Tech. Sgt. Mark Graveline performs an operational check on a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft fuel control panel Jan. 1, 2013. Flying crew chiefs are specially trained maintenance personnel who attend a six-week maintenance special operations course in addition to the hundreds of hours of training it takes to become 7-level aircraft maintainer. Graveline is the 315th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron flying crew chief, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii (U.S. Air Force Photo/Lt. Col. Bill Walsh)
Tech. Sgt. Mark Graveline performs a walk-around inspection on a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft Jan. 1, 2013. Flying crew chiefs are specially trained maintenance personnel who attend a six-week maintenance special operations course in addition to the hundreds of hours of training it takes to become 7-level aircraft maintainer. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Lt. Col. Bill Walsh)
by Lt. Col. Bill Walsh
315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
1/4/2013 - Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii -- When a $200 million aircraft breaks down in a dangerous place like Afghanistan or Colombia, pilots just can't call "Triple A." But they can call on their flying crew chief who, as most aircrew members know, knows everything.
They are the mechanics of the sky, flying missions all over the world and a pilot's best friend.
"These guys have saved many, many missions," said Lt. Col. Jeffery Smith of the 300th Airlift Squadron and aircraft commander on this trip across the Pacific Ocean. "They make our job of flying the airplane much easier."
Flying crew chiefs are specially trained maintenance personnel who attend a six-week maintenance special operations course in addition to the hundreds of hours of training it takes to become seven-level maintainer.
"We have to know everything about the aircraft," said Tech. Sgt. Mark Graveline of the 315th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron as he does his preflight walk-around inspection.
From fueling the aircraft and checking the oil, to troubleshooting a major system malfunction, these flying mechanics earn their stripes everyday. According to Smith, keeping the mission moving is critical to its success. With a trained maintainer on board small things might not become big problems.
When an FCC flies a mission, he or she has to take an enormous amount of publications with them. Thanks to today's digital technology, they are all contained in a laptop with hundreds of pages of diagrams, parts, instructions and more to keep the giant C-17 Globemaster III in the air.
In addition to the publications, they take an FCC toolbox containing things like specialized wrenches, tire pressure gauges and more.
"You never know what you will need when it comes to a fix," said Graveline.
In his trademark green flight suit, Graveline climbs under the wheel well to inspect the tires of the enormous aircraft. Carefully and methodically he covers every inch of the outside of the jet even taking note of rivets in the tail towering five stories above.
"We look for cracks, leaks and any sign of trouble," he said over the loud noise of the other jets on the busy ramp.
The cost savings of having a Flying Crew Chief could be staggering especially if they can, for example, fix something therefore making it unnecessary to send out an maintenance response team.
"These folks are specialists in many maintenance fields and save the day sometimes," said Smith. "They're even more important in places where there is no support."
Wherever the mission goes, the Flying Crew Chief goes with it making sure that the aircraft is safe and ready to fly 24 hours a day.
Comments
1/11/2013 8:32:36 PM ET I'm impressed with the care and knowledge these guys show of our c17s to avert tragedy in locations all over the world. I always love the pictures they take from their trips
Steve Studlestein, Missouri
1/11/2013 7:11:25 AM ET Same goes for the 2nd oldest bird that I am proud to fly with The KC-135 is an awesome aircraft to take around the world FCC is an awesome privelage to have
SSgt Kadena, Okinawa
1/11/2013 12:09:32 AM ET The one job I miss and will always regret promoting myself out of. Now I linger behind the glow of EPRs on my monitor and saturate my soul with the disappointment of the eternal returned for corrections cycle.
Used To Be One, Not the Flightline
1/10/2013 9:40:50 AM ET ...and Flight Engineers only THINK they do.
Joe Truttman, Tucson AZ
1/9/2013 4:35:50 PM ET This story could have been written in 1968 about our crew chiefs on C-130s in Vietnam. Some good things never change.
