Photo By Tech. Sgt. Chance Johnson | U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt Eric McFadden, Special Purpose Shop Floor Lead, Vehicle...... read more read more
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Still enduring temperatures in the high 90’s, it may be difficult to imagine that there are Airmen already preparing for heavy snowfall at the 140th Wing. The crew in Vehicle Maintenance have been hard at work throughout the month of August prepping equipment such as the runway snow broom for the inevitable winter storms looming just around the corner.
“We do what is called a ‘summer rebuild’ on all snow equipment when they are out of season, so that we don’t have to accomplish maintenance in the middle of their heavy use timeline,” U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Richard Vinaske, General Purpose Shop Floor Lead, 140th Logistics Readiness Squadron said. The team maintains six snowplows, three snow blowers, and two snow brooms operated by 140th Civil Engineering Squadron Airmen, as well as Department of Military and Veteran Affairs state employees when clearing the flightline of snow.
Typical maintenance on the summer rebuild requires changing all engine oil, fuel, hydraulic, and transmission filters, lubricating all joints, and replacing any wearable and serviceable items. VM also accomplishes major repairs as much as possible, most recently performing an implement clutch replacement which required removing the center engine of the runway snow broom. Routine maintenance also includes inspecting and replacing tires, hydraulic lines, joystick, all wheel steer calibration, module diagnoses, and driveline inspection.
“Our summer rebuild program directly impacts the safety, readiness, and the ability for the wing to execute the mission year-round,” U.S. Air Force Maj. Charissa Kopecko, Commander, 140th Logistics Readiness Squadron said. “Our mechanics play a vital role in ensuring the reliability and performance of our equipment through conducting inspections, preventative maintenance, repairs, testing, and safety checks which directly contributes safety of our Airmen and mission during winter operations.”
The unsung heroes in VM are on schedule to complete their inspections and maintenance on the snow removal equipment and are prepared to take on the impending snow as soon as it flies… therefore ensuring the aircraft flies. The team are a great example of the Airmen who make a well-oiled machine run smoothly behind the scenes, helping to keep the roads safe, the parking lot clean, and the flightline clear.
| Date Taken: | 09.06.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.08.2023 13:37 |
| Story ID: | 452979 |
| Location: | AURORA, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 359 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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