Mechanics save Condor from extinction

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Arlo Taylor
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan (AFPN) --  Three mechanics from the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron here saved a Condor from extinction or at least the scrap heap.

The Condor is a de-icing vehicle for C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft passing through here. A combination of glitches had grounded the Condor for about a month. It would not start because of a dead battery and starter. Then a bad emergency shutdown switch was keeping fuel from the fuel pump, and a faulty fuel and water separator assembly forced fuel pressure to nil.

With snowfall possible here through May, maintainers said the Condor is living proof of the adage, “It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.”

A rare bird, the Condor’s problems left previous mechanics scratching their heads; however, Tech Sgt. Darrin Nieto and Staff Sgts. Matthew Brannon and Rodrigo Martinez teamed up to fix the Condor in only three days.

“It does not have too many roles it can perform daily; so it is critical that when needed, it works,” said Sergeant Nieto, noncommissioned officer in charge of vehicle maintenance and deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. “This is one of those unique one-of-a-kind assets. If your home station base does not have C-5s or C-17s, you may go a whole career without even seeing this truck.

“No other vehicle can do what the Condor does,” he said. “Without it operational, C5s and (C17s) can't get off the ground. No means to de-ice would mean the aircraft would be delayed until the weather breaks and Mother Nature de-ices the aircraft herself.”

Team members used their combined experience coupled with sets of schematics and advice from other special-vehicle maintainers Air Force-wide.

Sergeant Martinez, a vehicle maintainer also deployed from Dyess, tackled the starter shutdown. He discovered the starter was stuck, and with no parts in stock, he field stripped and rebuilt the starter.

This was the first time Sergeant Martinez had ever worked on a Condor, but he said troubleshooting is part the job, especially when deployed.

“Projects like this are why I became a mechanic,” he said. “I like the challenge.”

When he was told to fix the Condor, he asked, “What’s a Condor?”

“That’s one of the reason I like (temporary duty). You learn a lot,” Sergeant Martinez said. “None of our TDYs are alike. We get to work on a lot of different types of vehicles. It’s pretty cool.”

After Sergeant Martinez got the starter to turn over, Sergeant Brannon had a hunch. He said he had a little experience with the Condor from being station at Kadena Air Base, Japan.

“The first thing I said was, ‘Has anyone checked the emergency shutdown switch?’” Sergeant Brannon said. “It’s a safety device that shuts down the fuel line.”

He jumped up into the Condor’s basket, took the control panel apart and found a single wire caused the faulty emergency shutdown. Experience and a well-played hunch got the fuel flowing again.

Sergeant Nieto said the rest of the project fell into place shortly thereafter.

“Once we started to get fuel and the engine was starting to run, we were able to bleed the rest of the fuel and hydraulic system and pressed on,” he said. “We had it up and running after about four hours of work with the three of us finally getting it done.”

Troubleshooting is the bread and butter of all mechanics, but every job is a learning experience, Sergeant Brannon said.

“If you know how to troubleshoot certain types of equipment, (the principles) usually work for other types of vehicles,” he said. “If you know the basics of troubleshooting, you may know exactly what a problem could be.”

Fixing mind-bending problems like the Condor really is the rewarding part of being a mechanic, said Sergeant Brannon, a special-purpose vehicle mechanic deployed from Nellis AFB, Nev.

“I feel like a field goal kicker on a football team,” he said. “He may sit on the sidelines throughout the game but isn’t the star. But when the game’s on the line, you get the call to step up and win the game.”

Even though the special maintainers are not usually in the spotlight, Sergeant Nieto said there is solace in knowing their place in keeping the mission here running.

“If we go down, you might as well lock the gates and go home,” Sergeant Nieto said. “Planes can’t fly without us. There would be no refueling, no supplies, no security and the list goes on. Nothing on base moves without us. Now that's satisfaction.”