Bagram Airmen keep F-16s in the fight

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Richard Williams
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) --  As their F-16 Fighting Falcon pulled into its parking spot on the airfield March 23, the maintainers from the 34th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit had something to be proud of: tail number 2119 had returned from its 30th code 1 sortie over Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. Brad Lyons, 34th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron commander, explained the code status as a three tier system that rates an aircraft's mission readiness. A code 1 aircraft is one that returns from a mission with no maintenance needs that would affect the safety of flight or mission accomplishment.  A code 2 means there were maintenance issues that may be a nuisance item but safety and mission accomplishment would not be affected.  A code 3 aircraft would have a problem severe enough that mission accomplishment and safety were affected and the aircraft would not fly until proper maintenance could be performed.

Col. Lawrence Gatti, 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group commander, explained the significance of flying 30 code 1 sorties,

"No one person makes an aircraft fly 30 code 1 sorties," he said.  "I have never heard of it in my 32 years in the Air Force, so I think it is a pretty remarkable achievement."

"The maintainers for our squadron are doing an outstanding job for us out here," said Colonel Lyons. "They never forget for a moment that there is an Airman whose life is at risk every time one of our aircraft goes up, and by extension, the lives of countless ground forces whose lives would be put at additional risk if our planes did not show up to support them on a daily basis."

The crew chiefs, as well as Airmen in the weapons flight, the production staff and the back shops all should take credit for the remarkable feat, said Colonel Gatti. "All of those units have to do their job flawlessly to have something like this come together. This is a culmination of all of their hard work, a real team effort."

"I've always known we had some of the best maintainers in the business and I think this proves it," Colonel Lyons said.

"It is a great feeling," said Staff Sgt. Lucas Inboden, the 34th EAMU crew chief for tail 2119. "It makes me feel better to know that this was a total force and a total team effort."

Sergeant Inboden explained the team effort that went into accomplishing the 30 code 1 sorties was not only due to his own hard work and dedication to mission accomplishment, but the dedication shown by everyone from the pilots flying the aircraft to the people who are turning the wrenches every day.

There are many factors that come into play when trying to keep a jet on a code 1 status, Sergeant Inboden said.  Extreme heat and cold temperatures accompanied by wind, dust and rocks wreak havoc not only on the aircraft but on the men and women who ensure those aircraft are ready to accomplish the mission.

However, he said the professionals at the 34th EAMU are up to the challenge and focused on the mission.

Col. Patrick Mckenzie, 455th Expeditionary Operations Group commander, said the success of the 30 code 1 milestone hinges on the relationship between the pilots and the maintainers.

"It is a tribute to our maintainers and a tribute to our pilots because we have such a strong working relationship," he said. "In this squadron (Airmen in) operations and maintenance know exactly what is going on in each other's worlds; they are involved not only professionally but personally."

It's a relationship Colonel McKenzie sees as key to taking care of each other and ensuring everyone makes it home safe.