Jump to content

OEF deployment pics.


sideshow

Recommended Posts

I hope it's not too much to ask and if it is no problem.

 

Could you do a little write-up and describe your typical day on board during operations.

 

Stuff like routine, times, when you get breaks all that kind of thing?

 

ye something like that would be fun to read

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice, thanks!

 

Phanteks Enthoo Evolv Tempered Glass, Asus ROG Maximus IX Hero, Intel i7 7700K @ 4.8, Corsair HX 1000i, Nzxt Kraken 62, 32gb DDR4 3000Mhz Corsair Dominator Platinum, Nvme SSD Samsung 960 Evo 1Tb, Asus Strix OC 1080ti, Philips 43" 4K Monitor + 2 x Dell 24" U2414H, Warthog HOTAS, Track IR 5, Obutto R3volution, Buttkicker Gamer 2, MFG Crosswind pedals, Occulus Rift CV1, Windows 10 Pro.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well here it is...

 

My rating in the navy was an Aviation Machinist Mate. Basically a power plants mechanic. During this deployment I was assigned to VFA-94, The Mighty Shrikes, or better known as the HOBO's. Squadron life is basically the same across the board. We worked 12 hour shifts, and no days off, until we hit a port. In port, you could leave the ship, unless you had duty. The squadron was divided into 4 sections, with each having at least one day of duty. That would be a normal work day, with the entire duty section working day shift. Usually 0700-till 1700 or so. Under way, my squadron worked 0630 hours till 1830 hours. Being that I was a night shifter, my day usually started around 1700 hours, with dinner. After waiting in line for 40 minutes or so, it would take around 20 minutes to eat. Then I'd head to the shop, and receive a pass down from the LPO (lead petty officer) guy in charge of the entire jet shop. He'd pass on various things, he wanted us to accomplish on our shift. Usually which broke jets, and drop tanks were the priority. A typical Hornet jet shop consisted of around 8 mechs. Usually 4 on days, including the LPO, and 4 on nights. The night shift supervisor was usually an Petty Officer 2nd class, E-5, with the rest being usually E-3 to E-4's.

After receiving pass down, I'd attend the maintenance meeting. Basically the shift supervisors from power plants, airframes, electricians, technicians seat shop, QA (quality assurance) and Parachute riggers would meet at our maintenance control office. Some out of the way space on the 03 level (A deck below the flight deck). There the maintenance chief would outline each shop's priorities for the night. Which jet was coming due for a phase maintenance (major maintenance), which jet needed to be moved to the flight deck, or down to the hanger, which jets would need a low or high power turn (we did engine run up's to test and trouble shoot different systems, or op check newly replaced components), which engines would need inspected, and what unscheduled maintenance needed to be fixed. As a jet mech, most of us were qualified to perform low power maintenance turns, which was anything below 80% N2 (compressor speed). On the boat we'd do that turn with 12 chains, 3 on the beach. Anything over 80% was a high power turn. The jet shop usually had at least one qualified guy on days and one on nights. That turn was done with a high power hold back chain hooked to the nose strut, and 18 chains. Hornets didn't require a ton of maintenance for the jet shop while under way, but we had enough to keep busy. However, airframes was a whole different story! They also had more mechanics, due to their increased workload. Four things routinely popped up in the jet shop. Fuel leaks (some reason the o-rings liked to dry out), the GCU's (generators), the air turbine start system, and of course drop tanks. This doesn't take into account the other things, like high oil consumption, Fodded engines, pressure transmitters failing, ect ect....

Generator swaps required a mech to hand hump the new one from the GCU shop, to the flight deck. Basically hauling an 80 plus pound piece of metal up 4 flights, through small passage ways and around people. Once on deck, it only took 10 or 15 minutes to swap. Then we'd run the jet, and knock out the tests and checks to ensure we fixed the problem. fuel leaks required some investigating. Once the problem was located, the time to change o-rings varied. Sometimes the problem would be in an area barely big enough to get a hand into. As far as engine no starts, we usually trouble shot to an air turbine starter control valve. A butterfly valve held in place by 2 clamps. That replacement most likely required removing the generator to get to it. These components were in the AMAD bay (Airframe mounted accessory drive) basically a small gearbox, crammed with components. 2 per jet, left and right side.

