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Show HILLTOP TIMES TIMES Augusts 2007 15 Crew chiefs face challenge keeping aircraft ready to fly BY SENIOR AIRMAN CLARK STAEHLE 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs S OUTHWEST ASIA — As one of the busiest flightlines in the Air Force, the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing is home to more than 100 Air Force aircraft. Crew chiefs are responsible for all of an aircraft's day-to-day maintenance, including refueling, defueling, launch, recovery, hydraulics, brakes and tires. Each aircraft requires a designated team to help get off the ground. "It's almost like day-to-day maintenance on your car, except a lot more in depth," said Staff Sgt. Wesley Hughston who is assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's 340th Aircraft Maintenance Unit. Crew chiefs also troubleshoot any problems the plane lands with and they fix minor discrepancies — anything from bumt-out lights to landing gear problems. They also inspect the plane before and after every mission for cracks, loose rivets and bolts, said Senior Airman Joe Smigielski, who is assigned to the 746th Aircraft Maintenance Unit with the 379th EAMXS. The 160-plus crew chiefs with the 340th AMU, who maintain the base's fleet of KC-135 Stratotankers, are organized into teams of three. These teams are typically comprised of two five-level Airmen and a sevenlevel Airman to supervise. "I'll keep the team I have now the entire time I'm here," said ST. PETER'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH The Episcopal Church Welcomes You Sunday Service: 10:30 a.m. Thurs Service: 1:30 p.m. 1204 E. 1450 S., Cleafield 825-0177 Church Office or 621-5008 FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Worship Services 8:30 a.m. Modern Worship 10:00 a.m. Traditional Worship Hughston, a Talladega, Ala., native, "We all know exactly what we're doing and we can rely on each other. We're used to each other." The 340th AMU, which includes airmen from almost every stateside KC-135 base, doesn't deploy in regular rotations. Their deployments can vary from 60 to almost 180 days. Because of this, many of the crew chiefs end up deploying together time and again. "I was pretty much mentored by every staff sergeant and technical sergeant out there," said Hughston, who has deployed here seven times. life as a crew chief is a bit different at the 746th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, which also falls under the 379th EAMXS. Everyone in the 746th AMU is deployed from the 7th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. "Here, you work with (airmen) a lot more and you get to know them a lot better," Smigielski said. "It really is a like a big family here because you're with the same people all deployment. You build friendships out here that you might not back home." The crew chiefs work two shifts: day shift from midnight to noon and the night shift, from noon to midnight. Both Hughston and Smigielski work days. The maintainers are kept busy throughout their shifts. "We'll come to work, check out tools, find out what we have to do for the day," Hughston said, who is deployed here from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. INTEGRITY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP www.fumfogdcn.org If jour'ri- siarchtnc fur nc» meaning in lift. Ht Invite \mi [u join us [his »cck. Community United Methodist Church ^| Join us for Worship W~~ 9:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Childcare, Sunday School, and Youlh Group every Sunday. 163 West 4800 South Washington Terrace 479-7430 www.community-umc.net 1200 East South Weber Drive. South Weber ••o Senior Airman Dustin Dodson, 379th Logistics Readiness Squadron (left) and Senior Airman Ryan McPartland, of the 340th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, heft a fuel line out to a waiting KC135 Stratotanker in Southwest Asia. The tanker can take between three and fourtruckloads of fuel before it reaches capacity. The airmen's units are part of the 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "We'll have a jet come in, and they call on a team and we'll just grab our gear and go." It takes between two and five hours for a team with the 340th AMU to make a jet airworthy, depending on how long they have to wait for fuel and aircraft ground equipment, and the time of day, which is affected by shift change. One team can usually turn around two or three jets during a typical shift. Work orders on any given days are received from aii* tasking orders, which ultimately receives the information from aircrews. The A God is still speaking, s 3350 Harrison Blvd., Ogden 2165 MADISON AVENUE, OGDEN Worship/Childcarc 10:30 a.m. Family Sunday School: 9:00 Rev. Robert Nuhn, pastor - 392-5012 Worship 10:30 www.ogdenucc.org Family Bible Study 6:30 Wed. evening www.inlegritychristianfellowship.com UNITED CHURCH of CHRIST Congregational 476-0102 Pastor Tim & Min. Vicki Henderson The Bible. When self-help doesn't help. ?i\First Presbyterian ; - A Where God's Love Is Lived! 