Photo By Master Sgt. Jonathan Young | Master Sgt. Richard Payne, a crew chief with the 134th Air Refueling Wing, Tennessee...... read more read more
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The aircraft is one of the most vital parts of the Tennessee Air National Guard mission worldwide. Perhaps even more vital are the people in the Guard who maintain these aircraft; the tactical aircraft maintainers, more commonly known as crew chiefs.
Crew chiefs are trained on specific aircraft, whether it be a fighter jet, cargo plane, or unmanned aerial vehicle, and are very knowledgeable of the subject at hand. Training time varies depending on the type of aircraft. These individuals are responsible for ensuring every component on the aircraft is maintained at or above standard, to be ready to fly at a moment’s notice so pilots can safely and effectively complete their mission.
Oftentimes in the National Guard, crew chiefs bring specialized skills to the table, such as a background in mechanics, knowledge of engines and past performance of pre-flight and post-flight inspections. One such individual is Master Sgt. Richard Payne, of the 134th Air Refueling Wing in Knoxville, Tenn.
Payne has been in the East Tennessee unit his entire career, more than 27 years and is currently the lead crew chief for a KC-135 Stratotanker, tail number 57-1436. Outside of the Guard, Payne’s passion is restoring Corvairs and other classic cars.
“As a crew chief, you learn early in your training that there is nowhere to pull a tanker over at 30,000 feet for a maintenance problem,” said Payne. Whether he is working on an aircraft or on a car, safety is paramount.
Outside of the National Guard, Payne is a Corvair enthusiast and member of the Knoxville Area Corvair Club, where he served as club president in 2010. Fixing Corvairs is part hobby and part business for him.
“I help out the members of our local club with their cars by donating my workshop and a Saturday three times a year. Members work on their own cars with the help of myself and other members. If a member has a problem they don’t feel comfortable tackling, I will repair it on my own time,” Payne explained.
“All elements of my National Guard training and experience have come into play when dealing with automobiles. From the aspects of safety, to the understanding of electrical schematics in manuals to understanding how everything works, it is very similar,” he said, adding that attention to detail is most important. “I can’t stand to have anything out of place on my vehicles or on my assigned KC-135 aircraft.”
The Guardsman became interested in mechanics at an early age, getting his inspiration from his father who taught him about welding, fabrication and maintenance on older model vehicles.
“Dad always had something cool to drive. In a time before cell phones and computers, a car was your freedom,” Payne said. “To a kid who started with a plastic pedal car, only one thing was missing-the sound of the engine!”
Payne recalled his father taking him to antique tractor shows when he was younger, as well as watching the semi-trucks as they traveled along on the highway during trips back and forth to Michigan, where he was born, to visit relatives.
“They always fascinated me. They were so big and so cool!” exclaimed Payne. “I especially enjoyed seeing them at night, with all of their clearance lights shining bright.”
When Payne was 17, his father bought a 1967 Corvair.
“To a kid used to seeing the engine in the front of cars, it was an odd automobile. I didn’t think it was very cool,” he recalled. “The two speed power glide just didn’t have any performance, which is probably the reason my dad put me behind the wheel of it.”
When asked which he was more passionate about, planes or cars, Payne was undecided.
“The styling of the KC-135 has a classic look, just as cars of the late 50s and early 60s. Both take a great deal of time and dedication,” said Payne. “I tell people that 57-1436 is my other hot rod, I just can’t take it to the local cruise night.”
Fortunately for Payne, he was been able to combine his civilian hobby with his career in the National Guard through the Knoxville unit’s annual “Top Wrench” competition. Top Wrench is a vocational program developed for high school students as an introduction to racing and team building as they prepare for careers in automotive and marine fields.
Top Wrench was founded in 1991 and is exclusive to Joint Base McGhee-Tyson. The founder, Joe Marshall, was a vehicle mechanic in the 119th Combat Communications Squadron. Payne has been involved with Top Wrench for more than ten years.
“Joe put the program together as a recruiting tool to attract high school vocational students to McGhee-Tyson,” said Payne. “Twenty-five years later, it is going strong and now hosts 12 local area high school vocational shops. Instructors tell use every year that he first question the students ask at the beginning of school is ‘When is Top Wrench?’”
“Only by sharing our experiences in the National Guard, can we recruit the next generation of Guardsmen. In some cases, all these individuals need is some guidance, a positive attitude and some reassurance. Once they find out they can do a task and do it successfully, there is no stopping their potential,” said Payne.
For Payne, the classic car hobby and the Air National Guard share many things in common.
He concluded, “It takes individuals with dedication and foresight to continue the tradition of excellence we are accustomed to. No classic car or aircraft was ever able to repair itself.”
| Date Taken: | 08.29.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 08.29.2017 14:27 |
| Story ID: | 246439 |
| Location: | KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 224 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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