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      U.S. Navy Aviation Support Equipment Technician Second Class Eric Stark, right, 33rd Maintenance Squadron Aerospace Ground Equipment, demonstrates how to operate a portable floor crane for Aviation Support Equipment Technician First Class Jerimiah Appel, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), Aug. 9, 2017, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Appel is one of two AS1s who are receiving "Phase 1" initial training for F-35 support systems from the 33rd MXS. The information he is learning will be used to operate and maintain the machines that supply electricity, air pressure and hydraulic pressure to the aircraft when the engine is not running. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Peter Thompson)Airmen, Sailors prepare to support F-35 at Sea
                        
                        
                        Second Class Eric Stark, right, a Navy Aviation Support Equipment Technician and a 33rd Maintenance Squadron Aerospace Ground Equipment trainer, demonstrates how to operate a portable floor crane for 1st Class Jerimiah Appel, a Navy Aviation Support Equipment Technician on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), Aug. 9, 2017, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Appel is one of two AS1s who are receiving "Phase 1" initial training for F-35 support systems from the 33rd MXS. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Peter Thompson)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Airmen, Sailors prepare to support F-35 at seaPublished Aug. 23, 2017
                    
                    By Staff Sgt. Peter Thompson
                    
                    
                    33rd Fighter Wing
            **EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) --**Two Petty Officers 1st Class from the USS Abraham Lincoln received initial training from the Air Force’s 33rd Maintenance Squadron’s Aerospace Ground Equipment, or AGE, flight at Eglin Air Force Base, Aug. 7-11, 2017.
The Sailors, Petty Officers 1st Class Jeremiah Appel and Kunthea Sam, received the training in preparation for F-35C operations onboard their ship. In the future, when the F-35C is training aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, these technicians will be able to operate and maintain the aircraft.
“We are here to familiarize ourselves with what we can expect on the ship when F-35s are on board, allowing us to be fully functional,” said Appel, a CVN-72, trainee. “When we do return to our command we will be capable enough to handle any situations that come up.”
The 33rd MXS’s joint environment and extensive experience with both aircraft variants’ support equipment makes the maintainers here most qualified to train and develop the Sailor’s skills.
The AGE flight here has a unique mission supporting both the Air Force 58th Fighter Squadron’s F-35As and the Navy VFA-101’s F-35Cs. The Airmen and Sailors assigned to the unit work hand-in-hand with both aircraft.
“(These Sailors) are here because we are the people who are the most capable of providing them with this training,” said 2nd Class Eric Stark a Navy Aviation Support Equipment Technician and a 33rd MXS Aerospace Ground Equipment trainer. “We’ve worked with this equipment the longest, making us the most experienced.”
The AGE flight operates and maintains the machines that supply electricity, air pressure and hydraulic pressure to the aircraft when the engine is not running.
“An aircraft in the air is totally self-sufficient, meaning it maintains its own systems,” said Master Sgt. Jesse Cotter, the AGE flight chief. “When it’s on the ground it has none of that, so that’s where we come into play. Our support equipment does the same things the aircraft systems do, but while it’s on the ground.”
In the past, AGE technicians in the Air Force and Navy have worked with equipment that can be used across multiple legacy platforms. The majority of machinery that supports the Lightning II is particular to the aircraft, requiring specialized training. Additionally, the Navy’s fixtures will be different from the Air Forces when operating on an aircraft carrier.
“Our equipment serves the same functions as theirs does, but some of their systems are a little bit smaller because of space constraints,” said Cotter.
When VFA-101 conducts their next set of training sorties on board the aircraft carrier, Stark and an Air Force member from the 33rd MXS will be onboard to provide “Phase 2” on-the-job training to the Sailors.
“We are going out to the USS Abraham Lincoln so we can help them while (they are) out at sea and preparing them as they will eventually receive their own equipment for the F-35,” said Stark. “These are competent technicians. They will take what they learn here and use it to train other sailors in the future.”
According to Cotter, this cross branch training is another example of how the F-35’s joint warfighter capabilities have been successful. Mechanics who maintain the aircraft are able to easily learn from and support one another, helping to ensure mission success across the enterprise.
“There may be subtle differences between how the Navy and Air Force do things, but we can always keep learning from one another because we are a part of the same mission,” said Stark. “We will always help each other where we can, regardless of our differences.”F-35 



USS Abraham Lincoln 



Petty Officers 



joint warfighter 



USAF 



US Navy 



33rd Maintainence Aerospace Ground Equipment 



readiness Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF Kendall visits Bangor ANG Base
                    
                    Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24
                    
                    Senate confirms Melissa Dalton as next Under Secretary of the Air Force
                    
                    ‘One Team, One Fight’: SecAF visits Keesler AFB
                    
                    SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFBInnovation
                AFSFC reaches final phase of fielding Model Defender gear
                    
                    Around the Air Force: PCS Allowances, Air Task Forces, All-Volunteer Force
                    
                    AFIMSC focuses I-WEPTAC topics on GPC solutions
                    
                    Optimizing AI, Air University hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium
                    
                    AFIMSC tools deliver data-driven solutions across DAFMAJCOM News
                AFMC to expand AcqDemo workforce
                    
                    AFMC empowers small businesses for Air Force reoptimization
                    
                    Acquisition Instructor Course Class 25A open for nominations
                    
                    Air Guard leaders host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
                    
                    Referral bonuses aim to help fill mission-critical vacancies
 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