JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Out of the approximately 40 courses instructed at the 373rd Training Squadron's Detachment 5 here, one has the distinction of teaching students a set of technical skills which mean the difference between engine start and engine stall.
The course is taught to Airmen in the aerospace propulsion career field and is specifically for those who are transitioning from various airframes in the Air Force inventory to the C-17 to perform expert maintenance on its four F-117 engines. The course lasts roughly 14 training days.
At the training detachment, Staff Sgt. Matthew Blackwell steps in. With his propensity for propulsion and technical manuals in hand, as one of the unit's finest instructors, he won 2009 Noncommissioned Officer of the Year for the 373 TRS. Accolades-o-plenty, his students are able to glean from a true professional.
For the most part, Sergeant Blackwell said the F-117 is extremely reliable, but like anything in an aircraft, it eventually needs more extensive maintenance, thus requiring an engine change.
"Here in training it takes us eight days to completely remove and install the engine. On the flightline, a good engine change can be done in 16 to 18 hours," he said.
The lag, which causes eight full days for training, is because each student must demonstrate proficiency and be evaluated on the various tasks involved.
For most students, Sergeant Blackwell said the removal and installation of the jet engine presents the greatest learning curve - despite a total of only eight bolts holding it in.
"Removing the engine is the hardest part of the course," said Sergeant Blackwell. "Part of the reason is because of the maintenance stand we use to remove it. The preparation is tedious."
The 11-ton engine change trailer used to remove the engine is control by remote and uses a hydraulic system to extend upward underneath an engine. It is equipped with fold out maintenance platforms for workers to complete their work towering above the ground below. Providing a uniquely uplifting experience, engine change training with the 373 TRS is not for those with a fear of heights.
During instruction, safety is paramount, technical compliancy is strictly adhered to and Sergeant Blackwell instructs his students with a firm yet approachable persona. Every detail is fully explained, and his years of experience are shelled out in the form of pointed questions to challenge students' situational awareness and keep them on their toes - a quality which lends an advantage when removing one of the C-17s largest and heaviest components.
The engines are massive behemoths of turbofan glory, and their maintainers are keepers of the beasts. They learn their inner workings, inches away from their fan blades. They crack the code of technical drawings, pinpointing problems to return them to fully mission capable status.
With the right tools and know-how, 11-ton machinery is no problem for the maintainers, and after eight days of successful training, the students are one step closer to joining the ranks of Joint Base Charleston's propulsion maintenance team.