Travis senior airman, jet engine mechanic, keeps C-5 ready for action at Iraq base

Published Sept. 17, 2010
By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Senior Airman Douglas Osman is an aerospace propulsion journeyman deployed with the 521st Air Mobility Operations Group at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq.

Airman Osman is deployed from Air Mobility Command's 60th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 60th Air Mobility Wing, at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. According to the 60th AMW Web site, the wing is part of combined efforts of all operations and support activities associated with the worldwide air mobility mission. The C-5 Galaxies, KC-10 Extenders and C-17 Globemaster IIIs assigned to the wing participate in air, land and aerial refueling taskings, responding to Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed combat operations, and supporting U.S. State Department-sponsored humanitarian relief efforts worldwide.

At his deployed location, Airman Osman is part of a team that keeps the C-5 Galaxy aircraft deployed there ready for airlift missions every day in support of Operation New Dawn and other U.S. Central Command area of responsibility airlift needs.

As an aerospace propulsion journeyman, Airman Osman 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 Airman Osman also advise, perform troubleshooting and determine 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.

Airman Osman is also trained to remove, install, inspect, repair and modify engines, engine modules and components. He can disassemble and assemble engines and propellers adhering to prescribed procedures and prepare engines 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 Airman Osman 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.