A little power goes a long way

Published April 24, 2007
By Staff Sgt. Benjamin Rojek
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- When it comes to keeping Osan's jets 'Ready to Fight, and Win, Tonight,' maintainers have to stay on top of their game.

In order to stay the best, the 51st Maintenance Operations Squadron offers training for maintainers here like the auxiliary power unit course.

An auxiliary power unit is a small generator in a jet that provides electricity, hydraulic pressure and bleed air, allowing crew chiefs and specialists to do systems checks without the aircraft running and without aerospace ground equipment.

"If we need to do a leak check (with hydraulics), we don't have to bring out the 4,000 pound cart of ground equipment," said Senior Airman Joseph Porras, 25th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief. "This is just for quick checks, though. The APU is not for longer maintenance."

The two-day course is for both A-10 Thunderbolt II and F-16 Fighting Falcon maintainers and specialists. There are three instructors - two for the A-10 and one for the F-16.

Instructors begin the class by explaining exactly what the APU does and how it works. Next, the students learn how to operate the APU, which includes time spent on a flight simulator. The final portion of the class goes over emergency procedures and system parameters.

"The emergency procedures had to be learned word-for-word," said Staff Sgt. Chet Oleske, 25th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief. "We had to score 100 percent on that test."

One of the last things students do is run the APU on a live jet.

"The simulator is good, but a live run, getting in the cockpit, getting the seat-of-your-pants feelings - that's much better," said Master Sgt. Jeffrey Boot, 51st Maintenance Operations Squadron APU A-10 instructor. "Being able to flip the switches, sit in the real cockpit, that's a different scenario than being in the sim."

The classes remain relatively small, with six people maximum, but the knowledge gained is a huge asset to the maintenance units.

"Take Sergeant Oleske for instance," said Sergeant Boot. "He worked on U-2s until he got here. He comes with aircraft experience, but not on an A-10."
Sergeant Oleske received training enroute to Osan, but that training was not in depth, said Sergeant Boot.

"After he met the requirements working on the jet here, he got to take this class," he said. "Now Sergeant Oleske is a more productive individual on the flightline."

Being well trained and remaining proficient in maintaining jets is key to Osan's mission.

"The APU saves us time," said Sergeant Porras. "We can quickly get the jets back in the air and produce more lethal iron - Pilsung!"