Aviation mechanics keep up with battle workload

Courtesy Photo | Hattesburg, Miss., native Spc. Matthew Stallard and Eagle Point, Ore., native Pfc. Eric Cramer, both of A Co. 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, work on an Apache rotorhead as part of its phase maintenance.  

TAJI, IRAQ

09.07.2005

Courtesy Story

DVIDS Hub       

Spc. Derek Del Rosario
Aviation Brigade PAO

CAMP TAJI, Iraq -- The sight of an Apache flying overhead can strike fear into Anti-Iraqi Forces, but when the aircraft mechanics of the 3rd Infantry Division Aviation Brigade get hold of them, what was once an intimidating aircraft in the sky becomes an empty shell with all its major parts scattered across the floor.

Much like a car that is serviced after 30,000 miles, an Apache that has flown a total of 500 hours must undergo a phase maintenance inspection, in which the aircraft is completely broken down and its main components thoroughly checked for serviceability and quality assurance.

Phase maintenance is only part of what makes the Apaches currently in theater the most effective combat aircraft patrolling the skies. The continual maintenance of D Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment (Attack Reconnaissance), which recently put their 24th Apache into phase, and the proficiency of the Soldiers in A Company, 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, are key factors in making sure the Apaches in the battalion are up to standard and ready to fly.

Putting their 24th aircraft into phase means that 3-3 ARB has flown more than 12,000 hours"an accomplishment that Sgt. 1st Class Bernard Brooks, noncommissioned officer in charge of production control in A Co., 603rd ASB, said has a direct impact on the operation tempo.

"Our troops are working very hard and they put in long hours," said Brooks, of Augusta, Ga. "The amount of flying impacts upon our phase inspections, so when the OPTEMPO is high, we are going to be doing a lot of inspections."

Sgt. 1st Class William Eckert, NCOIC of production control in D Co., 3-3 ARB, coordinates with Brooks so the members of A Co., 603rd ASB can do the phase inspections on the battalion's Apaches..

"The mechanics are working very hard and I think that we currently have a good mix of flight time to inspection time," said Eckert, of Lake Charles, La.

While the mechanics have been doing a good job keeping pace with the OPTEMPO, Eckert said what the mechanics accomplish during phase inspections is also quite an impressive feat.

"The Apache comes in the hangar door an aircraft, and in two or three days you look at that same aircraft again and it's just a shell," Eckert said. "The aircraft is completely broken down, from the engine to the tail rotor."

The phase inspection consists of many parts. The armament group performs electrical checks on things such as the guns, sights and all electrical components. The aircraft is broken down and different sections are inspected before it is put back together. Mechanics then conduct a multi-operations check to make sure the bird is ready to fly. Finally, maintenance test pilots fly the aircraft for a final check before the Apache is once again ready for combat.

"A good phase can take up to two-and-a-half weeks," Brooks said. "When it comes to Apaches, our company has phased approximately 50 so far."

Eckert said being able to finish the Apache phase inspections in about 20 days is about 10 days faster than standard"a tribute not only to the hard work of the mechanics in A Co. but to the Soldiers of D Co. as well.

"603rd is doing their phases very efficiently, but a lot of that is due to how well our company keeps (the Apaches) maintained," Eckert said. "Being able to phase out so many Apaches ensures the brigade has the combat power to do their missions."

Brooks agreed that the two companies are working well together to provide the fastest turnover of mechanically-sound Apaches in a very prompt manner.

"We get a good handoff from A Co. because they conduct good pre-phase inspections," Brooks said. "We use a phase book to keep track, that way when we get the Apaches for phase inspection we already know a lot of what to do, which makes things flow faster and we can do the job quicker."

While things such as the heat and OPTEMPO can be a challenge for the mechanics of the company, Brooks said the morale in the company is high because the Soldiers feel they're making ground-breaking accomplishments.

"The amount of flight hours and maintenance that this brigade puts in has never been done before here," Brooks said. "It shows that we have some excellent mechanics and we are getting some excellent training. We are making history, for the company and the brigade, and it is gratifying to be a part of that."

• Date Taken: 09.07.2005
• Date Posted: 09.07.2005 14:49
• Story ID: 2918
• Location: TAJI, IQ