Make sure that airplanes are ready for missions

Altus, Okla. (KSWO) – Before Airmen ever get to their planes, the crew chiefs inspect them to make sure everything works and that they are ready to rise. Today in life, the 7News anchor Haley Wilson take a look at what they do every day.

“I love working on airplanes,” said Josh Cramer, WG11 -Crew boss.

It is his love for airplanes and his family, who brought him to Altus Air Force Base. It lets him work as a crew as a civilian.

“Most of the Air Force Crew bosses are active,” said Cramer. “So you have to do everything I do, but you have the additional burden to be used and to be gone by your families and things, and I don't have that.”

Cramer said he had spent four years in the navy before he got out of airplanes as a civilian.

“Our main goal as maintenance here is to prepare these aircraft at a moment, and I think we have it excellently,” he said.

Cramer said a typical day for him begins at seven, where he checks out his equipment and then goes to the KC 135, to which he is assigned.

“We have aircraft forms, I go through them to ensure that there are no active inconsistencies, check the fuel and make sure it is good to go for the aircraft crew,” said Cramer.

He said that going through the KC 135 and the review everything on the outside takes about 10 to 15 minutes if nothing has to be repaired.

“Up here is a linear actor who, when the rod is extended, have no rudder pedal, and that is a quick thing for me, but it can hinder you who try to align the taxi,” he said.

Haley: You somehow know [what you’re looking for]. You check everything you can, but you have an idea of ​​what your typical problems are.

“Yes, that's one of the typical problems,” said Cramer. “Just the people – it stays out and they miss it.”

He gave me a brief overview of the things he checked. I will not be able to cover everything, but I can take a look at it – e.g. B. to check the probes on the aircraft side to ensure that they are still there and that the cover is from them. Then, when he comes by, he checks the conductor switch for the landing lighting.

“These are fire bottle indicators,” said Cramer. “I check whether one of them was not planned because you want to make sure you have all your safety equipment. I check the wing on leaks. “

The chassis is the next that Cramer looks at.

“Here is an advertisement for the right hydraulic system,” he said. “I check the pressure to ensure that the hydraulics work properly.”

When Cramer comes to the back of the KC 135, he ensures that the entire boom operating equipment is clean and not leaking.

“One of the checks that the flight beamers perform in front of a flight is the fuel representative.

Haley: Then that will do a long day, so these fast little checks help ensure that it works properly and does not break.

“Right, I would like to have all the problems the air team has before they appear,” said Cramer.

After your arrival, he said that he would stay outside the aircraft while going through your checks before the flight to make sure everything works. Then the crew rises, but that is far from the end of the Cramer day.

“You fly with your mission, come back, I make an inspection on the plane that is much more detailed than my first, and dependent on what happens, like mine, should be considered for an hour for the fuel for an hour today, and then it is ready to go up again,” he said.

He said that the planes are required every three days to carry out a pretense inspection that takes eight hours. Cramer said Crew Chief would fly by plane if you go to air shows to ensure that the required inspection and maintenance receive.

“I like to do air shows because this gives me the opportunity to get out of the public and explain what my job is – and try to interest other people in aviation,” he said.

The Altus Air Force Base is preparing to organize an Air Show and an open day. It happens on April 12th and 13th.

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