Photo By Staff Sgt. Brook Sumonja | "On August 12, 2024, the 190th Maintenance Group, Kansas Air National Guard, Forbes...... read more read more
By Senior Airman Brook Sumonja, 190th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FORBES FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Kan. – On August 12, 2024, the 190th Maintenance Group, Kansas Air National Guard, successfully executed an intricate and rare maintenance procedure on a KC-135 Stratotanker, marking a significant milestone for the Maintenance Group. The task, known as a fin fold, involved unbolting and horizontally folding the aircraft’s vertical stabilizer, or tail fin, a highly specialized procedure not commonly performed.
The folding of the aircraft’s fin is not a mundane skill that most maintenance Airmen are equipped to perform and a task that the 190th Air Refueling Wing has only needed to accomplish a handful of times since the 1970’s.
Weighing approximately 2,400 pounds, the tail fin is the static part of the vertical tail of an aircraft that houses the rudder, which prevents side-to-side motion of the aircraft nose. The fin fold process, essential for accessing and repairing damage to the rudder, is a unique and technical maintenance action that normally requires a team with a high degree of proficiency and specialized support equipment.
"The last fin folds at the 190th ARW were performed in 2014, and many of the personnel familiar with the procedure have since retired or transferred, leaving the unit with only a few senior leaders with knowledge, but no floor personnel with the hands-on knowledge," said Master Sgt. Jason Brown, 190th MXG, R&R technician, a key leader in the operation.
While on a deployment to Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar in 2020, Brown built a professional connection with a maintainer from the 151st Wing, Utah Air National Guard. This connection led to a pivotal moment in late May 2021 when the Utah Guardsman reached out to Brown, informing him that their unit was preparing to remove a vertical fin from one of their aircraft and invited him to participate.
Eager to gain firsthand experience with this rare procedure, Brown quickly relayed the opportunity to the shop chief at the time. With the support of his leadership, Brown and another Airman from the 190th MXG were approved to assist and learn from the operation at the Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base, Salt Lake City, Utah.
"In Utah, we did a full fin removal from the aircraft, here we have just folded it to the side,” said Brown. “Coordinating a crane seems to be the biggest challenge to this task. It can be intimidating to pull the rope on the right side to begin the fall knowing what is holding it all up on the other side. Seeing it fall away on the other side is an incredible sight as well."
The KC-135 Stratotanker has a support bar that allows for the tail to be held at 90 degrees to facilitate rudder removal. This is called a fin fold which refers to the aircraft tail being unbolted so it physically lays horizontal while still being attached to the aircraft.
Extensive preparation and coordination are required to execute the folding of the aircraft fin, involving multiple shops such as the hydraulic shop, communication and navigation shop, and the electro-environmental shop.
This operation required a blend of ingenuity and innovation from various 190th maintainers, supported by a strategically crafted execution plan. The process demanded precise planning and meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that all critical components—such as cables holding the fin—were properly disconnected and clamped, pulleys remained securely in place, hydraulic lines were adequately covered, and numerous electrical wires were carefully protected.
With a special cable assembly attached to the tail, safety observers, a crane operator, and maintainers worked together to unbolt the four pins and bolts securing the tail. Their coordinated efforts safely folded the fin, allowing 190th maintainers access to the bottom panel of the rudder. This meticulous coordination was essential to the safe and successful execution of the fin fold procedure.
"Performing a fin fold is a rare and complex procedure that requires a high level of skill and precision," said Brown."We’ve conducted a few fin-folds since our initial training in Utah, and each operation reaffirms the importance of teamwork and coordination."
The successful completion of this fin fold represents a significant achievement for the 190th ARW and sets a high standard for future maintenance operations. The operation not only ensured the KC-135’s continued readiness but also preserved a critical skill set for the squadron.
"This mission demonstrated our ability to tackle complex maintenance tasks and adapt to the challenges presented," said Brown. "It was a testament to our squadron’s dedication and the importance of maintaining and honing our skills."
| Date Taken: | 08.21.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.21.2024 11:10 |
| Story ID: | 479113 |
| Location: | TOPEKA, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 9,196 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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