Air Force maintenance team gets hands on training on PT6A turboprop engine

by Staff Sgt. Adam Grant
12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Public Affairs

1/15/2015 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AFB, Ariz. -- Recently, two members of the 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions branch went on a seven day temporary duty assignment in Miami, Florida, to gain insight on commercial maintenance best practices on the PT6A turboprop engine platform in order to assist with future familiarization training for South American partners utilizing this engine.

The PT6A turboprop engine is a powerhouse that offers high performance, reliability and value in its ability to power air craft across multiple platforms and is used by 170 different countries worldwide.

As part of building partner capacity, personnel in the aircraft maintenance and munitions branch provide aviation maintenance support by offering technical advice to partner nations for maintaining their fleet of aircraft. This office provides vital technical information to partner nations and can assist these nations in integrating commercial best practices with their combat mission maintenance, so that they have additional venues for aviation support.

Master Sgt. Jeremy Jacobs, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Tactical Aircraft Manager, assigned to the division, said that this was a very good learning opportunity for him. "I was able to gain a lot of in depth knowledge, as well as acquire skills that will allow me to advise and work on the engine platform," Jacobs said.

Currently, partner nations such as Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia are using the PT6A turboprop engine platform.

"The knowledge that we've gained will enable us to advise our partner nations on an engine platform that is widely utilized throughout the United States Southern Command area of responsibility," said Tech. Sgt. Joseph Salazar, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Noncommissioned officer in charge of Tactical Aircraft.

Active engagements like this with our neighbors in Central America, South America and the Caribbean contribute to regional and U.S. security.   The U.S. military builds this regional security through sustained engagement with partner nations to deter adversaries, preserve stability, support allies and partners, and cooperate with others to address common security challenges.