Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Staff Sgt. Ryan Anderson, a crew chief assigned to the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, performs preflight checks while communicating with a F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot before departure from the flightline at Souda Bay, Greece, Jan. 27. 2016. Anderson, along with 300 personnel from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, were participating in the flying training deployment between the Hellenic and U.S. air forces at Souda Bay from Jan. 22 to Feb. 15, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano)Maintainers put the fight in fighter at Souda Bay
                        
                        
                        Staff Sgt. Ryan Anderson, a crew chief assigned to the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, performs preflight checks while communicating with a F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot before departure from the flightline at Souda Bay, Greece, Jan. 27. 2016. Anderson, along with 300 personnel from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, were participating in the flying training deployment between the Hellenic and U.S. air forces at Souda Bay from Jan. 22 to Feb. 15, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft pilot launches his jet during a flying training deployment on the runway at Souda Bay, Greece, Jan. 27, 2016.  The training included more than 15 aircraft launches a day as part of the training between the U.S. and Hellenic air forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano/Released)Maintainers put the fight in fighter at Souda Bay
                        
                        
                        A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft pilot launches his jet during a flying training deployment on the runway at Souda Bay, Greece, Jan. 27, 2016.  The training included more than 15 aircraft launches a day as part of the training between the U.S. and Hellenic air forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano/Released)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Airman 1st Class Samuel Short, a crew chief assigned to the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, inspects the front wheel assembly of an F-16 Fighter Falcon during a flying training deployment on the flightline at Souda Bay, Greece, Jan. 27, 2016. Approximately 300 personnel and 18 F-16s from the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, supported flight during the FTD as part of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa's Forward Ready Now stance. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano)Maintainers put the fight in fighter at Souda Bay
                        
                        
                        Airman 1st Class Samuel Short, a crew chief assigned to the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, inspects the front wheel assembly of an F-16 Fighter Falcon during a flying training deployment on the flightline at Souda Bay, Greece, Jan. 27, 2016. Approximately 300 personnel and 18 F-16s from the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, supported flight during the FTD as part of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa's Forward Ready Now stance. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Maintainers put the fight in fighter at Souda BayPublished Feb. 1, 2016
                    
                    By Staff Sgt. Christopher Ruano
                    
                    
                    52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
            **SOUDA BAY, Greece (AFNS) --**Let's face it, things break. A kid's toy, TVs, kitchen wear, automobiles, and yes, even a couple million-dollar airplanes can break. That's when the maintainers of the 52nd Fighter Wing get called to fix what's broken.More than 15 F-16 Fighter Falcons assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, are on a forward training deployment at Souda Bay, Greece, for bilateral training with the Hellenic Air Force until Feb. 15."What we're here for is to get our pilots and maintainers trained and prepared for any future deployments that could send them downrange," said Capt. Erik Ringstad, the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron Aircraft Maintenance Unit officer in charge. "My role here is to supervise and coordinate the maintainers we have, approximately 230 to provide safe, reliable and secure aircraft for our pilots."Once an aircraft lands and is handed over to the maintainers, it can take up to three hours to turn around the aircraft and ready it for the next pilot.Hellenic Air Force maintainers have been working with the 52nd FW maintainers to get a better understanding of hot pit operations, Ringstand added."They currently don't run that operation here, which is essentially refueling the aircraft while the engine is still running to expedite turn on the aircraft," he said. "They have been working with our guys to actually get an understanding and to eventually apply that here."The U.S. Air Force's forward presence in Europe allows the U.S. to work with allies and partners to develop and improve ready air forces capable of maintaining regional security.With flying times starting in the morning and into the late afternoon, it takes more than one shift of Airmen to maintain the aircraft."Right now we're on 10-hour shifts with the ability to go to 12-hour shifts if needed," said Chief Master Sgt. Brian Parsons, the 480th EFS AMU superintendent. "It's an open ramp environment which is good for the maintenance aspect of it, as long as the weather cooperates. When it rains, there is not a lot of cover out there."For maintainers to get out in an expeditionary environment like this and see what kind of challenges they can face is good training, Parsons said. This deployment also shows continuing contributions to develop and improve air readiness while maintaining security and building long-lasting alliance capacity."My mission makes me feel proud and important," said Staff Sgt. Thai MacLeod, a 480th EFS AMU aerospace ground equipment craftsman. "If we don't provide power to the jets, the maintainers can't fix the jets, and jets can't fly. We play a pretty big part, and I like that."They may not be fixing TVs or kids' toys, but the maintainers spend countless hours each day doing what they say they do best: fixing and maintaining the aircraft of the 52nd FW."At the end of the day, from a maintainer's perspective, we make sure we are proficient and give the aircrew reliable aircraft," Ringstand said.bilateral 



f-16 



Hellenic air force 



greece 



F-16 Fighting Falcon 



Spangdahlem AB 



Germany 



USAFE 



souda bay Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil