Joint Base MDL technical sergeant supports air refueling ops in Southwest Asia; surpasses 5,000 career flying hours

Published Aug. 13, 2010
By Master Scott T. Sturkol
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Tech. Sgt. Nathan Livingston is a KC-10 flight engineer assigned to the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia.

Sergeant Livingston is deployed from the 32nd Air Refueling Squadron, 305th Air Mobility Wing, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. As a flight engineer for the 908th EARS, Sergeant Livingston supports air refueling operations for the 380th AEW for Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

On Aug. 1, 2010, Sergeant Livingston surpassed having more than 5,000 career flight hours in the C-5 Galaxy and the KC-10.

According to his official Air Force job description, the flight engineer is the "systems expert" for the aircraft.

During pre-flight operations, Sergeant Livingston ensures the KC-10's operating systems are working correctly and there aren't any non-flyable discrepancies. The pre-flight inspection of a KC-10 includes an in-depth external look at the aircraft as well as internal checks, to include flight controls, hydraulics and various other components.

Once the pre-flight is completed, the flight engineer calculates take-off numbers for the pilots and runs a "before take-off" checklist for the pilots. Once it's time for the aircrew to take off on a mission, the flight engineer sets the engine throttles to the proper settings and the plane takes off, the job description shows.

When flying, the flight engineer manages various aircraft systems and components to include fuel, electrics, hydraulics, air conditioning and pressurization of the aircraft, the job description states. They do all these tasks in addition to backing up the pilots on correct information during the mission and they work with the in-flight refueling technician, or boom operator, to off-load fuel during air refueling missions.

A flight engineer "administers qualification flight to personnel engaged in flight engineer activities within flight test and operations organizations," the job description states. They also direct "standardization of flight engineer performance in conjunction with aircraft performance engineering, engine conditioning and preventive maintenance programs and ensures conformance with prescribed aircrew procedures."

Furthermore, flight engineers like Sergeant Livingston have to maintain mandatory job knowledge in many areas to include electrical, communication, navigation, mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems applying to aircraft and related systems. They have to know flight theory, minor in-flight maintenance, personal equipment and oxygen use, aircraft emergency procedures and using and interpreting diagrams, schematics, aircraft performance charts, loading charts, technical publications and flight manuals.

According to its Air Force fact sheet, the KC-10 is an Air Mobility Command advanced tanker and cargo aircraft designed to provide increased global mobility for U.S. armed forces. Although the KC-l0's primary mission is aerial refueling, it can combine the tasks of a tanker and cargo aircraft by refueling fighters and simultaneously carry the fighter support personnel and equipment on overseas deployments. The KC-10 is also capable of transporting litter and ambulatory patients using patient support pallets during aeromedical evacuations.