Deployed maintainers keep hurricane hunter mission moving

by Maj. Marnee A.C. Losurdo
403rd Wing Public Affairs

8/27/2014 - ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS -- The pilot prepares the aircraft for takeoff going through the required checklists when she notices the embedded GPS initial navigation system isn't working properly.

They can't fly without it so Maj. Dena Williams, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron pilot and aircraft commander for the Aug. 25 mission flying into 'Cristobal,' calls maintenance.

Master Sgt. David Workman, 403rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crewchief, comes onto the flight deck and troubleshoots the issue. The solution was a reboot, shutting the aircraft down and restarting, much like a computer.

"It's rewarding to know you contributed to the aircraft taking off on time, and it's a safe aircraft," said Workman, who joined the unit in 2001. "This is a great mission. We contribute to the safety of people in the United States who may be impacted by these storms."

Workman is one of 31 Airmen from the 403rd Maintenance Group deployed to St. Croix from Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, to maintain and repair the WC-130J Super Hercules, the weather-data-gathering platform for the Hurricane Hunters. The 53rd WRS has been flying missions into the now Category 1 hurricane out of the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, since Aug. 21. The information they collect is sent to the National Hurricane Center to assist them with their forecasts and storm warnings so maintenance plays a huge role in ensuring mission success, said Chief Master Sgt. Vince Armata, 403rd AMXS superintendent.

"There is a limitation on our checklists on what we can do," said Williams, referring to the aircrew. "We can let them know what we think might be wrong, but it's up to them to trouble shoot and repair."

With seven systems ranging from hydraulics to avionics, the $13 million aircraft is complex and a lot of things can break, so maintenance is essential in turning the aircraft and getting them back into the air, said Armata.

Because of the aircraft's complexity, the 403rd MXG deploys a variety of specialists from the communication and navigations, meteorological, hydraulics, propulsion, structural, electro-environmental, and instrument flight control systems shops. They also bring all-purpose mechanics, better known as crewchiefs who work on just about everything on the aircraft, and personnel from the maintenance operations control center, which tracks maintenance status on the planes and serves as a liaison with leadership and ground crew maintainers.

Having the right equipment is crucial in a bare-bones maintenance operation so a supply technician from the 403rd Logistics Readiness Squadron also deploys with the unit to track, issue and order parts for the aircraft.

Being forward deployed on the island is a bit different than working back at Keesler where they maintain the only 10 WC-103Js in the Air Force inventory, said Armata. At home station the specialists are typically dispatched from their shops to the flightline or inspection dock. Once the task is complete they return to their shops. At St. Croix the labor pool is smaller so the Airmen work with different specialties, which broadens their maintenance knowledge, said Armata.

"It's more of an AMU (Aircraft Maintenance Unit) concept here where everyone helps each other," he said.

This is what Staff Sgt. James Barnhart, 403rd Maintenance Squadron IFCS journeyman, said he likes about his first deployment to St. Croix.

"You get to work with systems and people from other shops that you don't normally work with at home station," said Barnhart, who has been in the Reserve for six years. "It's more of a team concept."

While it's Barnhart's first time working at St. Croix, it's Staff Sgt. Crystal Pourciau's fourth deployment to the island. She is a meteorological equipment technician with the 403rd Maintenance Squadron MXS and has been working in the shop for a year. Prior to that she worked electronic countermeasures.

She stands with Workman on the parking ramp adjacent to the flightline watching as the WC-130J races down the runway at 115 mph and ascends into the stormy grey clouds.

Pourciau, who works on the equipment used by the aerial reconnaissance weather officer and the dropsonde operator, walks back to the detachment with a smile.

"Whenever you get a weather bird into the air that's an amazing feeling," said Pourciau, who is a bank teller in civilian life. "Not many people get to do what we do. It's such a great opportunity to come out here and be a part of something that's bigger than myself. We've been impacted by hurricanes before so now I get to see how we were able to prep for that and be a part of it."