TAJI AIR BASE, Iraq -- This could go horribly wrong -- a 28 inch long, carbon-fiber blade, stronger and lighter than steel, careens through the air propelled by a two and a half horsepower electric motor -- the whole assembly airborne and on the loose.
Luckily the potential for mayhem is abated by an 11-year veteran pilot, his fledgling copilot and their careful selection of safe and appropriate flight locations.
When Tech. Sgt. Ryan Potter and Master Sgt. Vince Clevinger are not on the job as Bell 407 helicopter advisors and trainers of Iraqi airmen, they spend some of their down time still maintaining helicopters and even flying them -- but on a much smaller scale.
Potter started flying model planes in high school, first becoming interested after visiting his local airport. He then picked up helicopters after enlisting in the Air Force as a helicopter crew chief. Clevinger, after working with Potter and already interested in model helicopters, was hooked and set out to build his own.
Both men belong to the 721st Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron at Taji Air Base. They, along with other air advisors are responsible for training, advising and assisting members of the Iraqi Army Aviation Command. Their end goal and hope is for mission ready Iraqi squadrons that are self sustaining and enduring.
Potter and Clevinger crack open helicopter panels with the skill of surgeons cracking chests, digging deep into the tangled wiring and hydraulic tubing guts of bell 407 helicopters with Iraqi counterparts, teaching them the ins and outs of advanced helicopter anatomy.
"The most rewarding part is helping others to learn, and passing on my experiences so they can learn with minimum crashes," says Potter, who's words apply to both his work, and play.
Lessons learned with the small scale helicopters have aided their professional roles as maintainers and trainers, explains Clevinger. "As you fly, and encounter maintenance issues, you start tracking high fail trends and when the fail occurred. This helps you pinpoint scheduled replacement intervals for bearings, rods, etc. It isn't much different from how the Air Force operates and hones our maintenance management skills."
And the opposite is true as well. Skills learned at work have translated to their hobby. "All the controls are just miniature versions of what is involved with working on/flying the real thing. Electronics are electronics, and there is a lot that crosses over from radios and electronics and mechanics," says Potter.
Clevinger adds, "I have found this to be a great opportunity to spend some extra time with other Airmen. Whether they be my ratee, a peer, or a supervisor, this has allowed me to get to know these guys on a personal level. Having this kind of professional relationship makes it easier for me to do my job. If it is a supervisor that I fly with, they are usually taking the time to do some mentoring and giving me insight to how they operate and when flying with subordinates, I find myself doing the same and learning from them."
Both men have found the hobby immensely satisfying and excellent for reducing stress. "Absolutely, it's a stress reliever. It makes downtime easier with the [laptop] simulator [training software], or with repairing the birds or modifying them." Potter adds, "Online shopping is also half the fun!"
| Date Taken: | 08.11.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 08.27.2011 04:48 |
| Story ID: | 76039 |
| Location: | TAJI AIR BASE, IQ |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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