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Bagram maintainers lead the way for greater airpower capability

  • Published
  • By Capt. Michael Meridith
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan --  F-15E Strike Eagle maintainers here recently became the first in the Air Force to implement a new inspection process that promises greater airpower capability throughout Afghanistan. 

Shortly after becoming the first deployed F-15 unit in the Air Force to return to full operational capability following the Air Force's fleet-wide grounding of the aircraft, the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron began the new "400-hour phase" inspection process this week. Phase inspections are among the most comprehensive maintenance actions performed on Air Force aircraft. 

"Previously, each of our aircraft went into a five to seven day phase inspection for every 200 flight hours," said Maj. Jennifer Hammerstedt, the squadron commander. 

"Engineers at [the Air Logistics Center at] Warner-Robins Air Force Base looked carefully at all the data after years of analysis and testing and were able to extend it to
400 hours."

While the 400-hour standard wasn't slated for implementation until early 2008, maintenance leaders here asked the Air Force to approve an earlier adoption for Bagram. "We're at the tip of the spear and we wanted the extra [flying] hours to meet our mission demands," said Major Hammerstedt. 

Thanks to the new standard, maintainers are not only able to keep the Strike Eagles in the air longer - which Maj. Hammerstedt said "ultimately equates to lives saved on the ground," but they are also able to reinvest the time savings back into a key area: training.
"When I was back at home station, I didn't get us much of a chance to be hands-on during phase," said Airman 1st Class Darwin Gellizeau, 455th EMXS. "Now I have the chance to get more involved and to learn more." 

That point was echoed by Staff Sgt. Charles Knotts, the phase dock chief, who added, "It means we'll need less manpower, have a lot more flexibility and it will free us up to refocus on other critical programs." 

With the first phase inspection under the new standard complete, Major Hammerstedt is pleased by the results and excited about the future. "Our Air Force has taken the initiative to look at a very long-standing process and ask, 'how can we do this smarter and better,'" she said. "With the amount and length of sorties we fly-that means a huge plus in combat capability."