Behind the scenes: AGE flight

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David Owsianka
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  This is the first in a five story series focusing on sections within the 374th Maintenance Squadron and how they keep the C-130 Hercules flying.

From delivering and retrieving to servicing aerospace ground equipment, Airmen within the 374th Maintenance Squadron AGE flight provide essential equipment to personnel on the flightline to effectively complete their mission.

The AGE flight has 48 technicians who perform maintenance and inspections on 408 peacetime and war reserve material assets to support 14 C-130 Hercules.

"Our mission is to maintain and deliver the aircraft ground equipment for personnel to use on the flightline," said Tech. Sgt. Charles Avery, 374 MXS AGE inspection and repair NCO in charge. "The majority of the time the aircraft is on the ground it is being worked on by crew chiefs, and they require our equipment for external generation of electricity, heating and air condition and for hydraulics servicing."

In order to ensure that the C-130s are able to complete their missions, the flight is split into five sections: programs, production support, inspection, maintenance, and servicing, pick-up and delivery section.

The programs section is responsible for ancillary training and scheduling, safety, hazardous communications, career field development, 13 equipment accounts and automated data processing equipment.

Next, the production support section is responsible for implementing and managing hazardous waste and material programs, maintaining AGE fuel facility and pumps, bench stock and special tools.

The inspection section performs powered and non-powered maintenance equipment, corrosion treatment, special inspections and 180-day washes on Pacific Air Forces, Air Mobility Command and WRM assets.

The maintenance section performs troubleshooting on major and minor maintenance on equipment such as generators, stands and servicing carts through Time Compliance Technical Orders.

The servicing, pick-up and delivery section services, picks up and delivers equipment used on the flightline to ensure it is serviceable for maintainers and crew chiefs to use.

Having different sections within the flight plays a significant role for MXS as the squadron's personnel work towards keeping the planes in the air.

"AGE helps our squadron ensure everything runs smoothly on the flightline which helps maintain the C-130s, and makes it possible for the aircraft to fly on time," said Airman 1st Class Harley Hall, 374 MXS AGE mechanic.

The MXS mission is supported through AGE providing personnel with the necessary equipment to perform maintenance on the aircraft. The crew chiefs and isochronal members are provided with stands, generators, servicing carts and other parts to keep the aircraft flying.