Fighter Jet News
F-16 Fighting Falcon News
Coordination plus cooperation equals success
October 30, 2005 (by
crazyal611) -
To fly an aircraft in the Montana Air National Guard, it takes many coodinated steps in within the Wing. When aircraft 86-0328 sustained structural damage while in Balad, Iraq last summer, the next mission just became a whole lot difficult.
The aircraft was expected to at the depot facility for over a year recieving the required maintenance actions to make it flyable again.
The Maintenance Group of the 120th thought they could speed up the repair process if they were involved. In cooperation with the National Guard Bureau, the Crash Recovery Squadron and their LRS Group, a plan was formulated. The aircraft would get a new bulkhead at the depot facility in Utah, and then be shipped to Great Falls for the final assembly. In just 62 working days, the depot crew and the 120th maintenance personnel had taken a crate full of parts and turned it back into a viable asset.
However, before the aircraft could fly, the documentation also had to be correct. Over 1,000 maintenance actions well reviewed and to ensure all required repairs were completed. On October 17, the aircraft flew with no reported discrepancies.
"The aircraft flew over Mach 1.6 with no prblems at all," siad Major Trace Thomas, the pilot who flew and tested the aircraft.
"It takes a team effort to achieve success such as this" said CMS Joe Skaggs, the project NCOIC. "The coordination and cooperation of the individuals involved in this multi-unit project saved our unit well over $400,000 and returned a valuable asset to mission capable status almost a year ahead of time. My thanks go out to all who participated in this endeavor."
USAF F-16C block 30 #86-0328 from the Montana ANG is parked at a remote desert base on June 10th, 2004. [Photo by Chickenlegs]
The Maintenance Group of the 120th thought they could speed up the repair process if they were involved. In cooperation with the National Guard Bureau, the Crash Recovery Squadron and their LRS Group, a plan was formulated. The aircraft would get a new bulkhead at the depot facility in Utah, and then be shipped to Great Falls for the final assembly. In just 62 working days, the depot crew and the 120th maintenance personnel had taken a crate full of parts and turned it back into a viable asset.
However, before the aircraft could fly, the documentation also had to be correct. Over 1,000 maintenance actions well reviewed and to ensure all required repairs were completed. On October 17, the aircraft flew with no reported discrepancies.
"The aircraft flew over Mach 1.6 with no prblems at all," siad Major Trace Thomas, the pilot who flew and tested the aircraft.
"It takes a team effort to achieve success such as this" said CMS Joe Skaggs, the project NCOIC. "The coordination and cooperation of the individuals involved in this multi-unit project saved our unit well over $400,000 and returned a valuable asset to mission capable status almost a year ahead of time. My thanks go out to all who participated in this endeavor."
Released in the November Big Sky Flyer