Left behind: Lone Grissom aircraft gets makeover Published July 23, 2014 By Staff Sgt. Ben Mota 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind. -- Being left behind could be a bad thing, but that wasn't the case for one Grissom aircraft left alone to ensure it was mission capable for years to come. A single KC-135R Stratotanker got extensive pampering and refurbishment as it remained at the Hoosier base during a temporary 45-day runway closure, which involved sending the remainder of the 434th Air Refueling Wing's aircraft to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, June 1 through July 15. "When the aircraft are refurbished and being inspected they are non flyable," said Col. Bryan Reinhart, 434th ARW vice commander. "The closure of the runway provided a perfect opportunity for this aircraft to undergo these mandatory requirements." Work on the KC-135 began with an interior refurbishment of the aircraft. "When an aircraft goes into a complete refurbishment the interior is completely removed," said Senior Master Sgt. Richard Miller, 434th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron flight chief. "This includes removing, sanding and repainting all the instruments in the flight deck, crew seats, control columns, overhead lining and cargo floor." The refurbishment process including disassembly, restoration and assembly usually takes 30 days to complete, and the entire process is completed here at Grissom, said Miller. "We have been told time and time again that our aircraft look like they just rolled off the assembly line or better; some have even made mention that they thought they were only 10 years old but they are really over 50 years old," he continued. "This can be attributed to the thorough refurbishment program and maintenance practices we've put together over the years." The program and practices have been refined to the point that other refueling units send their aircraft here for maintenance. "A KC-135 requires a refurbishment every five to eight years," explained Miller. "We have done 'refurbs' for other units such as those at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, and Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina; and we have the most cost effective program in the Air Force." After the refurbishment process was completed, it also underwent a mandatory home-station check. The 434th AMXS squadron is responsible for accomplishing quality inspections and preventive maintenance on the wing's fleet of 16 KC-135s, and one way this is done is through the HSC. "The main purpose of the HSC is to find and correct any discrepancies through preventative maintenance while the aircraft is in a scheduled down-time status," said Tech. Sgt. Craig Ward, 434th AMXS crew chief, who oversaw the HSC. An HSC inspection for a Stratotanker takes between four to eight maintainers approximately eight hours to complete, and is often used to train newer Airmen. "The inspection provides Airmen a unique opportunity to see what is behind the instrument panels and other inner workings of the aircraft," said Miller. "It also provides them training when ops-checking system functions to make sure they are working properly and the aircraft is airworthy." Throughout the refurbishment and HSC processes, different maintenance career fields, such as crew chiefs, electrical and environmental systems, aerospace propulsion, and metal fabrication as well as several other departments and support flights were used. "Despite the temporary closure of the runway, personnel at Grissom were able to complete mandatory maintenance on a KC-135 that will ensure that our aircraft are safe and mission ready for years to come," concluded Reinhart. "This is a prime example of how we adapt and overcome." The 434th Air Refueling Wing is the largest KC-135R Stratotanker unit in the Air Force Reserve Command. Airmen and aircraft from the 434th ARW routinely deploy around the world in support of the Air Force mission and U.S. strategic objectives. Stay connected with the 434th ARW on Facebook and Twitter.
