Powering the flight-line

by Airman 1st Class Tammie Ramsouer
JBER Public Affairs

9/30/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- People use electricity every day, whether by turning on a light switch or vacuuming the carpet. For others, it is powering a multi-million dollar flightline and ensuring it stays powered so the mission is accomplished.

The 773d Civil Engineer Squadron Airfield Lighting electricians are hard at work each night to keep the lights lit for the many cargo, fighter, and other aircraft coming in and out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson's airfield.

"Our main active runway of the two on JBER, is 10,000 feet in length and 200 feet wide," said Lance Davis 773d CES Airfield Lighting electrician. "The power we use for the runways comes from our electrical substations. Our substations power [more than] 1,500 light fixtures on JBER runways."

The electricians monitor and keep the electricity that powers these lights under control to ensure the right amount of voltage is sent to where it needs to go.

"Commercial power is extremely vital to the mission of the Air Force," said Jefferson Craven, 773d Civil Engineering Squadron Airfield Lighting electrician supervisor.

As airfield lighting electricians, one of their roles is to maintain and upgrade the runway lighting.

"Airfield lighting plays a vital role in launching and recovering aircraft," Craven said. "Without electricity, I can't think of one job that wouldn't be affected."

Currently, the lighting is going through an upgrade from fluorescent lighting to light emitting diode lighting, and has been in the process of upgrades for 10 years, Craven said.

The lighting fixtures currently waiting to be replaced by LED's are consuming 96 watts of power while in use. More than half of the lights have been replaced with the new LED lights, which only consume 8 watts of power.

"The longevity of this new technology also reduces the amount of maintenance time servicing each fixture," Craven said.

The airfield lighting vault, which contains high-voltage cables and back-up lighting fixtures, has also gone through some upgrades as well.

To provide a safer work environment, the exposed 4,160 high voltage wiring has been replaced with an enclosed regulator system, so when the electricians walk inside the vault the high-voltage cables are not exposed.

Craven said their training prepares the crew members for both all-enclosed vaults and vaults where the high-voltage cables are exposed.

To begin their job as an airfield lighting electrician, the newest crew members must go through many evaluations and on-the-job training.

"All employees must accomplish our flightline [driver] training course, which consists of computer based training and must pass with an 80 percent minimum, 40 hours of driving on the flightline with a qualified trainer, day-and night-time orientation,and a medical eye exam to ensure no one is challenged with shade blindness," Craven said. "Once these tasks are accomplished, there is a two-part written exam administered from base operations."

Though 80 percent in required for subsequent exams, a 100 percent is required for the first exam sue to the importance of the tested knowledge. Passing the exam ensures individuals know their location on a map of JBER's flightline and the hazards associated with that location while keeping communications with the control tower.

"If successful with the map test, you're given the second exam," Craven said. "It is over the information associated with driving a vehicle on the flightline and must be passed with an 80 percent minimum."

For the Airmen, their training continues with completing their career development courses and on-the-job-training that includes an interview to better understand what training the Airmen need before they are authorized to work on the lighting systems. This process takes an average of four to six months.

"Training never stops because technology never stops, and as long as we have a need to go to the sky, we will have a need for lighting systems to launch and recover aircraft," Craven said.

Craven said lighting electricians develop a healthy regard for electricity through their training.

"Electricity is a dangerous career field, and you rarely get a second chance if you encounter its power. That is why we conduct so much training," Craven said. "Don't fear electricity, but give it all the respect it is due."