Tinyman
Custom
What is a Crew Chief?
Everyone knows what a pilot is and what a pilot does. Almost everyone is familiar
with aircraft and may even know how to distinguish certain airframes apart. But
does anyone know about the maintainers for each aircraft? When attending air
shows or watching your favorite aircraft in flight do you ever wonder about who
keeps it flying or do you think about who is flying it? It seems, all too often, that the
maintainers are forgotten. They are shadowed by the accomplishments of the pilot
after shooting down an enemy aircraft or the capabilities of some new airframe.
They are generally not mentioned in the newspaper articles or newscasts. They are
an overlooked necessity in all aircraft functions.
A Crew Chief is a jack of all trades, but a master of none. Some say "it takes a
college education to break an airplane, but a high school education to fox it!!. He or
she is responsible for the entire aircraft and the pilot that flies it. They are the
mechanics, electricians, the specialists, and the ground crew that keep the aircraft
flying. An aircraft without a Crew Chief is an aircraft that cannot fly. Crew Chiefs
repair, replace, and troubleshoot worn out malfunctioning parts. They go home
dirty, greasy, tired, and most of the time not in the best of moods. Not to mention
smelling like they took a bath in jet fuel, hydraulic fluid, and engine oil that day. They
are responsible for daily flying operations, changing broken parts (from the smallest
screw to the wing!), ground servicing, and whatever else the pilot throws at them.
Crew Chiefs are always proud of the aircraft they crew, even when others think that
his aircraft is just a hunk of metal (don't say that around one). Just ask an old F-4
Crew Chief and you'll be lucky to get away from them without the F-4's entire history!
Crew Chiefs are normally a special breed of persons, eager to work, and even
more eager to play! They are fun loving and loud. Some considered to be rude and
obnoxious. They cuss, sweat, bleed and cry until their job is done. You see, for a
Crew Chief, there is no greater satisfaction than to see his airplane break ground
and take flight after a 12-hour shift of busting knuckles trying to get it ready for flight.
There is no greater job than his, and there is no greater reward for a job well done.
So, the next time you see an aircraft at an airshow, or watch a contrail fly against a
clear blue sky, or hear the rumble of a distant jet engine, think of the Crew Chief
that makes that happen and silently thank his for keeping 'em flying and keeping
our skies safe.
Unknown
Everyone knows what a pilot is and what a pilot does. Almost everyone is familiar
with aircraft and may even know how to distinguish certain airframes apart. But
does anyone know about the maintainers for each aircraft? When attending air
shows or watching your favorite aircraft in flight do you ever wonder about who
keeps it flying or do you think about who is flying it? It seems, all too often, that the
maintainers are forgotten. They are shadowed by the accomplishments of the pilot
after shooting down an enemy aircraft or the capabilities of some new airframe.
They are generally not mentioned in the newspaper articles or newscasts. They are
an overlooked necessity in all aircraft functions.
A Crew Chief is a jack of all trades, but a master of none. Some say "it takes a
college education to break an airplane, but a high school education to fox it!!. He or
she is responsible for the entire aircraft and the pilot that flies it. They are the
mechanics, electricians, the specialists, and the ground crew that keep the aircraft
flying. An aircraft without a Crew Chief is an aircraft that cannot fly. Crew Chiefs
repair, replace, and troubleshoot worn out malfunctioning parts. They go home
dirty, greasy, tired, and most of the time not in the best of moods. Not to mention
smelling like they took a bath in jet fuel, hydraulic fluid, and engine oil that day. They
are responsible for daily flying operations, changing broken parts (from the smallest
screw to the wing!), ground servicing, and whatever else the pilot throws at them.
Crew Chiefs are always proud of the aircraft they crew, even when others think that
his aircraft is just a hunk of metal (don't say that around one). Just ask an old F-4
Crew Chief and you'll be lucky to get away from them without the F-4's entire history!
Crew Chiefs are normally a special breed of persons, eager to work, and even
more eager to play! They are fun loving and loud. Some considered to be rude and
obnoxious. They cuss, sweat, bleed and cry until their job is done. You see, for a
Crew Chief, there is no greater satisfaction than to see his airplane break ground
and take flight after a 12-hour shift of busting knuckles trying to get it ready for flight.
There is no greater job than his, and there is no greater reward for a job well done.
So, the next time you see an aircraft at an airshow, or watch a contrail fly against a
clear blue sky, or hear the rumble of a distant jet engine, think of the Crew Chief
that makes that happen and silently thank his for keeping 'em flying and keeping
our skies safe.
Unknown
