Nondestructive inspection technicians ensure aviation safety

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Val Gempis
  • Air Force Print News
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  Aircraft maintainers rely on nondestructive inspection technicians here to ensure military aviation safety in the Pacific region.

As aircraft age, the need to inspect, repair or replace parts increases.

“Our primary threats are aircraft fatigue damage and corrosion,” said Master Sgt. Bobby Fruge, the 374th Maintenance Squadron inspection laboratory chief here. “Some of these defects are invisible to the eye.”

Inspection teams examine the uniformity, quality and serviceability of aircraft components using advanced technology, without damaging the part or affecting its usefulness. The three-person team inspects Yokota’s fleet of C-130 Hercules, UH-1 Hueys and other aircraft transiting here.

Although modern techniques and computer-assisted processing have increased inspection speed and reliability, the dependability of the test depends significantly on the operator.

“We make decisions that can affect a mission or even ground an aircraft,” said Sergeant Fruge.

To ensure that aircraft parts are mechanically sound, the maintainers use a variety of inspection methods and tools.

During a C-130 phase inspection, a regularly scheduled aircraft check that lasts two weeks, the technicians haul their equipment including a portable X-ray machine to the repair hangar.

“It’s slow and tedious work,” said Staff Sgt. Roland Hernandez, an inspection technician. “Everything is repeatedly checked and verified.”

Pressurized aircraft inflate and deflate during takeoffs and landings causing cracks and moisture sets that can weaken aircraft joints, he said.

“We have a pretty good idea where the problem areas are,” Sergeant Hernandez said. He has been inspecting aircraft parts for 12 years.

But an aircraft can play tricks if people do not know what to look for, he said.

A few years ago while inspecting at night, Sergeant Hernandez said an Airman found a tiny crack on a C-130 wing joint area. He came back the next evening to reinspect the area but the hairline fracture was gone. Baffled, the maintainer returned later the next day and found the crack again. He discovered that weather plays a factor during an inspection. The crack expanded when it was hot, and it contracted when the climate turned cold.

The technicians provide an excellent balance between quality control and cost-effectiveness, Sergeant Fruge said. They improve the performance of an aircraft by accurately detecting component flaws before they get worse.

“We help save money and lives,” he said.