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News
May 10, 2013
ABOVE: A pair of 309th Aircraft Maintenance Unit Airmen perform a preflight check April 18 here at Luke Air Force Base. The preflight checklist includes checking wing flaps, lights and radio.
TOP LEFT: Capt. Joe Walker, 309th FS assistant chief of weapons, prepares an F-16 for flight while Airman 1st Class Jordan King, 309th FS crew chief, performs final preflight checks. Preflight checks help prevent avoidable errors like foreign object debris during flight and ensure safety. TOP MIDDLE: Airman 1st Class Erik Smith, 309th Aircraft Maintenance Unit weapons technician,
resets gun-fire lead on the F-16 Viper. Smith is in charge of making sure the gun on the F-16 is effective and mission ready.
TOP RIGHT: An F-16C fighter jet prepares for take off from the flightline. The base is the Air
Force’s largest fighter wing with 138 F-16s assigned. All the F-16s are used for training fighter pilots.
RIGHT: Senior Airman Steven Manwaring, 56th Maintenance Operations Squadron crew chief, prepares to marshal out an F-16 Viper. Crew chiefs are assigned to a specific jet and perform preflight checks as part of their duties.
CENTER: An F-16C fighter jet sits on the flightline.
Story and photos by Airman 1st Class Devante Williams and Airman 1st Class James Hensley 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Thunderbolt http://www.luke.af.mil
Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. “Cave Tonitrum”
News
A Night in the Life
Crew chiefs — unsung heroes of the flightline
May 10, 2013
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