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Show HILLTOP TIMES TIMES October 9, 2008 MOVING DISPLAY OF HERITAGE BY MARY LOU GORNY Hilltop Times editor A n F-16 Fighting Falcon with more than 2,900 flying hours made the first part of its final journey Oct. 2 when three posts attached to its shell were cut, two cranes helped offset its weight, and the F-16 was gently lowered to a position where wheeled jacks and landing gear could be attached. The next leg of its journey, less than a mile in length, was to involve a slow move across base on wheels to the 419th Fighter Wing wash rack on Oct. 5, when base traffic would be sparse. The F-16A Block 10 had been used as a static display near the former maintenance headquarters of the 419th FW. Now that the 419th is a Total Force Integration with the 388th Fighter Wing, "we're all located in the 388th compound," said Senior Master Sgt. Michael Iarossi. The sergeant with the 419th Maintenance Squadon was in charge of the laborious and careful procedure. Approximately 7,000 pounds of "up pressure" were used — about half the weight of the stripped aircraft — during the final cuts, to help with the cutting pressure and to balance the aircraft so it wouldn't settle as the ._ wieidingtprches detached the posts. Approximately 20 personnel were involved in the months of planning and the eventual removal of the aircraft from its mounts. Security Forces, Team Hill transportation and safety personnel, 419th Maintenance Flight personnel and 75th Above, (left to right) Master Sgt. Drue Titensor, 419th Maintenance Squadron, Tech. Sgt. Paul Cocanour, 419th MXS, Tech Sgt. Andrew Huff, 466th Aircraft Maintenance Unit and Tech. Sgt. Kevin Krek, 466th AMU, make adjustments as an F-16 static display is moved from its former mounts Oct. 2. Left, Senior Master Sgt. Michael Iarossi (center) watches as cranes lift the F-16. ALEX R. LLOYD Both aircraft will eventually have their wheels attached, filled with solid matter to keep them in place, and left as part of the new display. Iarossi is currently negotiating a deal with private owners for the missing Thunderchief hardware. "The move represents us moving our heritage down closer to where we're actually located now," he said. This particular F-16 was one of the first 60 built. Iarossi credits it as the 59th such aircraft assembled. "The jet was first assigned to the 388th Training Flight Wing in May 1980, and was then assigned to us (419th TFW) in February 1984," Iarossi said. As a training plane it never saw warfare. Strategic payload and other material were removed and it was mounted as a static display in 1994. One of its last significant missions was to participate in the 1993 Gunsmoke Worldwide Gunnery Fighter Meet held in Las Vegas, Iarossi said. An air-to-ground competition — "to see who is the best of the best in air to ground bombing events," the sergeant said. "Seventeen teams participate." Iarossi said that event included "Air National Guard, active duty, Air Force Reserve and Pacific Air Force teams to say te-who's the best shooters in Logistics Readiness Squadron all combined forces to help in the removal. The 388th Maintenance Squadron used it as a training exercise for a couple of its personnel and the 419th Fabrication Flight personnel did the actual cutting. The F-16 will get a new paint job in January which will include wing colors to bring the aircraft close to its former condition, Iarossi said. When the weather clears in the spring, a similar process involving many of the same base personnel and squadrons will then wheel it to the corner FrontRunner riders can get subsidies BY LEE ANNE HENSIEY Hilltop Times staff ' Those who wish to use the FrontRunner will need to find their own transportation from the nearest FrontRunner station to Hill AFB. Options available include bicycling, carpooling and taking a UTA bus whose route stops near one of Hill AFB's gates. The closest FrontRunner station to Hill AFB is the South State Street station in Clearfield, located 1.5 miles from the West Gate. The application process to participate in this subsidization program takes approximately 30 days to process, so Barker advises interested parties to apply as soon as possible. "I will try to push the application through to allow applicants to receive the reimbursement by Nov. 1," Barker said. For information about all options available to Hill AFB workers through the Transportation Incentive Program, contact Sandi Barker at 7777308. of E Avenue and Wardleigh Road to its new permanent site, he said. The F-16 will not be the only aircraft to make its way to that particular