Aircraft maintenance evaluation complete

Published Nov. 20, 2006
By Staff Sgt. Amanda Savannah
Public Affairs

Vance Air Force Base, Okla. -- Although you may catch an NCO in uniform inspecting aircraft maintenance on the Vance Air Force Base flightline from time to time, it is regularly spattered in green, brown, black and tan for one week every two years.
An Air Education and Training Command Maintenance Standardization and Evaluation Program team visited the base Aug. 20 through 25 to evaluate flightline maintenance.
"The inspections are important because they validate maintenance is being done according to regulations, which here means proper maintenance keeps aircraft in the air," said Dave Davis, Computer Sciences Corporation director of aircraft maintenance. "Vance did very well this year. The number of observations was the lowest number I've seen in my 23 years at Vance. I think this is partly because of how well we work as a team with our military quality assurance counterparts."
To prepare for the inspections, maintainers and evaluators review maintenance procedures and regulations, give inspection areas a little bit of extra shine and make sure all are aware of their requirements, said Mr. Davis.
"Although we do some preparation for the inspections, we don't have to do too much, because we're already doing what's required on a day-to-day basis," he said.
Vance maintainers do a very good job providing safe and reliable aircraft for the base, said Lt. Col. Wayne Chambers, AETC MSET chief.
"The hard work they did to prepare for us coming was obvious," he said. "I don't think it's something they did just because we were coming either, it looks like they take pride in what they do. The pride they have is evident of what they do out there."
Col. Bryan Benson, 71st Flying Training Wing commander, thanked the team for their visit.
"Any Vance inspection gives AETC the opportunity to find the good things we already know about, and for us to uncover some things that need brushing, allowing us to go back and improve those processes," he said. "Our folks worked really hard to get where they are. I'm proud of our contractors, operators and maintainers ... our flight safety record is second to none in AETC, so thanks for all you do."