Maintainers teach their own

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jason McCasland
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La --  A decent sized detachment with no more than 20 people is neatly tucked away in the middle of the base. The environment, though bustling, is grounds for classroom instruction where maintainers get the opportunity to make other maintainers the best of the best.

The instructors teach aircraft maintainer's specifics unique to the B-52H Stratofortress which helps keep the bomber ready to defend the nation at a moment's notice.

The 372nd Training Squadron Field Training Detachment 205 instructors, based out of the 982nd Training Group at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, are stationed here to not only make it easier to train Airmen on the job site, but also save the Air Force money.

"Almost $4,000 is saved per person every principles of instruction class," said Master Sgt. Troy Floyd, 372nd TRS FTD detachment chief. "Barksdale Airmen no longer have to go to Sheppard to take the class."

FTD covers everything new B-52 maintainers need to keep the mission going. With classes about career fields ranging from Airframe Powerplant General, also known as crewchiefs, Egress, Electrical and Environmental, Weapons, Hydraulics, and Principals of Instruction, Airmen can add the knowledge from FTD to their mental tool box.

"Whether [maintainers] are coming from another base or from technical school, FTD gives each Airman something they can use," said Floyd. "With the combination of classroom and 'hands-on' approach, they will be able to not only do the job, but understand how it works. They get the knowledge and one-on-one training on the actual aircraft they will be working on."

With so many different types of aircraft encompassing the Air Force arsenal, specialized training is essential to maintaining air superiority.

"Technical school for Egress mainly focuses on the ejection seats for fighter aircraft," said Tech. Sgt. Troy Addison, Egress FTD instructor. "The B-52 seat is a whole new ball game. Unlike fighters, which have rockets and electrical fired explosives, the B-52 is an older seat that uses mechanical linkages to actuate explosives. I teach them exactly how the seat works, its theory of operation and how to do seat specific tasks they may not have learned in technical school."

Each FTD crewchief instructor, when not scheduled for class, spends their time studying more about what they teach. They review technical orders, submit changes to the Idea Program, and even assist the flightline in preparing for upcoming consolidated inspections. This preparation can help reduce Tech Data and Direct Safety Violations.

Maintainers in essence are teaching themselves, said Addison.

The FTD instructors have spent their fair share of time on the flightline working on the B-52. Potential instructors have to pass an interview process, hold a Community College of the Air Force degree, have outstanding Enlisted Performance Reports and be the best at the job they will teach. In essence, it's the best maintenance instructors teaching caretakers of a more than $78 million aircraft, said Floyd.

By providing training to maintenance personnel, senior leaders, and aircrew members, FTD helps ensure the mission of delivering devastating B-52 combat capability, anytime anywhere.