HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — Airmen at Hill Air Force Base work every day to keep the F-35 Lightning II flying, but not every vital job takes place on the flightline.
The accessories flight in the 388th Maintenance Squadron, handles key areas like fuel tanks, ejection seats, wheels and tires. They also lead the only F-35 Crash Damage Recovery course for the F-35 Joint Program Office.
The MXS accessories flight, made up of 80 Airmen, do the often-unheralded work that keeps pilots and aircraft safe and ready for missions.
“We’re not touching the aircraft every day, but when it matters, you really want our systems to work,” said Master Sgt. Nathan Varnagatas, flight superintendent.
The Airmen support the 4th, 34th and 421st Fighter Generation fighter squadrons, both at home and on the road. They coordinate the schedule of the back shop work with the flight line maintainers to ensure an efficient balance that keeps jets mission ready. They send specialist on TDYs and deployments.
“Wherever the jets go, we go,” Varnagats said. “We’re there to provide support if there are any issues with our systems.”
In the fuels section, Airmen climb into the F-35’s fuel tanks to check for damage, make repairs, and perform required maintenance.
“We fix parts, stop leaks, and make the fuel systems better,” said Tech. Sgt. Joshua Sisson, who has been a fuels technician for 15 years. “Our job is dirty, but it’s critical to keep the jet flying to spot any issues and fix them, keep them running for a long time.”
The egress team focuses on ejection seats and canopies, a critical component for pilot safety. In an emergency, their lives literally depend on it.
“We inspect and maintain the entire fleet ejection system, including explosive items (that propel the ejection and separate the canopy),” said Tech Sgt. Kenneth Rambo, with the egress shop. “Hopefully a pilot never have to use our system, but if they do, it better work. That keeps us very motivated.”
The wheel and tire section not only works with the FGSs to maintain the areas where the “rubber meats the road,” but the also administer the only F-35 Crash Damage Recover Course. This week-long class trains dozens of military members at a time, including Marines and Royal Air Force members, to lift a jet with cranes or airbags if there has been a crash or the landing gear fails.
They currently hold the course every quarter. It’s made up of some classroom time, but the hands-on experience is the most valuable part said Master Sgt. Leonard Buscemi, wheels and tire section lead.
“The four-days we spend out on the jet includes a four-point sling lift with a crane, a two point nose lift with slings, as well as air-bag lifts for situations where a wheel is disabled or a landing gear collapses,” Buscemi said.