'in1 Sunday worship times are; 8:15 am ft 11:00 am Pastor Chuck Sabln Our Savior's Lutheran Churdi 5560 S. 2300 W. Roy, UT. 801.825.6552 oslcroy@aol.com Worship 8:30 a.m. Communion 9:30 a.m. Contemporary 11:00 a.m. Traditional work orders are then passed down through the production superintendents to the crew chiefs. Unlike crew chiefs with the 746th AMU, crew chiefs with the 340th AMU aren't assigned to a specific jet because there aren't enough of them to go around. After a team finishes one jet, they rotate back into the maintenance building where they're assigned another jet to work on. Crew chiefs with the 746th AMU are assigned to a single aircraft, unlike crew chiefs with PASSION "»% ccc-iitah.coin His People Sunday Worshop at 9:30 a.m. Meeting at Lakeside Elementary Be Included In The Church Directory As little as $ 10.35 an issue Call Mitzi @ 625-4371 For More Information the 340th AMU. Those who fly with their planes are known as flying crew chiefs. "When the planes go off station, you get to fly with the aircraft, and if there's a problem, you head up the maintenance," Smigielski said, a Jackson, Mich., native. "It means we know a little about all the systems in the plane." From helping launch and receive aircraft to scheduling fuel and inspections, crew chiefs are an integral part of the Air Force's mission and help keep its aircraft flying daily. ELIM EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 575 -23rd Street, Ogden Phone 394-5543 West Point, UT-^ 686-1762 Faith y AJoySil C3mrch Sunday Services; | 9:30 am- S.S. for all ages 10:45 am- Worship 6:30 pm- Evening Worship Wednesday- 6:30 pm- Family Nighl Pastor Gerald (Jerry) Koolitz 1700 S. 50 W.(F<ontage Road) Kays vi I lo 447-3741 - 547-1598 A Prescription For Healing The World For more Information call 771-0586 or 317-9575 Mountain View Baptist Church (SBC) 2585 E. 3000 N. Layton Just W of Hwy 89 on Hwy 193, 771-3204 Sunday Worship 10:15 am Sunday School: 9:00 am Beginning Aug. 5, 2007 Sermon Scries: "Kingdom Thinking" mountainviewbc.org lie .sure to watch our televised sermon Sunday mornings at 8:30 on channel 51 or cable channel 97. 880 28th Street 393-8477 Pastors: Rick Minnich & Laura Stellmon alpinechurch is coming lo Rivc-rdjle • •• Joinui thliSuntljyt- 10 30 a m for our Open House Celebration Tor more Inlormjuon. visll alpine-church org or CJII B01.392.8000 1st Baptist Church of Roy 2025 W. 5700 S. Roy 825-7425 9:45 Sunday School Morning Worship 11:00 Family Worship 6:00 Washington 1770 E 6200 S, Ogden (801) 479-7030 www.fpc-ogden.org FAITH BAPTIST ]HURCH Christian Life Center Sunday School 9:45 AM Morning Services 11:00 AM. Evening 6:00 PM. Wed. 7:00 P.M. - v - Pastor Myke Crowder 2352 East Hwy. 193 • Layton • 771-LIFE(5433) Sunday Services: 9:00,10:20, and U:4S am, and 7:00 pm Located near the intersection of Skyline Drive and Hwy 39 in So. Ogden www,vasiiingtonheighb.org **« Group Awana T '" Nursery Pastor Chuch Heickel Phone # 771-4652 2430 N. f airfield Layton, UT 84041 Sunday School: 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship: 9:00 & 11:00 a.m. Home of Layton Christian Academy mo (WELS) Sunday Worship sjafled Sanity Huntr/ 10:30 a.m. viiftws Expesitur Cill lv PriTir MMUsgi t, BlUi Stodln He is the real Physician, bringing .divine remeday, and healing to the world of man." Abdu'l-Baha promise Christian LIGHT OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH 1074 N. Falrtlold, Lnylon (Acrott Irom Poit Ott)c«) Call Pastor Tom Qlonde at 444-1591 9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship School10:45 a.m. Sunday School Sunday School: 9:30 & 11:00 Free Nursery Care Sunday School for All AgL'\ Voulh Group und Childonr Every Sunday 2604 Jefferson A\%\, Ogden 393-5662 SENIOR AIRMAN CLARK STAEHLE/U.S. Air Force O•O o•o |