Dyess technical sergeant keeps C-130s ready for combat airlift in Southwest Asia

Published Aug. 27, 2010
By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Tech. Sgt. Christopher Chadwell is an aerospace propulsion craftsman deployed to the 386th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia.

Sergeant Chadwell is deployed from the 317th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. According to the Dyess AFB Web site, the 317th AMXS is part of the 317th Airlift Group. The group is also comprised of the 39th and 40th Airlift Squadrons, 317th Maintenance Squadron, 317th Operations Support Squadron and the 317th Maintenance Operations Squadron. The group comes under the operational control of 18th Air Force and Air Mobility Command at Scott AFB.

At his deployed location, Sergeant Chadwell is part of a team in the 386th AMXS that keeps the C-130 Hercules aircraft deployed there ready for combat airlift missions every day.

As an aerospace propulsion craftsman for the C-130, Sergeant Chadwell plans, organizes and directs aerospace propulsion maintenance activities, his official Air Force job description shows. To do this he interprets and implements directives and publications pertaining to maintenance functions, including environmentally safe maintenance practices. He also determines resource requirements, including facilities, equipment and supplies, and he inspects and evaluates maintenance activities.

Aerospace propulsion Airmen like Sergeant Chadwell also advise, perform troubleshooting and determines repair procedures on aircraft engines, the job description shows. He diagnoses and repairs malfunctions using technical publications and solves maintenance problems by studying drawings, wiring and schematic diagrams, technical instructions and analyzing operating characteristics of aircraft engines and propellers.

As a seven skill level in his career field, Sergeant Chadwell is also trained to remove, install, inspect, repair and modify engines, engine modules and components and propellers and propeller components. He can disassemble and assemble engines and propellers adhering to prescribed procedures and prepare engines and propellers for installation, storage or transportation.

Furthermore, aerospace propulsion Airmen test components using bench mockups and test equipment, the job description states. They also install and remove engines on test stands and operate, evaluate and perform test stand functions on engines and they accomplish operator maintenance on test stands. Additionally, they inspect and maintain engine ground support equipment and operate and perform operator inspections on related support equipment. They also select, use and care for special tools, hand tools and test equipment.

To maintain their skill level and complete their job successfully, aerospace propulsion Airmen like Sergeant Chadwell also need to maintain a large amount of mandatory job knowledge. Knowledge areas include mechanical, hydro-mechanical, electrical and pneudraulic principles applying to jet and turboprop engines and propellers, oil analysis principles, wear metal criteria and guidelines, concepts and application of maintenance directives and using and interpreting diagrams and technical publications.

The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, located at an air base in Southwest Asia, is the primary tactical airlift hub for re-supply missions supporting coalition operations in Iraq and provides combat service support to land component forces throughout the Persian Gulf Region and Iraq, the 386th AEW Web site shows. The wing is comprised of the 386th Expeditionary Operations Group, 386th Expeditionary Maintenance Group, 386th Expeditionary Mission Support Group, 386th Expeditionary Medical Group, and 387th Air Expeditionary Group and includes approximately 2,400 active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Airmen.