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379th AGE ground power enables air power

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Bryan Swink
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Walking across the flightline with tools in hand, the maintainer is already feeling the sweat begin to run down his face. With temperatures exceeding 120 degrees outside, he begins climbing into the cabin of the mighty B-1 Lancer.

The sun is relentless against the exterior of the jet, creating an oven like feeling. The temperature is well over 150 degrees inside as he begins his work. The perspiration continues to pour from his forehead like a faucet, hitting the floor of the cockpit and almost immediately evaporating.

Suddenly, a burst of cool air rushes through the cabin. The maintainer breathes a sigh of relief as the air conditioning starts providing instant relief from the vicious summer weather.

That relief came at the hands of the Airmen of the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight who make it possible for maintainers to work safely, repair aircraft and return the airplanes to the fight downrange.

The AGE Flight essentially duplicates aircraft systems while on the ground. Everything from cooling, electrical power generation and hydraulics to small maintenance stands. Each of these and many more items are thoroughly maintained by this flight of elite ground pounders.

"Generators, flood lights ... everything that's used on the flightline to support maintainers complete their mission, we ensure all of it is in working order without having to run the aircraft's engines," said Tech. Sgt. Andrew Larson, 379th EMXS AGE shift lead. "This saves the Air Force a lot of money by not wasting excess fuel."

The 379 EMXS AGE Flight is the largest AGE Flight in the area of responsibility. They support seven different airframes and more than 675 pieces of support equipment.

"Our shop does an amazing job accomplishing approximately 6,500 dispatches per month and 78,000 per year," said Chief Master Sgt. Ricky Fugate, 379th EMXS AGE flight chief deployed from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas. "We also complete more than 1,700 support equipment inspections per month and 20,500 support equipment inspections per year."

During the summer, the flight consistently performs maintenance on the different air conditioners for the aircraft. The desert elements put such wear and tear on these machines they are always rotating through their shop.

"We maintain approximately 50 air conditioners here and we seem to always have at least one in the shop," said Larson, deployed from Barksdale Air Force Base, La. "With the brutal weather we constantly face, it's important we have the equipment running at 100 percent efficiency."

These dedicated Airmen pour their hearts into their 'behind-the-scenes' mission and know what they do directly contributes to the fight downrange.

"We know the work we do directly effects the overall mission," said Senior Airman Travis Jordan, 379th EMXS AGE Flight journeyman deployed from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. "If we can't provide properly maintained equipment while the aircraft are on the ground, the ripple effect of not having those aircraft in the air on time can be felt across the entire AOR."