Nondestructive inspection: Finding the cracks

by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

8/14/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- While playing football during physical training, an Airman hurts his arm. Thinking nothing of it, he brushes it off and continues playing. Though after weeks of excruciating pain and a visit to the medical group's radiology section, an x-ray finds his ulna is fractured. Aircraft undergo similar stressors requiring specially trained Airmen to find the mechanical fractures.Nondestructive inspection Airmen assigned to 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron here specialize in finding fatal cracks in aircraft parts before they lead to catastrophic failure."We're an inspection branch and it's our job to make sure the aircraft are structurally sound," said Master Sgt. Steven McCabe, NDI NCO in charge deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and hails from Irrigon, Ore.NDI Airmen determine what test method to use and prepare fluids and parts for inspection. They also analyze worn metal content on engine-lubricating oil and other fluids, and recommend corrective actions. These Airmen are proficient in metals identification, detecting metal discontinuities and flaws, radiological safety and radiation monitoring."So in a nutshell, we find cracks you can't see with the naked eye and we have different processes to detect these cracks," said Staff Sgt. David Bayle, a 379th EMXS NDI craftsman deployed from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and hails from Port Sanilac, Mich. "If we don't find the crack, the part itself could fail and it could be very detrimental to the aircraft and the support equipment used to maintain the aircraft."Unlike other maintenance career fields, NDI Airmen must understand a fair amount of chemistry as well."I had no idea chemistry would be involved in a mechanical career field; my recruiter just told me I'd look for cracks," said Senior Airman Darnell McConnell, a 379th EMXS NDI journeyman deployed and hails from Colorado Springs, Colo. "NDI is like the coolest field out there and is essentially a non-fail mission. One of my favorite methods is the magnetic particle inspection."MPI is a process for detecting surface and slightly subsurface discontinuities in ferromagnetic materials such as iron, nickel and cobalt. The process puts a magnetic field into the part. The piece can be magnetized by direct or indirect magnetization. Direct current is passed through the part and a magnetic field is formed in the material. The presence of a surface or subsurface discontinuity or crack in the material allows the magnetic flux to leak thus proving the presence of an imperfection in the part."MPI is easy because the crack glows very bright," McConnell said.But as with most maintenance Airmen, they're all about providing joint warfighters with the best machine possible as their work directly impacts the safety and security of aircrews down range."So if it's a wing, we're looking for a crack in the wing; if it's landing gear, we're looking for cracks in the landing gear," said McConnell. "If we don't find the crack, then eventually whatever it is, it's going to collapse and fail.""It makes me feel really good that what we're doing not only saves the Air Force money, but also saves the Air Force lives," Bayle added.

Avionics puts bombs on target, keeps Airmen safe

by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

6/7/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Combat search and rescue operations, supply drops to forward forces, calculated strategic bomb runs and an array of countless other missions around the world, would not be possible without the tireless efforts of avionics specialists deployed here to the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron."We are the avionics centralized repair facility for the entire area of responsibility," said Tech. Sgt. Andrew Falcon, the 379th EMXS avionics intermediate section production supervisor deployed here from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.Falcon and his crew are responsible for ensuring the avionics systems onboard F-15 Strike Eagles, F-16 Fighting Falcons, C-17 Globemaster IIIs and B-1B Lancers are ready to accomplish the mission day and night for every air base in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility."We don't take this mission lightly," said Senior Master Sgt. Gene Sing, the 379th EMXS avionics flight chief deployed here from Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. "Not only is our mission important but it also saves the Air Force money."By having the CRF at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the Air Force is capable of fixing these systems that provide pilots with a necessary function for performing the mission."Avionics gives the Air Force the ability to locate, track and destroy targets through precision and accuracy," said Staff Sgt. Craig Lewis, a 379th EMXS B-1B avionics technician deployed here from Robins AFB, Ga. "Where in the past, like during World War II, we would drop a massive amount of bombs and hope they hit something."Lewis said avionics techs maintain many systems on an aircraft including guidance, communications, navigation, radar and surveillance. This ultimately prepares aircraft for low-altitude attack profiles, precision bombing, covert operations and reconnaissance missions."So we take care of much more than just the weapons systems," said Lewis. "We remove, install, check and repair avionics systems and line-replaceable units while performing and supervising alignment, calibration and bore sight of avionics systems using uploaded maintenance and operational software."Avionics can be found on every Air Force airframe service-wide, said Senior Airman Benjamin Wagner, a 379th EMXS B-1B avionics technician deployed here from Ellsworth AFB, S.D.Deployed avionics technicians do much of the same mission here as they do at home station."Same systems, same technical orders," Lewis said.But the great thing about being deployed, Sing said, is that it allows his Airmen a chance to work on other airframes rather than just being knowledgeable on the specific aircraft their home unit flies."It gives our Airmen an opportunity to expand their job knowledge and become more familiar with other aspects of our career field," said Sing. "It allows them to see the bigger picture."The 379th EMXS's AIS shop plays an integral role in keeping the Air Force's bombers, fighters and cargo planes ready to go whenever they're needed."If it flies and has avionics equipment, we can fix it," Wagner said.

