Crew chiefs: first on, last off

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt Phillip Butterfield
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan-- --  Editors Note: Third in a series of six about the 14th Aircraft Maintenance Unit 

When dealing with aircraft maintenance, having great communication between the production supervisors and the expeditors is important, but the first maintainers to lay hands on the aircraft are the crew chiefs. 

The 64 crew chiefs assigned to the 14th Aircraft Maintenance Unit actually ensure that the rubber meets the road, by changing tires, maintaining the landing gear and a host of other maintenance activities and inspections, ensuring the aircraft are war ready. 

"Pilots can't fly the jets unless jets are ready to go," said Tech. Sgt. Edward Waskosky, 14th AMU assistant aircraft section chief. "Crew chiefs directly contribute to this by accomplishing inspections and maintenance." 

Crew chiefs perform a wide array of tasks to include, tire and brake changes, landing gear and hydraulic systems repairs and inspections. They also perform scheduled maintenance on components that require changes due to wear. 

Crew chiefs are also responsible for reviewing aircraft forms for errors, and if the forms are wrong they are returned to the shop that preformed the maintenance for corrections, said Staff Sgt. Melody Bedtke, 14th AMU crew chief. 

Even if the aircraft does not need repairs, crew chiefs perform multiple inspections before, during and after the flight to ensure the aircraft is fully-mission capable. 

"We're on the aircraft from the beginning of the day until the end of the day," said Sergeant Bedtke. "We have our names stenciled on the canopy, and that is a huge source of pride and ownership that we as crew chiefs get to enjoy."