corner. An F-105 Thunderchief still sits on its mounts near the former maintenance headquarters. the business." Priorities have changed and active warfare is now part of the Air Force mission; such competitions have been dropped. The 388th Fighter Wing is currently working on assembling its own display in front of Building 120. A-10 From page 1 pilot, said at any given time, there are 30 to 40 A-lOs receiving maintenance work at Hill. "Only about two are fiyable when they're here. The rest are in heavy maintenance." The Air Force's fleet of A-lOs will likely have to last another 22 years, making the plane viable until 2030 and surpassing 50 years of military service. "It's not without precedent to take an older plane and keep it viable in today's battlefield," Horn said. The first A-lOs began service in 1975; today, the Air Force's fleet exceeds 400 with an average age of 28 years. This risk (of the cracks) is of great concern to the Air Force and is representative of a systemic problem for our aging Air Force fleet," the Air Force said in a news release. The planes in which the cracks are being found were built before 1980 and were equipped with "thin-skin" wings. There are 244 thinskin A-lOs in the Air Force fleet, which will all eventually require permanent repairs or replacement of wings once new wings are delivered in 2011. Most inspections will be conducted where the A-lOs are currently based. George F. Jozens, director of public affairs for the 75th and meeting new people. tf ] BY AIRMAN 1 ST CLASS ROBBY HEDBICK Haltom, 75th Air Base Wing. "^ Air Base Wing, said it will take up to five days to prepare "The majority of the dorm resiThe event will kick off at 11 ^J .; 75th Air Base Wing PA Office ..-/ ':••.*.,the aircraft, inspect the affected areas, perform the redents are often away from home am. with free burgers, hot dogs pairs and reassemble the aircraft. free Dorm Bash — an and family for the first time," said and more outside of the JEC until That work can be performed by field units where the Senior Airman Mitchell Creech, 5 p.m. In addition to the food opportunity for the A-lOs are stationed. However, some aircraft may have outside, the LIPTCHouse cafe" will cracks that can be repaired only at a maintenance depot. Hill Dorm Council president. dorm residents to expe"So the Hill Chaplain and Top 3 be providing free hot espresso : rience all the Junior Enlisted "Field units have the necessary skills to make the field organization have put this bash to- and cold Italian drinks inside the \ Center has to offer — will be level-approved repair," Jozens said. "If a depot-level rei on Oct. 18. }&&\fym}:$j&*& gether to get the airmen out of the center. k1>v-.- '-.:^<<v•&'*??.?-i ^r pair is required, depot maintenance personnel have the dorms, and it gives our hosts the •) The event is sponsored by the There will be a Guitar Hero Vv required skills." •_ Dorm Council and base chaplains. chance to show what a big family tournament. The winner will reThose repairs will take approximately 52 days. the Air Force really is." ;. The event is open to all dorm ceive a $100 gift card. The movie Depot-level repairs will be performed at Hill, the j residents and their Mends who "We would like to see all 500room and surrounding TVs will Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, Davis'f would like an opportunity to get plus dorm Airmen with their girl- ' feature the day's college football Monthan AFB, Ariz., and Korean Air Lines, the contract friends, boyfriends and fiancees to games, with the option to relax ;. out of the dormitories to enjoy depot partner supporting A-lOs assigned to the Pacific Air v free food, live music, games and a come relax and have a fun Satur- and listen to music in the foyer, Forces, he said. day of football as well as relaxing day," said Chaplain (Capt.) David and live music in the music room. Davis editor Shauna Lund contributed to this article. S tarting Nov. 1, Hill Air Force Base workers who ride the FrontRunner will be eligible for subsidization through the Air Force Transportation Incentive Program. This is the same program that offers subsidized vanpools via the Utah Transportation Authority for Hill workers as well. The extended subsidization program now allows Hill AFB FrontRunner riders to receive reimbursement of up to $115 per month for only FrontRunner service. However, it is not possible to be reimbursed for using both UTA vanpools or busses and FrontRunner, said Sandi Barker, Hill AFB vanpool program manager. "You can do one or the other, but not both," said Barker. Dorm bash to offer food, games and live music ; A |