AGE: Bringing vitality to the flightline

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Desiree Economides
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  No matter the time of day or night, you can hear it. Ratchets turn, metal drawers open and close, the smell of oil fills the air and the radio blares in the background. This is where the heavily used, olive drab equipment from the flightline is revitalized and takes on new life. This is Aerospace Ground Equipment.

AGE, though most known for their SPUDS--service, pick-up and delivery section--also maintains the equipment used on the flightline to ensure it is serviceable for maintainers and crew chiefs to use.

"The equipment we work on ensures the flying mission is accomplished," said Airman 1st Class Dustin Holmes, AGE apprentice. "If they don't have us, the plane can't be worked on or even start."

Senior Airman Reggie Fitzpatrick added, "We are a jack of all trades. We maintain, pick-up and deliver it all."

At Yokota Air Base, Japan, AGE is responsible for maintaining more than 15 unique flightline equipment items, as well as the tools used to maintain the equipment. The equipment, used daily in operations, ranges from stands to generators and even light-alls.

"People don't see all we do in AGE," said Airman 1st Class Dustin Yi. "We have a lot of back shop support."

Back shop support occupies most of the technicians time. Equipment is brought in on a scheduled basis for inspection, maintenance and repairs. The Airmen use strict technical orders to complete the inspections, make necessary repairs and put the equipment back together to be used on the flightline. Though the inspections happen bi-annually, equipment sometimes needs to be brought in for maintenance.

"We bring in the equipment, troubleshoot, fix it and get it back out to the flightline in a timely fashion to keep the mission going," said Fitzpatrick.

Given the array of equipment maintained and the number of hazards, the AGE Airmen require a great attention to detail. Before Airmen are allowed to work on their own, someone who has been signed off on the equipment trains them on how to work on it.

"Learning it all is a challenge," said Holmes. "But getting to work with my hands and knowing we impact the mission is rewarding."