Oldest jet in AF operated, maintained by youngest crews

by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

5/23/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- For more than 50 years Airmen have flown the KC-135 Stratotanker to more places and supported more missions than most people experience in three, even four, life times. One such refueler, "57-1419," recently visited the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing en route to support Operation ENDURING FREEDOM."We have Eisenhower-era aircraft, flown by crews and serviced by maintainers whose grandparents may not have been old enough to vote for President Eisenhower," said Lt. Col. James Zick, the 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander.Putting things into perspective even further, Capt. Emma House said her dad was 3 years old when 57-1419 rolled off the assembly line. House is assigned to the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron deployed from Scott Air Force Base, Ill., and is currently the jet's aircraft commander.This 56-year-old refueler, assigned to the 190th Air Refueling Wing of the Kansas Air National Guard, is expected to fly through 2040, according to Air Mobility Command officials. Gen. Paul Selva, the AMC commander, has even said the mother of the last crew chief to service this jet has not been born yet.Its age, however, hasn't hindered its usefulness, nor has it dampened its crew's eagerness to throttle up and take to the sky."It's really a source of pride for me," House said. "So many generations of other KC-135 pilots have flown her -- I can't even begin to imagine all the places she's been and the fact I get to fly her on an OEF mission in 2013 is really something special."KC-135s are responsible for roughly 65 percent of air-to-air refueling in the 379th's area of responsibility. With that said, the 340th EARS and AMU are responsible for nearly 40 percent of that."There is literally no way to do what we do over Afghanistan without these old jets and young crews that fly and maintain them," said Lt. Col. Maximilian Bremer, the 340 EARS commander. "Our troops on the ground can count on Air Force and Navy air power overhead within minutes of a request, thanks to the fuel we provide 24/7."But for the crews who fly and maintain these aircraft, it's about much more than how old it is or how much longer the AF plans to fly them."It's definitely an honor for me," said Senior Airman Rich Bradford, 340th EARS boom operator deployed from Scott AFB. "Words can't describe how I feel. My dad was 5 when this jet rolled off the line. I'm just glad I'm able to help support troops on the ground anyway I can."In 1954, the Air Force purchased the first 29 of its future 732-plane fleet. The first aircraft flew in August 1956 and the initial production Stratotanker was delivered to Castle Air Force Base, Calif., in June 1957. The last KC-135 was delivered to the Air Force in 1965."If airplanes could talk, I'd love to hear about the things '57-1419' has seen," said Capt. Neal Brinkworth, 340th EARS mission pilot also deployed from Scott AFB. "I've always wanted to be a pilot and have definitely had the bug since my first flight lesson when I was 13-years-old. So joining the Air Force was a dream come true, but this, this definitely tops the books. I'm 27 and flying the oldest jet in the Air Force -- simply amazing."The mission is two-fold, however, and the aircrew can't complete the mission without the maintainers and crew chiefs who have kept these jets flying for more than five decades.Staff Sgt. Ray Demarco, 340th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief deployed from the 108th Air National Guard Wing at McGuire AFB, N.J., said he has "a great deal of pride as a maintainer.""I've been a guardsman for 12 years, worked on airframes ranging from F-15 Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons to heavies like the KC-135, but the Stratotanker is definitely my favorite," Demarco said. "It's amazing that what I do and what those who have come before me have done keeps jets like these flying."Although it may be the oldest jet, this doesn't hinder the passion these Airmen have for the KC-135."This aircraft requires a great deal of flying skills," said House as she ran through her preflight checklist. "We're not passengers, the auto-pilot system is very limited and landing isn't a walk-in-the-park."These aircraft were built before human factors were a significant consideration in cockpit design, Bremer said. This makes them "especially challenging for a generation who grew up with user-friendly devices and trained in modern aircraft."The 27-year-old pilot, House, explained why she'd continue flying the Stratotanker even when its eventual replacement rolls off the production line."We're all excited to see the KC-46, but this jet isn't going anywhere anytime soon," she explained. "I hope we keep flying this airplane for another 50 years."

Day on the Job: Rivet Joint maintainers

by Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs5/23/2013 - SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Airmen from the 763rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit catch a RC-135 Rivet Joint after the aircraft returns from a mission here May 22.This airframe is the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing's primary intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform; picking up real-time information on the coalition's enemies.