Photo By Master Sgt. Krishna Gamble | Spc. Clayton Drake, Chinook mechanic with Company D, 3rd General Support Battalion,...... read more read more
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By Army Sgt. 1st Class Krishna M. Gamble
Task Force Pegasus Public Affairs Office
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – After traveling more than 5,000 miles and undergoing more than 18 hours of assembly, maintenance and inspection, "Dirty Donna" is ready to take her place alongside the other CH-47 Chinooks in Company B, 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, also known as 'Flippers.'
Two crews of 10 Soldiers, all from Company D, 3-82nd GSAB, 82nd CAB, 82nd Abn. Div., worked around the clock to prepare the CH-47 for assumption of duties as soon as possible. From installing the forward transmission package and various radio antennas, to preparing the rotor head for blade installation, the "Soldiers put their butts into putting (this) aircraft together and getting (it) ready for flight," said Army Staff Sgt. William Harper, section chief, Co. D, 3-82nd GSAB.
"The most challenging part is the aft pylon because it has the biggest components and it (involves) more tedious work putting it together," Harper said.
"The aft pylon has more than 50 7/8-size bolts that have to be manually installed because it holds some of the major components of the aircraft," said Army Sgt. 1st Class Donald Hamilton, maintenance floor supervisor, Co. D, 3-82nd GSAB.
Dirty Donna replaces Snickers, who the Flippers inherited from the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, in January. Snickers was then known as "Down with Sickness", but Army crew chief Sgt. Miaicon Myers changed the name as a play on the popular American commercial related to the candy bar, "not going anywhere for a while." During her lifetime, Snickers flew more than 7,400 hours with more than 500 of those hours flown since January.
"(Snickers) had a bad lateral, but when she flew, she did well," said Myers, from Co. B, 3rd GSAB, 82nd CAB.
Dirty Donna, which traveled from Alaska to Afghanistan, has more than 7,000 flight hours. Myers is sure the name of the aircraft will change, but he is undecided on what her new name will be.
"I've to got fly her for a while before I name her."
| Date Taken: | 09.17.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 09.17.2007 11:31 |
| Story ID: | 12395 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 190 |
| Downloads: | 135 |
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