Flight Engineer finds trust in unexpected places

Photo By Sgt. Cassandra Monroe | Sgt. Alyssa Corcoran, a flight engineer with Bravo Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th General Support Aviation Brigade, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, relays a message through an internal communication system while her aircraft stops to refuel during a cargo and personnel transportation mission in Iraq, March 7.  

COMBAT OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IRAQ

03.07.2010

Story by Spc. Cassandra Monroe 

135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq — Loyal and trustworthy are words rarely used to describe a relationship between a Soldier and an aircraft.

For Sgt. Alyssa Corcoran with Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th General Support Aviation Brigade, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, that's exactly how she describes working as a CH-47 Chinook helicopter flight engineer.

"It's truly a very in-depth relationship," said Corcoran. "It's peaceful [to sit in the back of the bird]. It's getting away from here and just flying, and everything is just quiet. It's relieving."

The Chinook is such a large and complex aircraft, said Corcoran. If one can work on a Chinook, one can basically work on any of the other helicopters because of the knowledge of both systems.

"A flight engineer can control the aircraft and control the passengers that they carry," said Corcoran, who is stationed at Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii. "You should be able to troubleshoot the aircraft. The flight engineer is responsible for making the right call on what you should do if you have engine failure, a fire in flight [or] other multiple problems."

As a flight engineer, Corcoran works in conjunction with the pilots in command. She makes decisions for unexpected situations, such as un-accounted for cargo and weather conditions. The flight engineer also helps with planning the mission out properly and ensuring it gets done.

Corcoran is a self-proclaimed problem-solver and troubleshooter, which makes a great match for what it takes to be a flight engineer; however, this is not her first job in the Army.

"I first joined as a radio operator and was transferred to heavy radio systems," she said. "I worked on a very old system that is not in the Army arsenal anymore, so my military occupational specialty became obsolete. I was almost forced to re-class as a computer systems analyst, and I didn't want to do that. So, I fought for a different MOS, and this one was available, so I took this job."

The hard fight paid off for Corcoran, who feels that she has more of a hands-on grasp with missions as a flight engineer.

"You get to see a lot more of the mission getting accomplished whether you're pulling personnel out of Iraq, taking cargo and personnel from base to base, or assisting with mass-casualty evacuations — you're where the mission actually gets accomplished," she said.

Not only does she enjoy her job, but her crew members notice the outgoing and hard work she puts into the missions.

"Sergeant Corcoran is a highly motivated and proficient worker," said Spc. Joseph Keele, a Chinook crew mechanic with Company B, 3/25th GSAB, and Corcoran's crewmate. "She diligently studies the huge amount of crew manuals we have to be familiar with."

"To be a good crew chief, you need to be humble, be able to take criticism, and you need to be able to study," Corcoran said. "Having a good memory helps, because there's a lot of stuff to remember. You have to be consistent in what you do, put one hundred percent forward every day, and you need to be intrinsically motivated."

According to Corcoran, the time she has spent as a flight engineer has been worthwhile.

"My favorite part of my job is owning the aircraft," Corcoran said. "I've had my own aircraft for four years now, and I don't think that I could find anything as loyal or as trustworthy."

• Date Taken: 03.07.2010
• Date Posted: 04.07.2010 09:30
• Story ID: 47795
• Location: COMBAT OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IQ