3 countries, 2 engines, 1 mission

Photo By Staff Sgt. Tryphena Mayhugh | (Courtesy Photo)  

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, RP, GERMANY

05.16.2017

Story by Senior Airman Tryphena Mayhugh 

86th Airlift Wing

One of the benefits of being stationed overseas is the opportunity to travel to other countries, both for work and recreation. Some units provide on-the-job travel opportunities more than others, such as the 721st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron on Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

Staff Sgt. Kenneth Deibert, 721st AMXS electrical and environmental craftsman, and Staff Sgt. Justin McCormick, 721st AMXS aerospace propulsion craftsman, experienced this firsthand when they traveled to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, as part of a maintenance recovery team to conduct an engine change for a C-17 Globemaster III from March 30 to April 20.

Upon completing it, they were then tasked from Mongolia to conduct a second engine change on another C-17 at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, till April 30.

“I don’t mind going on trips like this for an MRT - overseas and downrange - because you get a little more experience and get to see different things,” said Deibert.

The two maintainers had stayed behind with the tools in Mongolia waiting for diplomatic clearance for an aircraft to fly into Mongolia to pick them up, while the rest of the team took a commercial flight back to

Ramstein after completing the engine change. They waited in Ulaanbaatar close to three weeks and were tasked to go to Al Dhafra five days before they were slated to come home.

“I kind of felt good, actually,” said McCormick. “I thought it was kind of cool we got to do two engine changes at one time. I feel better when I’m out somewhere else because I feel like I’m doing more.”

The first C-17 was in flight when a part came off inside the engine and depleted all of its oil. The crew had to shut it down and fly with three engines to the closet landing point in Mongolia. Upon the MRT’s arrival, they endured dust storms and snow to remove the broken engine and replace it with a new one.

At Al Dhafra, the C-17 there had a compressor stall, which didn’t allow air to be sucked in for the engine to run, and it starved itself of air, creating a vacuum. When the air finally caught up, it created an explosion inside the engine and ruptured an oil line, dumping all of the engine’s oil. The C-17 also had its malfunctioned engine removed and replaced while the Airmen endured 110 degree heat every day.

Throughout all of this, the Airmen had to ensure their tools were moved from place to place.

“The most difficult part was the logistics,” McCormick said. “Getting everything out of Ramstein, sent to Mongolia, then from Mongolia to Al Dhafra, and from Al Dhafra back here. It was really difficult.”

When changing the engines, the Airmen raised a trailer up to the engine, unhooked it, and lowered it to the ground. Then they rolled it onto a transport trailer and brought in the new engine. It was raised into position on a trailer and had to be lined up perfectly for it to be attached.

“I learned more about how to do an engine change on this MRT,” Deibert said. “I had only done one prior to this trip, and to go and do two, I feel a lot more comfortable doing one. Communication is key. The engine change part is easy. It’s the trailer, being able to go up with it and line it up that is difficult, and it takes communication. As long as everyone is communicating well and telling each other which way it needs to go – left, right, twist it this way, or whatever – it goes pretty smooth.”

Without the 721st AMXS Airmen, along with a few from other 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing and 86th Maintenance Group squadrons, neither of the C-17s in Mongolia or the United Arab Emirates would have been able to fly.

“They’re only going to send out an MRT if the plane can’t safely fly from where it is,” Deibert said. “Sometimes they can get a one-time flight waiver for whatever issue they are having, but if they can’t get that or the crew themselves don’t want to fly, then it has to get fixed. It’s an immediate response to get a plane off the ground, and in my opinion, I would say they’re very important.”

From raging storms in Mongolia to scorching heat in Al Dhafra, the 521st AMOW and 86th MXG Airmen were able to assist two C-17 crews in completing their mission.

“When you go out and change engines or parts, you have to look at the whole thing,” McCormick said. “When we were in Mongolia, they were picking up Mongolians to go fight downrange. That’s a huge thing. It’s kind of cool to think I was part of that.”

Despite the length of the temporary duty and handling the logistics, Deibert was glad for the opportunity to experience new places.

“My favorite part was being in two countries I’ve never been to before,” he said. “All in all, I’d say it was a good trip.”

The 721st AMXS continues to aid the Air Force mission at Ramstein and all throughout Europe through their MRT Airmen.

• Date Taken: 05.16.2017
• Date Posted: 05.22.2017 10:28
• Story ID: 234007
• Location: RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, RP, DE