, often working through lunch and staying late. It’s incredible to be part of this mission every day.”
| Date Taken: | 06.15.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2016 16:35 |
| Story ID: | 201616 |
| Location: | TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 78 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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