Birds of a feather train together

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Nicholas Benroth
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  Air Force aircraft engine mechanics fall into a single career field, but they are limited to repairing the one type of engine they originally trained on.

Now with the opening of Moody's new engine repair facility, the mechanics here will have the opportunity to work on different engines, a change which was implemented in May 2009. The facility will repair the engines of the A-10C Thunderbolt II, HC-130 P/N and the HH-60G Pave Hawk aircraft, therefore merging the work of these mechanics.

"The new engine facility gives us a chance to merge the repair of these three engines into one building," said Senior Master Sgt. David Smith, 23rd Component Maintenance Squadron propulsion flight chief. "We are able to train mechanics from the same career field and allow them to become comfortable with the other engines we have on base."

Before the new policy, any Airman who was trained to work on a specific engine would be committed to it their entire career.

"The change allows someone that has worked on an A-10 engine to be able to switch and work on a C-130 or HH-60 engine if manning is low," said Tech. Sgt. Charles Carpentier, 23rd CMS combat search and rescue section chief. "Having shops separated kept mechanics from being able to learn about a different engine, but with all of them being locating in one building helps the learning process."

Sergeant Carpentier will soon provide training for all mechanics that are switching to the different engines to teach them how to troubleshoot problems they run into.

"The training we give these Airmen helps them learn the 'ins and outs' of the other engines," said Sergeant Carpentier. "When switching to a different engine, our Airmen need to be able to troubleshoot a problem without having to disassemble the entire engine."

"It's done by actually going out to an engine and doing hands-on training," he added.

With the facility just opening, the training will slowly start to increase once the switch from the old shops to the new engine facility is complete. This training signals the start of a new beginning for the mechanics of the 23rd CMS.