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Show 1FIGHTER (HouNimr 388th Fighter Wing Monthly August 1994 r '. The Golden Bolt ', not gold, but this red rubber bolt proves its mettle saving lives, money In the world of flightline maintenance, keeping dollar weapons systems combat ready is a way of life. Simply dropping or losing a tool, nut, or bolt around an aircraft could cost tens of thousands of dollars or, worse, could cost someone his life. The 388th Fighter Wing "Golden Bolt" competi- tion aims at preventing such i devastating occurrences, in a wing that already has perhaps the best Foreign Object Damage program in Air Combat Command. The people at Air Combat Command came up with the idea of the Golden Bolt during the early 1980s as aforeign object damage awareness pro gram. It emphasizes the importance of being vigilant about keeping track of tools, following procedures, and being thorough with checklists. Proof that wing members are taking the program seriously is this quarter's "Golden Bolt Award" winner, SrA. Donald Mobley, who works in the phase dock for the 4th Fighter Squadron. "Someone from Quality Assurance was doing an inspection on the trailer of the aircraft I was working on and I looked down and found this bolt hidden down in the bottom of the trailer," he said. "I didn't even realize I was being tested." The real test is performed daily by people who work on or around aircraft. "Those people working around the aircraft have a huge responsibility with millions of dollars riding on them performing their jobs efficiently and accurately," said Cot. Michael Brake, 388th vice commander. "We are all human and sometimes tools will get lost, but there are ways of keeping that to the absolute minimum," he said. "I think we do that well." multi-millio- n ', i It's By AIC Aimee Groben Editor, Fighter Country 'm jijjj v y V J - ,: Each time a tool is reported missing or lost, the aircraft being worked on is shut down and taken off the flying schedule. The maintainer, supervisor and anyone available searches for the lost tool or object. "If they don't find the tool that day, the jet just doesn't fly," said Wagoner. To help wrench-turnecut down on rs - . - i losing or misplacing tools, they have carry boxes which they inven- tory before lunch and is a foam tray with cut-ou-ts before going home. Inside each tool box of every tool thatbelongsmtheboxsoit seasytospot k ntfmk - Photo mm iWir AIC AknM Grobwi bjr SrA. Jesse Farley, 34th Fighter Squadron crew chief, scrubs F- -l 6 as part of his daily maintenance routine. Wing down an too, and forei when one is missing. Another aid is the checklist. "The checklists eliminate a lot of human error. They are there for you to follow, and to safeguard you from making silly mistakes," said Mobley. Mobley recalled what can happen when procedures aren't followed and how rigid the system is when it comes to safety. "I put a tool in my pocket, which you are not supposed to do. I "lost" the tool and brought it to my supervisor's attention. They held everybody there to look for the tool and impounded the five aircraft I had worked on," he said. "I was there about 1 5 hours looking for the tool and I felt pretty stupid. " Since then he has learned to "follow procedures and be sharp" as he proved by finding the Golden Bolt. He said now it is almost second nature "to avoid wearing rings, make sure nothing is in my pockets, inventory my carry box and follow checklists to make sure I didn't miss any steps.' ever-prese- nt object damage to aircraft, Once each quarter, the 3 88th's foreign object damage manager, TSgt. John Wagoner who heads up the Golden Bolt program, stealthily scans the flightline for a place to hide the red rubber bolt, which is about two-thirthe size of a hand. He hides the bolt in the work area of an maintenance troop and then steps back, waits and watches to see if they find it. If they do, they are rewarded with a three-da- y pass, a plaque, a from the vice commander and a variety of coupons. If they don't find the bolt, it's used as a learning experience. The bolt can turn up just about anywhere. "One time I hid the bolt in the railing of an engine stand, Then I watched as the maintainer performed his job. As he went down his checklist he came across the bolt, Now, if he hadn't been following procedure, or if he was in a hurry to just get the job done, he probably never would have found that bolt," said Wagoner. "Each F-engine is worth about $3.1 million. time Every something is lost or sucked into the engine it has the potential of costing the Air Force thousands or even millions of dollars," said Wagoner. "But more importantly, it could cost a life." Engine failure caused by a foreign object or a loose tool left or caught in the engine could kill a pilot, he said. In past years the Air Force has lost millions of dollars to foreign object damage, according to Wagoner. What type of item can cause damage? small rocks, screws, nuts, bolts, pens," wires, loose change just about anything. "One guy noticed a bolt in the aircraft where it shouldn't have been, so he went through proper procedure by reporting it," said Wagoner. "Then he got to thinking, 'If there's a bolt, chances are there's Sure probably a nut floating around somewhere. enough, he also found a loose nut in the aircraft." "If that had been caught in the engine, it could have ruined the compressor which costs about $300,000," said Wagoner. This type of careful work is what makes the 388th common ly called FOD -foreign object damage program arguably the most successful in Air Combat Command. Continued on Page 3A ' ds T-sh- irt 16 Staff sergeant promotions Congratulations to the following 388th Fighter 388 OSS Wing members who were selected for promotion?:; Edward Takacs to staff sergeant: 388 MS Michael Bennett, Brian Bohn, Scott Broadribb, ' 729th ACS Gina Brown, Richard Charette, Ronald Dale, Scott Bowley, Tony Clements, Patrick Facemire, Stephen Elmer; Frank Fox, Timothy Fugere, William Germain, Robert Haney, Norman Harvey, Larry Facio, Kevin Friday, Leaudrey Giordano, KenJohn Sara Alan Hubbard, Nord, Hussong, Lyle King, Sarah Lindsay, Samuel Lopez, Rodney neth Poore, Gregory Rose Payton, Jeffrey Respondek, Thomas Roche, Timo421 FS thy Rose, Timothy Schmidt; Alan Steffers, Timothy Scott Gurney, Shannon Payne, Tracy Rusher Taylor, John Tharaldsen, Scott West, Paul Willis 388 FW 34FS David, Ackerman, Jesse Farley, William Haynes, Tammy Monday 4 FS Barney Moudy, Daniel Smith, Mark Welch James Defrese, Rina MTF 388 Mark Bohne, Callaway, Jason Ferland, Chad Homan, Edward Medina, EricFoltz 84RADS Marc Montminy, Donna Young 388 LSS Stacy Bernesser, Eduardo Cristobal, Robert Jensen, Tamanica Danford, Frank Meffert, David Smeal, Philip Underhill, Carroll Burns, Althea Casias, Melanie Wallace Robert Dombroski ; |