Bagram engine maintainer ensures aircraft readiness

Published May 15, 2013
By Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Aircraft assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Wing here protect the base, collect intelligence and save lives; but an aircraft will not run without an engine, and the engine can't function without maintenance.

Tech. Sgt. Christopher Poole, 455th Maintenance Group engine manager, is responsible for spare engines assigned to four aircraft maintenance units here.

When an engine breaks, he comes to the rescue making sure it gets to the right place to be repaired. Additionally, he ensures spare engines are always available if needed.

In the event an engine breaks, the unit fills out an engine change request form. This form details the reason the engine has to be changed and what maintenance was performed to try and repair it. Poole then sends the form to Air Force Central Command and the unit's major command to determine where the engine will go to get fixed. The majority of the time the engines remain in the area of responsibility for repair.

Recently, after a C-130 Hercules engine was severely damaged in flight, the level of repairs required the engine be sent back to the U.S.

"We do not send an engine back to the states for repairs often, but when we do it's my job to supervise the process up until it is shipped," said Poole, deployed here from Barksdale Air Force Base, La. "That includes making sure the engine is ready for the customs clearance process."

As a part of his daily duties, Poole works with U.S. Navy members every week to clear engines through customs.

"In order for a piece of an aircraft to return to the United States from overseas, it must go through a thorough process and inspection by customs," he said. "Working with the Navy reminds me of the joint effort in the AOR."

At Bagram, the customs clearance process is conducted by the Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group. Their job is to stop restricted and prohibited items, as defined by U.S Department of Agriculture and the Customs and Border Protection Agency, from entering the United States.

"It's my job to clear all items and personnel leaving Bagram every day," said Petty Officer Second Class John Foster, NAVELSG Customs official. "In this circumstance, we inspect the engine to make sure it's clean of stagnant water, vegetation, bugs and contraband prior to wrapping it up for shipment."

After the engine is approved by customs, the C-130 Aircraft Maintenance Unit wraps it with protective covering.

"Once customs clears the engine, I tow it to the traffic management office to get weighed and shipped," said Poole.

Poole is a B-52 flight line engine mechanic at his home station, so he knows the importance of an engine.

"When new, spare engines come in, it's my job to pick them up and deliver them to the units in a timely manner because an aircraft can't fly without an engine."