News

Preventing Failure: 86 MXS performs aircraft checks

Story and photos by Senior Airman Andrew Bertain
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
January 26, 2024
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jose Sandoval and Senior Airman Samuel Alcala-Perez, 86th Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion apprentice and journeyman respectively, inspect the engines of a C-130J, Super Hercules aircraft, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 9, 2024. During the letter check inspection, Sandoval and Alcala-Perez ran every engine through a checklist, taking note if anything was leaking, broken or worn down, so they could fix it after the inspection. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Bertain)

U.S. Air Force maintainers from the 86th Maintenance Squadron performed scheduled inspections of the 37th Airlift Squadron’s fleet of C-130J Super Hercules aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Jan. 9.

The inspections, or letter checks, take an aircraft off the flightline every 270 days so a more thorough inspection can happen. These inspections include preventative maintenance and test the overall operability and health of the aircraft, rather than waiting for something to break.

“Multiple different sections in the 86th MXS, as well as the aircraft’s dedicated crew chief, separate the aircraft into 10 zones, and it gives everyone some downtime to address any delayed discrepancies and fix what can’t be fixed while out on the flightline everyday,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Caleb Mainord, 86th MXS propulsions non-commissioned officer in charge.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Dawayne Harris, 86th Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion journeyman, inspects an engine on a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 9, 2024. During the letter check inspection, Harris and the 86th MXS engine section ran every engine through a checklist, taking note if anything was leaking, broken or worn down, and fixed it after the inspection. These routine inspections bring in every aircraft every 270 days to prevent failures while in operation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Bertain)

When an aircraft comes due for a letter check, it gets brought into a maintenance hangar and the entire plane is lifted on jacks to give maintainers the ability to access every part of the aircraft.

During this letter check, the 86th MXS engine shop will have the chance to inspect all four engines of the C-130J and find anything that has been worn out, needs repair or to be replaced.

U.S. Air Force maintainers from 86th Maintenance Squadron inspect the engines of a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 9, 2024. The inspection consisted of bringing the aircraft into the hangar to get a more in depth look for anything that needed fixing or replacement than you could see out on the flightline. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Bertain)

“We go through, section by section, each engine and write up anything that could be leaking or broken,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Dawayne Harris, 86th MXS aerospace propulsion journeyman. “Once we are finished with the checklist, we go back in and start actually fixing things. It’s really all about preventing problems and supporting the mission.”

As the Global Gateway, one of Ramstein’s biggest mission assets are the C-130Js. The 86th MXS maintainers emphasized the importance these inspections have in keeping the fleet healthy and rotating letter check inspections on rotation to ensure mission readiness year round.

A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft is inspected by 86th Maintenance Squadron maintainers at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Jan. 9, 2024. During the letter check inspection, the aircraft was lifted onto jacks so the maintainers were able to thoroughly check every zone of the frame in hopes of preventing any future mechanical errors while on the flightline. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andrew Bertain)
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