Tanker “PHA” keeps fleet “fit to fight” Published March 13, 2006 By Airman 1st Class Ashley Coomes 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan., (AMCNS) -- Just as Airmen have an annual physical health assessment to ensure they are healthy, KC-135 Stratotankers regularly go into the 319th Maintenance Squadron’s hangar for their own annual “check up,” known as periodic inspection and maintenance. Once in the hangar, the tanker is divided into four zones: zone one is the cockpit, zone two and three are the left and right wings, and zone four is the rear. Each zone has different technical orders listing what needs to be done. But it isn’t just one “doctor” seeing to this patient - 10 different shops cooperate to get the plane torn down, inspected and fully mission capable again in only five days. “We do structural inspections, lubricate moving parts and check for wear and tear,” said Tech. Sgt. John Scheuer, an inspection craftsman. “Performing an inspection week each year allows us fix any potential problems and reduce down time with only a few maintenance issues here and there throughout the rest of the year.” By Monday morning “the patient,” scheduled for its inspection, has already been rolled into the hangar. Wing racks are in place and checklists are in cabinets for the crews to work from. Airmen identify the parts that need to be replaced, and refer to technical orders to find the replacement number and order it. Each zone has all necessary tools and equipment nearby and aerospace ground equipment is ready to provide power as needed. There are about 22 people working on a plane at one time. “We have about eight jet mechanics, four electricians, four hydraulics and four structural maintainers working on the plane; then we have other support personnel to finish the job,” said Sergeant Scheuer. The maintainers work two shifts with the afternoon shift picking up where the day left off. Even with a large percentage of the squadron deployed, they seldom deviate from the five-day turn around. “Once the project starts, we have about five days to finish it,” said Sergeant Scheuer, noting that their goal is to get the aircraft, or “patient,” back on its feet again as soon as possible. After all, said Sergeant Scheuer, just like the men and women who fix and fly it, the KC-135 has to be “fit to fight.”