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If it can be measured the precision measurement equipment laboratory, or PMEL, can measure it. From radio waves to nano-inches these airmen are up to the task. SrA BreeAnn Sachs gives us an inside look into what these bright airmen do.
REPORTER:
WITHIN HOLLOMAN’S FORTY-NINTH MAINTENANCE SQUADRON IS ONE PARTICULAR SHOP UNKNOWN TO MANY, BUT IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE.
SSGT WARREN:
AT HOLLOMAN WE TOUCH NEARLY EVERYTHING.
REPORTER:
NICKNAMED THE BACK SHOP OF BACK SHOPS THE PRECISION MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT LABORATORY, OR PMEL, IS WELL EQUIPT TO CALIBRATE ANY TOOL.
SSGT WARREN:
WE CALIBRATE PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING THAT THE AIR FORCE USES THAT TAKES ANY KIND OF MEASUREMENT.
TSGT GONZALEZ:
AT HOLLOMAN WE HAVE A MULTITUDE OF CUSTOMERS THAT WE SUPPORT, WHETHER IT’S THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, NASA, THE ARMY, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY THE F-SIXTEENS AND THE REAPERS. FOR THE F-SIXTEENS WE CALIBRATE THAT TEST EQUIPMENT THAT’S ABLE TO SERVICE THE AIRCRAFT TO GET THEM TO FLY TRAINING SORTIES FOR OUR NEXT PILOTS THAT WILL GO OUT INTO THE REAL AIR FORCE.
REPORTER:
IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING MANY DIFFERENT MISSIONS HOLLOMAN’S PMEL HOLDS ONE VERY DISTINCTIVE CAPABILITY.
TSGT GONZALEZ:
SIXTY-EIGHT DEGREE ROOM IS KIND OF A UNIQUE CAPABILITY WITHIN THE AIR FORCE. THERE’S PROBABLY A TOTAL OF FIVE LABS WITHIN THE AIR FORCE WITH SIXTY-EIGHT DEGREE ROOMS, AND BASICALLY THAT’S THE TEMPERATURE IN WHICH METAL DOES NOT EXPAND OR CONTRACT.
REPORTER:
WITHIN THE SIXTY-EIGHT DEGREE ROOM TECHNICIANS CALIBRATE VERY SENSITIVE EQUIPMENT WITH UNMATCHED ACCURACY.
TSGT GONZALEZ:
WE ARE TALKING DOWN TO HUNDEREDS OF MICRO INCHES IN LENGTH. SOMETHING THAT THE HUMAN EYE CAN’T SEE, BUT HAVING A METAL NOT EXPAND OR CONTRACT WE CAN MEASURE IT TO ITS VERY EXACT FORM.
REPORTER:
FROM MICRO-WAVES TO MICRO-INCHES THE PMEL CAN MEASURE IT ALL. THEY EVEN HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO CALCULATE THE WEIGHT OF A SIGNATURE.
SRA MARQUEZ:
WE ARE GOING TO ZERO TARE THE STICKY NOTE THEN WE ARE GOING TO SIGN IT AND WATCH THE WEIGHT AND WATCH IT DRY, AND IT’S ONLY GOING TO GET LIGHTER. SO, I’LL GO AHEAD AND ZERO TARE IT, IT’S ENCLOSED BY CASE BECAUSE OF THE DRAFT. IF I BLOW ON IT, IT WILL SHIFT, SO I’LL CLOSE IT AND LET IT STABILIZE FOR A COUPLE SECONDS. AND THEN I’LL GO AHEAD AND ZERO IT, NOW I’LL HAVE YOU SIGN IT. AS YOU CAN TELL IT’S GOING TO BE TWO THEN JUST GET LIGHTER, THE INK IS A LOT HEAVER WHEN IT’S WET SO WHEN IT DRIES IT’S GOING TO EVAPORATE AND GET A LITTLE BIT LIGHTER. BUT, IT SHOULD STABILIZE HERE IN A LITTLE BIT… IT’S A SHARPIE SO IT’S PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE WHILE. IT LOOKS LIKE YOUR SIGNATURE IS GOING TO WEIGH ROUGHLY ONE AND A HALF MILLIGRAMS. AND THE ACCURACY OF THIS IS POINT-FIVE MILLIGRAMS SO IT’S FAIRLY ACCURATE.
REPORTER:
EVEN WHILE HANDLING THE SMALLEST UNITS OF MEASUREMENT WITH EXCRUCIATING DETAIL THEY STILL SEE WHERE THEY FIT WITHIN THE BIG AIR FORCE PICTURE.
SSGT WARREN:
WHEN YOU ACTUALLY GO DOWN AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY’RE USED FOR IT CAN BE PRETTY COOL. BECAUSE YOU’RE LOOKING AT OH HEY I CALIBRATED THIS VIBRATION PICK UP, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THAT MADE THEM ABLE TO TEST SO MANY ENGINES SO THEY WERE ABLE TO TAKE OFF AND DO THE MISSION IN THE HORN OF AFRICA OR AFGHANISTAN.
REPORTER:
WHETHER IT’S CALIBRATING RADIO EQUIPMENT FOR F-SIXTEENS, OR MEASURING THE WEIGHT OF A TOOL DOWN TO THE MICRO-INCH AIRMEN FROM THE PMEL MAKE A HUGE IMPACT. REPORTING FROM HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE NEW MEXICO I’M SENIOR AIRMAN BREEANN SACHS.
| Date Taken: | 05.28.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 06.01.2015 17:42 |
| Category: | Package |
| Video ID: | 407176 |
| VIRIN: | 150528-F-DB997-482 |
| Filename: | DOD_102479455 |
| Length: | 00:03:58 |
| Location: | HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Downloads: | 5 |
| High-Res. Downloads: | 5 |
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