F-16 thru-flight inspection

Staff Sgt. Taylor Myers checks a magnet for metal fragments during a "thru-flight" inspection on an F-16C at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, March 5. The magnet is removed from the bottom portion of the plane's engine and is designed to attract metal fragments, which would be an indication of excessive wear and tear on the aircraft's power plant. Sergeant Myers is a crew chief in the 301st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and was supporting a "surge" exercise to help prepare the Air Force Reserve's 301st Fighter Wing for an upcoming inspection. The 301st Maintenance Group generated 38 sorties in one day, which were flown by pilots from the wing's 457th Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. David Kurle)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
F-16 thru-flight inspection

Staff Sgt. Taylor Myers signals directions to a 457th Fighter Squadron F-16C pilot in order to marshall the aircraft to its parking spot at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, March 5, during a "surge" exercise. Sergeant Myers, a crew chief in the 301st Maintenance Squadron, had approximately two hours to get the aircraft ready for its next sortie. The 301st Fighter Wing, an Air Force Reserve Command unit, held the exercise to prepare for its upcoming operational readiness inspection. The 301st Maintenance Group produced 38 sorties for the 457th FS pilots to fly in one day.(U.S. Air Force photo/Lt Col David Kurle)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
F-16 thru-flight inspection

Staff Sgt. Taylor Myers checks for wear and tear on the tires of an F-16C Fighting Falcon at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, March 5. Sergeant Myers, a crew chief from the 301st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, had two hours to "turn," or get the aircraft ready, for its next sortie. The Air Force Reserve's 301st Fighter Wing held a "surge" exercise to prepare for an upcoming operational readiness inspection. The 301st Maintenance Group produced 38 sorties in one day, which were flown by pilots in the 457th Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. David Kurle)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
F-16 thru-flight inspection

Staff Sgt. Taylor Myers inspects and "safes" the cockpit of an F-16C Fighting Falcon March 5 at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, during a "surge" exercise held by the 301st Fighter Wing. Sergeant Taylor is performing a "thru-flight" inspection on the aircraft, which he aims to have ready to fly again in two hours. The 301st Maintenance Group produced 38 sorties in one day, which were flown by pilots from the 457th Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. David Kurle)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
F-16 thru-flight inspection

Staff Sgt. Taylor Myers checks for leaking hydraulic lines in the main wheel well of an F-16C Fighting Falcon at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, March 5. Sergeant Taylor, a crew chief from the 301st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was performing a "thru-flight" inspection on the aircraft as part of a "surge" exercise to prepare the 301st Fighter Wing for an operational readiness inspection. The 301st Maintenance Group produced 38 sorties during the one-day surge. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. David Kurle)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res
F-16 thru-flight inspection

Staff Sgt. Taylor Myers covers the engine inlet on an F-16C Fighting Falcon at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, March 5, during a "surge" exercise. Sergeant Myers is a crew chief with the 301st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. The exercise was held to prepare the 301st Fighter Wing for an upcoming operational readiness inspection. The 301st Maintenance Group launched 38 sorties during the one-day surge. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. David Kurle)

Photo Details / Download Hi-Res

301st maintainers generate 38 sorties during 1-day surge exercise

Published March 9, 2011
By Lt. Col. David Kurle
301st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

NAS FORT WORTH JRB, Texas -- The 301st Maintenance and Operations Groups produced 38 F-16 Fighting Falcon sorties in one day March 5 as part of a "surge" exercise designed to prepare the 301st Fighter Wing for its upcoming operational readiness inspection.

The surge was successful thanks to the efforts of maintainers like Staff Sgt. Taylor Myers, a crew chief in the 301st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

Sergeant Myers had only two hours to perform a "thru-flight" inspection on the F-16C assigned to him during the surge before the aircraft would be needed for another training sortie. Pilots from the wing's 457th Fighter Squadron flew the 38 sorties throughout the day.

The wing's ORI is scheduled for the end of February, 2012.

F-16 thru-flight inspection

F-16 thru-flight inspection

F-16 thru-flight inspection

F-16 thru-flight inspection

F-16 thru-flight inspection

F-16 thru-flight inspection