Deployed maintainers keep the 'Herc' fit to fight

by Capt. Raymond Geoffroy
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

10/22/2012 - BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- Every day, thousands of coalition service members operating in Afghanistan rely on the C-130 Hercules to enable their operations; to meet this requirement, the men and women who operate this venerable tactical airlift workhorse rely on a team of maintainers who keep the "Hercs" ready to fly.

Maintainers with the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's C-130 Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Bagram Airfield are charged with daily maintenance and repair of the Hercules fleet to enable 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron operations.

The maintainers work long hours to ensure the "Hercs" are ready to transport people and supplies throughout Afghanistan.

"This plane moves troops, mail, pallets, water, antennas... pretty much anything you can think of, this plane moves it. The C-130 is one of the most versatile aircraft the United States military has," said Staff Sgt. Brett Clayton, a 455th EAMXS C-130 Crew Chief.

Between missions, maintainers feverishly perform pre and post-flight inspections on the aircraft. The work is a constant challenge and keeping the aircraft ready for its missions is no small task.

"It takes an unbelievable amount of work from about 80 people," said Clayton. "It takes us about 10 hours to get an aircraft ready to fly; from the time it lands after its last flight to the time it's ready to fly again."

According to the maintainers, the C-130 is a dependable machine; however, given that the current models stationed at Bagram were built during the 70's, they still require regular upkeep.

"These are pretty reliable aircraft; however, they are older so there's quite a bit of maintenance behind the scenes that people don't always see," said Senior Airman William Ahlquist, a maintainer with 455th EAMXS.

C-130s must be brought into a maintenance hangar after 270 flight hours for a more thorough inspection called a "Home Station Check."

The HSC is a complete tear-down inspection of the C-130 in which maintainers carefully examine every component of the aircraft, looking for wear and tear to make sure the aircraft is safe for flight.

Clayton has high standards for Airmen when it comes to keeping his "Herc" in peak condition. And he knows the team will deliver.

"Follow the tech data, always do the right thing, have integrity, and be safe. Because everything we do out here is very dangerous," said Clayton. "My guys are the best in the world."

For the Airmen who keep these aircraft in operation, the sight of C-130 taking flight can be a thrilling experience and a reminder of their impact on the fight.

"You tend to get goose bumps every once in a while, because you know that you're helping make that airplane fly," said Ahlquist