Photo By Staff Sgt. Jadyn Eisenbrandt | Staff Sgt. Nathan Layne II, a Nondestructive Inspection technician, assigned to the...... read more read more
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NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nv. – The 124th Fighter Wing’s Nondestructive Inspection (NDI) team became the first in the Air Force NDI sphere to roll out a new means of data capture and analysis, employing the Ametek Field Lab 58 (FL-58), during Green Flag West, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Oct. 27 to Nov. 8, 2024.
Over the course of two years, the USAF, through the Joint Oil Analysis Program, has been developing training materials and testing the FL-58 with the goal of replacing the heavier, more maintenance-intensive spectrometer.
“I have the great pleasure of being the first person in the Air Force to use this machine in the field,” said Staff Sgt. Nathan Layne, a NDI specialist with the 124th Maintenance Squadron. “We can assess its capabilities and compare its pros and cons with a traditional spectrometer.”
According to Master Sgt. Dezeray Brockett, NDI NCO in charge and NDI Liaison for the Air National Guard, this new technology is lighter, cheaper, requires less maintenance and therefore provides a new opportunity to move this capability out of a lab and into the field, something that is critical in a near-peer fight.
“In the past, we’d have to find the cleanest and warmest room and control that environment as much as possible,” said Brockett. “We’d set up the spectrometer and wait for the machine to self-regulate or adjust to that environment. Once approved, the FL-58 will put an end to the need for all that.”
The wing flew Airmen, to include members of the NDI team, to Naval Air Station North Island in California to test the mobility of the wing. NDI used this opportunity to gather data from the FL-58, in a remote, uncontrolled environment.
Proving the capability of new equipment is critical to its overall deployment to the field.
“The point of utilizing the FL-58 at NASNI is to gather field data,” said Layne. “The unit has only ever been used in a controlled environment. The forward deployment to NASNI with the unit demonstrated its capabilities in an uncontrolled environment. The overarching idea is to replace conventional spectrometers with the FL-58, Air Force-wide.”
NDI uses non-destructive ways to ensure aircraft can operate safely.
“Our primary goal in NDI is to check for damage or flaws in aircraft materials, parts, or structures without causing any harm to them,” said Layne. “In simplest terms, we use sound waves, X-Rays, magnets, and dyes to spot cracks, weaknesses, or any other issues.”
Being able to assess things while being minimally invasive ensures assets, in this case the A-10 Thunderbolt II, can spend less time in maintenance and more time in the fight.
The FL-58 enhances NDIs ability to do their job, especially with the A-10’s engines.
When an aircraft lands, engine oil samples are collected and then delivered to NDI. This is where the FL-58 comes in. Using advanced X-Ray technology, the machine analyzes these oil samples to determine defects within the engines.
“This is so important because this is preventative maintenance for the engines,” said Brockett. “Each engine is worth $1.5 million. With the spectrometer, we’re able to diagnose problems down to a specific quadrant or a specific part within each engine.”
As the nature of combat employment changes, the 124th Fighter Wing continues to lead the way. Always Ready. Always there.
| Date Taken: | 12.07.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.07.2024 17:06 |
| Story ID: | 486920 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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