Maintenance reservists go technical


Tech. Sgt. Darren Montefu, 920th Rescue Wing reserve aircraft maintenance engineer, performs a pre-flight inspection using a semi-rugged commercial mobile device as a technical data reader, part of Air Force Reserve Command's eTools Lite initiative. These devices were used during the Wing's recently successful HQ ACC/IG Operational Readiness Inspection, which noted "...the unit's superb use of technical data." Montefu was recognized as a Superior Performer and received the ACC/IG General's Coin. (U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt. Leslie Forshaw)

Maintenance reservists go hi-tech

by 2nd Lt. Leslie Forshaw
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

5/10/2013 - PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Aircraft maintenance reservists at the 920th Rescue Wing have a new tool in their bag in the form of an Apple iPad.

Weighing just 2.5 pounds, with the rugged carrying case, the iPads used with the Air Force Reserve Command-developed eTools Lite software, is revolutionizing the way the Airmen do their jobs.

"This is an easier and faster way for the reservists to get technical data," said Rebecca Mitchell, 920th RQW Technical Order Distribution Office.

Mitchell is responsible for training maintainers and updating the wing's 37 iPads with software that replaces paper/laptop-based technical orders used daily for aircraft maintenance work.

"Right now, the 920th RQW is among the first units to use this technology," Mitchell said. "It's looking like it's a really good move."

It takes about a week of training to learn how to dock the machines and accept software updates, she said.

Staff Sgt. Mark O'Neal, reserve maintenance support section, maintains the TO library.

"The eTools Lite will replace 17 entire libraries," O'Neal explains. "All of the aircraft files will be stored on the iPads."

Updating TOs as they are now -- paper pages in a four-inch thick binder -- is an all-day job. Using this new technology will save about six hours a day, he said.

Technical Orders provide maintenance instructions for repairing HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters and HC-130P/N King tanker aircraft.

These orders are used for routine maintenance on the aircraft and have 'how-to' instructions for replacing parts.

"Instead of carrying three or four binders out to the flight line, I can carry out one little iPad," said Tech. Sgt. Gary Watkins, reserve aerospace propulsion craftsman. "It saves us a lot of time by not having to search through pages and pages of a binder. You just use the 'find' button."

This new and industrious way of maintaining aircraft paid dividends during the 920th RQW's Combined Unit Inspection in April. The maintenance group received an overall 'Excellent' from the Air Combat Command Inspector General. Their sound technical data usage was identified as a strength in the report.

"It saved us time," Watkins said. "That's was the biggest thing while on the flight line during the exercise."

All the TOs are right there on one device, and it saved the maintainers from having to run back and forth if another binder was needed, he said.

"It's another tool that aids us in doing the best we can do," said Watkins.

This is a popular tool at the 920th RQW. By 7:30 a.m., 90 percent of the iPads are checked out, said O'Neal.

With more iPads scheduled to arrive at the 920th RQW, this 'best practice', as coined by the ACC/IG, is here to stay.

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