Properly trained maintainers put jets in air

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  There are many flights in the 8th Maintenance Group, however, there only a few within the group where their job or role is that of ensuring full compliance with training and inspection standards established by the Air Force.

Three such flights, two assigned to the 8th Maintenance Operations Squadron and the other directly under the 8th MXG, are monumentally important to the successful completion of the Wolf Pack's mission.

"We are a force multiplier," said Senior Master Sgt. Charles Redburn, 8th MOS maintenance training flight superintendent. "While the fliers have the aviation resource managers to maintain their training records and flying hours, the more than 1,100 maintainers here at Kunsan have us."

Redburn's office will be the first of three similarly focused flights to be featured in this three part series highlighting their importance to not only the maintainers of Kunsan, but also to the peninsula as a whole.

"We facilitate many classes to make certain the Airmen charged with quite possibly the most important aspect of our mission here is done correctly and efficiently," said Staff Sgt. Eric Hilliard, 8th MOS maintenance training flight instructor and F-16 Fighting Falcon crew chief by trade.

The 8th MOS MTF provides an initial maintenance orientation class designed for all maintenance personnel, regardless of Air Force specialty code, to introduce them to operations at Kunsan.

"This class really brings our newcomers up-to-date on everything Kunsan and especially helps those who have never been around an F-16 before," Hilliard said.

Redburn and Hilliard are also charged with running two engine test classes; one with the engine in the jet and the other with it outside the jet. Each test provides maintainers an opportunity to see all the parts of an engine they'll be working with for the next year or longer.

The testing facilities for such a test are extensive and only available at Kunsan.

"We are the sole test cell for the entire peninsula," said Redburn. "We assist Osan [Air Base] with their uninstalled tests as well."

Hilliard said they also teach two distinct classes on the inner workings of the engine.

"There are the borescope and blade-bend classes," he said. "With the borescope class we teach how to inspect the various stages of the engine. It allows students to get inside the motor. These are especially helpful when assessing a bird strike or foreign object damage and lets you see the extent of it."

"The other, blade-bend," Hilliard continued. "Teaches more specifically how to file down a damaged blade and bring it up to certain standards."

All classes taught by the MTF take the general skill sets Airmen learn during technical school. Redburn said most Airmen come here for another base and have experience on other aircraft, but noted the training here turns them into professionals on the F-16 platform.

The MTF's training staff is comprised of four primary trainers. And according to Redburn, there are three crew chiefs and one engine troop working for him as the superintendent of the office as a whole.

"I am one of the crew chiefs," said Hilliard. "We train more than 60 maintainers on average during any given week. These Airmen come from all maintenance AFSCs. Basically, anyone who will touch our aircraft for maintenance reasons during their tenure here comes through our classes."

Hilliard added his classes are for the most part comprised of senior airmen and staff sergeants, but they do get a few airmen first class and "one-stripers".

"All new maintainers must take tests to certify they can perform the job correctly," said Redburn. "And this testing is left up to us and their unit training managers. There are five UTMs for the entire 8th MXG. We track roughly 1,200 to 1,400 training hours through the integrated maintenance data system, which works in conjunction with what the whole Air Force uses, the training business area."

According to Redburn and Hilliard, the MTF has the overall responsibility for ensuring Kunsan's maintenance Airmen are fully trained and capable of launching aircraft at a moment's notice.

"If our maintainers aren't properly trained, they can't maintain the jets," Redburn said. "And if the jets aren't properly maintained, the pilots can't fly."

"There's definitely a mutual trust there," the superintendent added. "The pilots trust the crew chiefs to deliver them a fully capable aircraft and in turn the crew chiefs and everyone else on the ground trust the pilot to bring back a serviceable aircraft."

Following an engine run test, one maintainer explains why he feels it's important to constantly train and improve his knowledge of the inner workings of the F-16.

"Professionally, I feel this is definitely a step in the right direction for my career," said Staff Sgt. Nathan Rookstool, 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron dedicated crew chief. "These guys really know what they're talking about and they did a great job helping us learn the skills we need to better serve the Air Force."

With more than 21 years of service, Redburn knows what it means to work the line and the hard work it takes to launch aircraft. He said most the Airmen here work 12-hour shifts, six days a week.

"The guys and gals out on the line are the ones who really deserve the credit," he said. "They're out there turning wrenches, weekend or not."

"Without what they do, our job simply wouldn't exist," Redburn added.

[Editor's note: This is part one of a three part series highlighting 8th MXG flights charged with ensuring Kunsan maintenance Airmen are completing the mission in compliance with set Air Force standards.]