480th EFS hosts Crew Chief for a Launch

  • Published
  • By U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Anthony Plyler
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Airmen of the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron participated in bilateral training with the Polish air force during Aviation Detachment Rotation 21.3 in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve at Łask Air Base, Poland.   

 

ADRs provide Airmen with unique training opportunities placing them in new environments and giving them the chance to work along said a variety career-fields. The Airmen of the 480th EFS take this idea a step further through a program called “Crew Chief for a Launch”.

 

“The way it works is that an Airman from the 480 EFS meets with a dedicated crew chief the morning of their scheduled launch,” said 1st Lt. Joseph Johnson 480th EFS Aircraft Maintenance Unit officer in charge. “The DCC provides the Airman protective equipment and safety familiarization training prior to pilots stepping to the aircraft. Once the pilot arrives the Airman shadows the DCC through the launch process and observes a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon takeoff from the perspective of a flight line maintainer.”

The program arose from 480th EFS Airmen voicing thier appetite to learn about each other’s role in the mission. 

 

“It was a learning experience as the crew chiefs were helpful and showed us the basic ins and outs of the aircraft,” said Airman First Class Tyquan Brown 480th EFS Security Forces armorer. “Personally, I enjoy learning the skill set of another career field and I’m really thankful for this opportunity.”

 

“Crew Chief for a Launch” enabled up to four Airmen per day to experience a launch during the ADR.

“It has been a great opportunity for our maintainers to make connections with their peers, to demonstrate their diverse capabilities, and to make memories with those here for ADR 21.3,” said Johnson. “The interactions that happen on the flight line will hopefully pay dividends for all Airmen involved and give each a mutual understanding of what it takes to produce combat capability.”