NDI Airmen play big part in mission

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael Dorsey
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  For Senior Airmen Kenda Lewis and James Cone, the nature of their work is among the most obscure in the Air Force. What they do, however, prevents disaster from taking center stage on the mission.

Assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron’s nondestructive inspection lab at a forward-deployed location, the Airmen are part of a seven-person team that inspects the structural integrity of an aircraft before it goes to structural maintenance for repair.

“Our job is critical because if we miss something (before it goes airborne for a mission) the aircraft could crash,” said Airman Cone, a Jacksonville, Ark., native deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

In a shelter near the flightline, the Airmen work in the background of more highly recognized aircraft maintenance career fields in the Air Force. Many people do not know this job exists. Yet their job takes a back seat to no one in the amount of impact they have on aircraft operations throughout the area.

“The main reason for NDI is to ensure the aircraft is safe for flight and predict any failures that could happen,” said Airman Lewis, who is deployed from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. “Depending on what we are looking for, the type of inspection we perform dictates how much equipment we use for each inspection.”

Once a problem is identified, the Airmen go to work, using any number of tools and techniques necessary in searching for cracks and crevices on, inside and underneath the skin of an airframe as well as the aircraft’s engine. Some inspections take 30 minutes, while others take four to five hours. Unlike years past, the Airmen find deficiencies unseen by the naked eye without lugging around bulky equipment, thanks to changes in technology.

The Eddy current test -- done with a copper wire placed around a probe, and a current display the size of a paperback book -- is one of the least time-consuming inspections. The radiograph equipment is the largest piece of equipment and takes up the most time to get the job done. But, the X-ray inspection reveals microscopic cracks that are potential disasters waiting to happen.

“The job is very critical because if there was something missed during an inspection … catastrophic failures could occur in flight,” said Airman Lewis, a Kinston, N.C., native.

When they found out they were deploying, the Airmen said they could not wait to go to work in the sand. Both looked at the deployment here as a career-broadening opportunity.

“I like how I am able to get experience with other airframes instead of just the F-15 (Eagles),” Airman Lewis said. “They fly real-world missions, instead of training missions, and everything is done a lot faster. I love it here.”

Airman Cone works on C-130 Hercules at home.

“The work is the same, but we get a chance to enhance our NDI skills and knowledge because of the different aircraft that we may not have at home station,” he said.

They said they also learn from each other.

“He has taught me different (things) on the C-130,” Airman Lewis said. ”But I still taught him stuff like the new inspections that came out and retraining on some X-ray inspections.”

While the Airmen draw on their training and experience to do their job, Airman Cone said there is no magical formula for their success.

As noncommissioned officer in charge of the NDI lab, Master Sgt. Robin Brown praises and supports his people.

“It’s good to see young troops come in and take initiative,” Sergeant Brown said. “That is what Senior Airmen Lewis and Cone have done from day one. They understand the team concept, and they are always the first ones to lead the way when it comes to the flightline.”