Drop tanks were huge on the boat. We took enough tanks to triple bubble each jet. However, we usually only flew with 2. The rest got stored in the overhead, in the hanger, with the exception of maybe 3 or four spares. That way we could swap them on the fly. If a tank broke on the flight deck, it would be changed out, and stored in the, "junkyard." A space behind the Island. After the flight schedule wrapped up, we'd send a couple guys to get it to which ever elevator was scheduled to do a run. Most elevator traffic occurred after the flight schedule. Once we got the tank to the hanger, we'd open it up, air it out, and swap the valves inside of it. All the work was done through 2 small openings. There really wasn't too much troubleshooting of a broken drop tank. It was best to swap out all the valves. Once that was done, we'd have our electricians rewire the tanks. Some of the valves had wiring, which ran through conduits within the tank. We also did major maintenance, to include engine swaps, and inspections on nights. Day shift did whatever maintenance was needed to meet the flight schedule, and nights would knock out the heavy stuff. Our was to fix the jet before the next days schedule.

Eating on the boat seemed like a privilege at times. If we were busy, and we usually were, we'd skip meals, and grab a snack when we had down time. The shop was the perfect place to stash all your junk food, since we spent most of our time there. As the supervisor, I'd try to take care of my guys, by giving one or two of them a quick meal break at a time. Usually tell them to go choke it down, and get back ASAP. You didn't want to be the guy who took too long, and screwed your buddy out of a meal. Down time usually came when we were waiting for something, or another shop. Some things we routinely waited for were, the yellow shirts to move the jet to a turn spot (a place we could fire up the engines), a tail over deck spot (pull it forward so we could open the engine bays. Things like that. A frustrating thing was Hornets took up hanger 1 and 2. Three was reserved for the tomcats. If we dropped an engine in hanger 1, it would sometimes take a lot of coordination to get the engine and trailer to the jet shop (aft of hanger 3) for the replacement. Sometimes it was easier to take the engine up elevator 1, stash it on the flight deck, and bring it down elevator 3 or 4. These moves were coordinated between our maintenance control, and the ship's flight deck, and hanger deck control. Once you got your new engine you had to repeat the process to get it to the jet. Sometimes we'd complete a swap, and wait days, until the jet was dug out of whatever corner it had been stashed in, to do the operational checks required to return the jet to service.

So this is just a little snippet of life on the ship. This was basically an average day. Any other mech's or airframer's want to chime in, feel free. Ship life was referred to it as ground hogs day, since every day was a repeat. It was common to call everyday, "Monday." Steel beach picnics were also referred to as, "beer days." For 45 days at sea, without pulling in, the ship threw a picnic, and everybody got two tickets, each good for a beer. Needless to say there was an underground market to sell those tickets if you were a non drinker. After my burger and beers, I'd head to the rack, since even beer day didn't mean a day off.

This is a little long winded, but hopefully it gives you an idea.

 

Jimmy

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank-you Jimmy awesome. :thumbup:

Control is an illusion which usually shatters at the least expected moment.

Gazelle Mini-gun version is endorphins with rotors. See above.

 

Currently rolling with a Asus Z390 Prime, 9600K, 32GB RAM, SSD, 2080Ti and Windows 10Pro, Rift CV1. bu0836x and Scratch Built Pedals, Collective and Cyclic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awesome posts Jimmy, thanks for sharing

Thermaltake View 91, Z390 Gigabyte Aorus Ultra, i9 9900K, Corsair H150i Pro, 32Gb Trident Z 3200, Gigabyte Aorus Extreme 2080ti, Corsair AX1200i, Warthog A-10 Hotas, MFG Crosswind pedals, TiR5 Pro, HP Reverb Pro

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you guys for the comments. I have quite a few more pictures, but unfortunately they include former co-workers faces. Didn't want to post without their permission. In hindsight I wish I'd of taken better pictures of the jets, tail art ect..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for your service and a good realistic share on your story. I like to see fellow veterans uphold the profession of arms and provide good honest stories of their service.

A-10C/C-101/UH-1H/F-15C/L-39/HAWK/Mi-8/A-10A/P-51/AV-8B N/A

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...