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***image1***(Editor’s Note: This article is the third in a three-part series highlighting the 50th Anniversary of the C-130 Hercules)
The C-130 Hercules “Herk” has prospered and succeeded for 50 years, and a large part of that is due to the daily service and care given to it by aircraft maintenance crews. The Herks stationed here range from 34 to 41 years of age, yet they still maintain a remarkable mission-capable rate which consistently scores above 80 percent.
“It’s truly phenomenal,” said Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Mars, 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron superintendent. “No other aircraft can compare. This plane consistently does anything it is asked. There are so many users. Everybody wants us and needs us.”
This provides plenty of maintenance work to do, which the 37th Aircraft Maintenance Unit completes by employing more than 70 general maintenance crews that are available to service the entire Herk fleet 24 hours a day.
Each Herk tail number has a 37th AMU crew chief assigned to it who is responsible for the washing, general servicing and minor touch-up projects. This helps the crews develop allegiances to and pride in specific planes.
“It’s my plane and it’s the best plane out there,” said Staff Sgt. Kurt Stritar, 37th AMU crew chief, speaking for his assigned Herk . “Most of us (crews and crew chiefs) feel that way about our planes. I love this plane because it’s the most versatile plane in the Air Force.”
Sergeant Stritar said maintainers post pictures of their planes on flight tables and regularly “razz” each other about the plane conditions on whether they’re broken or flying. The sergeant said the 37th AMU maintenance crews primarily handle engine repairs, tire changes, brake checks, inspections, refuels and assist other maintenance specialties.
“Before every flight, we do a pre-flight inspection and ensure that it’s good to go,” he said. “One thing we specifically do during the inspection is to check the hydraulic reservoirs for the flight controls, landing gear, brakes, ramping and door.”
Sergeant Stritar said in addition to the daily maintenance and service provided by the 37th AMU, the Herks undergo an extensive inspection once a year in which the panels are pulled off the plane for a thorough examination.
These inspections help identify needed repairs and new parts that are needed. Staff Sgt. Gregory Friend, 86th Maintenance Squadron metals technology craftsman, said when repairs are needed, Herks sometimes require numerous maintenance specialties in order to get the job done. For example, an average truss mount (part that mounts the engine to the wing) repair takes about 128 man hours to complete and includes the participation of fuels systems, structural, hydraulic, electrical, environmental and metals technology craftsmen maintainers.
Sergeant Friend said he’s assisted in numerous truss mount repairs for the Herk. He also creates parts for the Herk when requested in the 86th MXS back shop just off the flightline. Some examples of parts he has made include new co-pilot window brackets and beef up plates. The plates measured approximately 15 inches wide by 8 inches high and were made out of a quarter inch thick piece of aluminum to fix a cracked rib around the cargo door.
“If we can’t get the part here or from supply then we get with the engineer to see if we can make it,” he said. “If we have a drawing of it, then we can make pretty much anything.”
And the standards are extremely high. Sergeant Friend said the finished product has to be made within one thousandth of an inch over or under engineering specifications. In order to do this, the sergeant said he uses a computer-controlled machine to do intricate repairs or a manual precision drill to manufacture most other repairs.
Chief Mars said the Herk legacy will continue for many years to come because he, like thousands of other maintainers, took great pride in their work as maintainers over the years and that’s true of most airplane maintainers today.
“I would always stick to the job until it was finished,” he said. “I never wanted anyone else to screw up what I had started or take credit for what I did. More Airmen have adopted that same attitude today and it’s refreshing to see them take pride in their work and staying on the job until the work is done.”
