B-52 Maintenance Team Vital Part of Mission Success

Defend America News ^ | Feb 8, 2006 | Master Sgt. Scott King

[SandRat]

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Foley works to repair a damaged engine cover on a B-52 Stratofortress, Jan. 31, 2006. The B-52s return to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam from a forward operating location after flying 300 hours. U.S Air Force photo by Bennie J. Davis III
B-52 Maintenance Team Vital Part of Mission Success
U.S. Air Force maintenance personnel inspect the B-52s after 300 hours flying time, a tricky task when managing a fleet of aircraft 50 years old.
By U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Scott King 40th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, Feb. 8, 2006 — Eleven hours flying time or about 4,400 nautical miles away sits a key - a key to the 40th Air Expeditionary Group's mission of supporting Operation Enduring Freedom from the skies and ensuring peace throughout Afghanistan. "I believe the mission at Andersen is as important as the mission at your [forward operating location]. Without us here, your [forward operating location] would not be able to keep as many aircraft as they do in the air and ready to go as needed." U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Glass The key? The 40th Air Expeditionary Group Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, Detachment 1 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Their mission is to complete 300 hour phase inspections on B-52s that operate from here. The B52s reach 300 hours of flying time fairly quickly. "Without us being here at Anderson Air Force Base, the jets at your forward operating location have to fly 300 hours, and then go all the way back to Barksdale [Air Force Base], La. to phase for a week, then all the way back to your [forward operating location]," said U.S. Air Force Capt. Matthew Berg, Detachment 1 commander. "The flight between Barksdale and your location takes up almost 10 percent of the usable 300 hour flights, leaving only 90 percent of the 300 hours available for combat." While in Guam, the B52s undergo a rigorous inspection. The aircraft inspection section performs aircraft phase, periodic, isochronal or letter check inspections. They may also perform pre-flights, basic post-flights, hourly post-flights, thru-flights, time compliance technical orders, home station checks, and refurbishment. If required, they also prepare the bombers for functional check flights. "It's very important to perform these inspections," said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Thomas Taylor, phase inspection journeyman. "Our job here is critical to saving flying hours of the B-52s for their mission-essential operations." Detachment 1 normally inspects four to five aircraft per-month depending upon how the hours are being flown off of our forward deployed aircraft. Ideally for flying hour management, they want the 300 hour inspections to be done as close to zero hours as possible to get full use of the fleet. Flying hour management over multiple aircraft can get tricky on a 50 year-old war bird like the B-52. The inspection portion takes approximately three days to complete. The "fix-phase" takes another five to 10 days depending upon what the team finds and the availability of parts.  There is a lot of pride that runs throughout the phase maintenance facility.	U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Hector Vara inspects a B-52 Stratofortress engine during phase maintenance, Jan 31, 2006. The B-52s return to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, from a forward operating location after flying 300 hours. U.S Air Force photo by Bennie J. Davis III "I believe the mission at Andersen is as important as the mission at your [forward operating location]," said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Glass, repair and reclamation craftsman. "Without us here, your [forward operating location] would not be able to keep as many aircraft as they do in the air and ready to go as needed." Detachment 1 helps the team here bring the fight to the enemy. "The phase operation being executed at Andersen is an absolutely critical element in the maintenance of our B-52 fleet's health," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Maryak, 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander here. "The professionals running that operation lay the foundation for the dedicated airmen here to provide the combat assets we need to support the war effort. The unprecedented success of that operation has ensured we continue to have B-52s ready to take the fight to the enemy." Like any machine, the B-52 wears with use. Mostly leaking and worn components from age and extensive use are the commonly replaced items. An aircraft of the B-52's size and weight will develop fatigue cracks in the skin and subassemblies from use. Most of those are repaired by the expert mechanics Detachment 1 has on their team. In addition to providing combat assets, there are other attributes the detachment in Guam brings to the fight. "We save money and time. The pilots do not have to fly aircraft all the way back to Barksdale to phase the aircraft and they don't burn all that gas to fly them also," Glass said. "This process saves time, money and most importantly keeps aircraft in the air and ready to respond to members of our other armed forces on the ground fighting terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan."

[SandRat]

Keeping BUFF Flying!

[jaz.357]

What a history with this bad boy!

[Bender2]

You photo is of the first B-52 to fly. It has the fore and aft cockpit seating, the 1st and last BUFF to be so...

[jaz.357]

Yup! The YB-52! Look at the size of the tail!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Ranger 19]

Actually, the first two B-52s had the tandem cockpit. These were the XB-52 and the YB-52. The YB (at that time referred to as the service test article) was the first to fly. This was out of order from the standard AF test flight procedure. Normally, in the 1950's the X model (experimental flight test article) flew first. When the concept was proven, then the service test arcicles would be put through their paces. It was Curtis Le May that rejected Boeing's tandem arrangement and demanded a side-by-side (often called airliner style) cockpit.

[Bender2]

Re: Look at the size of the tail!

Yep, jaz... I still like a firm, well shaped tail!

[Bender2]

Gadzooks, just noticed this was from 2006, 2 years ago! As I recall, the Boeing folks figured to upscale from the successful B-47 which had the the fore and aft cockpit seating and yes, Curtis was the one who said he wanted side by side seating. And as we all know, Four-Star General Curtis LeMay was numero uno at SAC and what Curtis wanted, SAC got!