379 EM“X”G Technicians Perform Miraculous “Surgeries”

Published Sept. 21, 2007
By Lt Col. Scott T. Fike
379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Knife, scalpel, clamps...just what the doctor requested while performing "serious" surgery in the operating room.

The article title and opening words may seem somewhat confusing when also looking at their accompanying pictures. But day in and day out, the men and women of the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group perform routine preventive maintenance on over 80 aircraft supporting the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing's mission. And just like our medical professionals, the maintenance pros find themselves occasionally performing extensive and intrusive "surgery" A.K.A heavy or depot-level maintenance repairs on our weapon systems as well. In the past three weeks alone, two major B-1 aircraft "depot surgeries" have been undertaken with outstanding results!

Similar to the arrival of an ambulance and seriously ill patient to the emergency room where the medical professionals rush to stabilize and save lives, a group of 379th AEW experts reacted quickly and decisively when a B-1 aircraft, piloted by a professional B-1 aircrew, landed safely with a near-collapsed nose landing gear.

These same experts promptly reacted days later to a blown tire in-flight emergency wherein extensive damage occurred to another B-1's engine and engine nacelle area. In both instances, the 379th Expeditionary Mission Support Group's first responder Fire Department Team/On Scene Commander were immediately at the site working in concert with members from the 379th EMXS Crash Recovery Team and EAMXS' flight line recovery crew. Continuing the medical analogy, both aircraft were triaged, stabilized and shortly thereafter transferred to the intensive care unit or "normal flight line parking spot" for further damage evaluation and subsequent repairs.

The damage and subsequent repairs enacted on both B-1 aircraft were extensive and in both cases required depot-level repair dispositions which were expeditiously coordinated by the EMXG's EMOS engineers. The repairs performed on the first aircraft included the replacement of the nose landing gear, nose strut actuators, restrictor valves, and removal and replacement of the aircraft exterior skin for access to various components.

Upon receipt of depot engineering disposition, the 379th EMXG's field-level sheet metal experts assigned to the 379th EMXS, performed noteworthy depot-level repairs and in so doing, literally pieced back together a B-1 enabling its return to the fight and combat operations in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Joint Task Force Horn of Africa.

When it's all said and done the 379th EMXG flight line, crash recovery, sheet metal and metals tech professionals together with other 379th AEW team members ensure AOR combat capability remains at peak levels despite extremely challenging conditions. The dedication and professionalism recently displayed by 379th maintainers in returning two of the wing's combat-coded B-1 jets to mission capable status is indicative of what Team EMXG accomplishes each and every day across the entire fleet in support of the Global War on Terror!