HomeNewsFeatures

Features
Air Power

FEATURES

Fab flight craftsmanship reaches entire base

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Erin Smith
  • 15th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii (AFPN) --  With the precision of a surgeon and the skill of a seamstress, Airmen from the 15th Maintenance Squadron's fabrications flight work to ensure the fleet of C-17 Globemaster IIIs at Hickam Air Force Base is structurally sound.

Fab flight, as it's commonly referred to, literally has a hand in every project, activity and event the wing does.

"We are a diversified flight," said Senior Master Sgt. Roth Beebe, the 15th MXS fabrications flight chief. "We make the mission happen in such a broad area and we are critical to the mission. We also support the base in ways you would never think of."

The flight has four areas: Structural shop, metals tech shop that includes the machine and welding shop, nondestructive inspection lab, and the survival equipment shop.

The nondestructive inspection shop inspects the aircraft and determines the extent of damage. They act as surgeons, closely examining the composite substance that makes up a C-17 with sonogram and digital X-ray technology to map the damage.

Sometimes, what looks like a dime-sized dent on a C-17 is actually a greater notch than is visible to the naked eye, flight members said.

Once damage is assessed, it is onto the structural and metals tech shops to repair it. Structural maintenance includes sheet metal composite, tubing, paint. On a C-17, which is mostly made of a composite material, the process of removing the damaged portion to make repairs becomes more intricate.

"If (nondestructive inspection) found problems, we would cut out the damaged area, sand it down, patch it, vacuum and heat it," said Staff Sgt. Brian Brown of the 15th MXS structural maintenance shop.

Along with repairs, shop members also perform preventative maintenance in the form of corrosion control, or rust prevention. Since the air is salty and planes are constantly flying over salt water, rust forms easily. Members from this shop are responsible for taking necessary steps to minimize this corrosion.

What the structural maintenance shop doesn't repair, metals tech does. Airmen here are responsible for the sheet metal and welding of the aircraft but it doesn't stop there. For Airmen assigned to this flight, they are only limited by their creativity.

"We are like the O.C. Choppers for the Air Force," said Senior Airman Bryce Knape of the 15th MXS metals tech shop. "We can make anything you can think of."

With the technology in this shop like a three-axis computer numerically controlled milling machine, commonly called a CNC mill and a water jet cutting machine, Airmen can not only create parts for aircraft but also support the sister services and other squadrons around base.

When all else fails, the survival equipment crew becomes an aircrew's best friend. These Airmen are responsible for maintaining equipment like parachutes and life rafts. Not only are Airmen responsible folding and packing the equipment but also repairing any damage to the parachutes and cargo netting.

The experts in this flight made lifesaving repairs to equipment and are also called upon to manufacture things like FOD bags, cable bags, sunshades for the aircraft and engine covers.

The staff, who are the "last to let you down" according to their motto, includes both Hawaii Air National Guard and active-duty Airmen.

"I enjoy the satisfaction of knowing our stuff will work to save someone's life," said Staff. Sgt. Terrance Murphy of the 15th MXS. "Seeing it in action and knowing firsthand it will work."

Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link)

Click here to view the comments/letters page