Splish Splash!

Citizen Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., taxi an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter through a series of fresh water jets called the bird bath after a local training mission. Anytime Rescue Airmen pilot the pave hawks within 10 nautical miles of salt water, the 920th Maintenance Group mandates rinsing the engines for optimal performance. Since PAFB sits on a barrier island and is surrounded by the brackish Banana River to the west, and the salty Atlantic Ocean to the east, all local missions require a rinse of some sort. During a water operation mission where rescue training takes them within 30 feet of salt water, the entire airframe requires a rinse afterward. The rinses slows the corrosive effects of salt. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Cathleen Snow)

Florida Airmen battle surf-sand menace to CSAR aircraft

Published May 13, 2013
By Maj. Cathleen Snow
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Salt eats metal and sand pollutes machinery. Combat search and rescue aircraft assigned to the 920th Rescue Wing here are magnets for both.

The Atlantic Ocean breaks surf a few hundred feet to the east of the Patrick AFB aircraft parking ramp and the salt meets fresh-water mix that is the Banana River, borders it a few hundred feet to the west.

That salty sandy mixture of wind and water creates additional maintenance issues for the HH-60 Pave Hawks and HC-130 King tanker aircraft flown by the wing. Maintenance Airmen work to condition both CSAR airframes before and after every local mission. Although the Pave Hawks are smaller and fly lower than the HC-130s they require more baths.

The 920th Maintenance Group mandates rinsing the engines for optimal performance anytime the Pave Hawks are operated within 10 nautical miles of salt water.

Aircrew Airmen taxi the helicopter through a series of fresh water jets called the bird bath after local training missions.

During a water operation mission where rescue training takes them within 30 feet of salt water, the entire airframe requires a rinse afterward.

"Pararescuemen are hoisting in and out of the Pave Hawks throwing salt water and sand everywhere," said Senior Master Sgt. Dean Peterson.

De-icing trucks are an added defense in the battle against corrosion. Instead of spraying a mixture that melts snow and ice from aircraft wings, they dowse the aircraft with water.

According to 920th maintainers, all of the rinsing slows the corrosive effects of the beach, but being surrounded by salt water on both sides makes it constant battle.