ok maybe just to help u a little, here's an almost detailed
description of what I do as a DCC, its just ONE of the many
different 'jobs' you can get in the airforce. Anyway I'm in a
helicopter base so what happens at the fighter squadron I won't
know, much like them not knowing what the hell I do.
Base : SBAB
Unit : 125
Appointment : DCC
Let's say I do the morning shift. I arrive at work, briefing
starts. I'm assigned to an aircraft to work on, it will be B/F
(Before flight) servicing. I will take note of its :
1. Fuel state (how much fuel is needed and how much is in the
aircraft)
2. Requirements (leak checks, oil sampling, compressor wash before
flight, aircraft wash due)
3. Role (trooplift, underslung, roping etc.)
I will then grab the aircraft's 1400 (Read as fourteen hundred, in
layman terms its the aircraft logbook) then look through the key
pages :
1. Limitations Log (What the aircraft can't do due during flight
like can't fly more than certain hours due to some modification to
the aircraft or the aircraft can't do a certain function because
that component has been taken out)
2. Trial Mod Log (What modifications have been added or
removed)
3. Acceptable Deferred Defects Log (Defects on the aircraft but it
can still fly without limitations, like paint flakes on the
structure, debonding on the structure, aircraft wash overdue)
After that there's the 1400-5 (fourteen hundred dash five) :
Where we fill in the fuel state, what servicing we've done (e.g.
zone : 0-4, zone : 5-10, TFOA), this is where the pilot signs out
the aircraft and clocks their flight timing. In this booklet you
can also see who serviced the aircraft previously.
1400-6 :
Over here, jobs that are not finished will have their entries left
open. Let's say I wanna remove a component, on the left page I
write "Component s/n : 10 removed for blah blah blah" then on the
right side of the page it is blank till the component is fixed
back. When it is fitted back, that person will write "Component s/n
: 10 fitted i.a.w. (in accordance with) MET 12.34.56.78 para 9" So
my job is to check what entries are left open and do the necessary
follow up actions when required.
1400-7 :
Engine records, make sure the info is updated. Servicing on the
engine not overdue.
Then I will go to the back where there is the 1400-9-1 and
1400-9-2.
1400-9-1 = checks due on the aircraft, like oil sampling etc.
1400-9-2 = checks due on items on the aircraft, like cabin fire
extinguishers, seatbelts etc.
So after I'm done with the 1400, I will open my entries in the -5
and -6. Any items/components due for servicing will be highlighted
to the shift IC who will inform the respective trades to do the
servicing on the particular component/item.
I proceed to the toolstore and POL store to grab my tools (e.g.
servicing toolbox, grease gun, pail and bottles etc.) then i make
my way to the aircraft. B/F servicing takes 3 hrs to do and A/F
(After Flight) takes about 4 hrs. I do the checks listed in the
checklist (e.g. tyre pressure, oil levels, structural damage,
electrical failure etc.) then i make my way back to the office
where I'll close the entries i've opened.
Let's say my aircraft is planned for trooplift, and there are no
seats in it I will go get the seats and set it up. If there isn't
enough fuel or too much fuel, I will have to call the Bowser
(refuelling truck) to come so that I can refuel or defuel the
aircraft.
Once I'm done, the pilots should be heading out soon. When they
come out, we prepare the aircraft by towing it out to the bay,
prepare the ladders for them and prepare the GPU (ground power
unit). We then marshall the aircraft till it moves off.
After we're done, we have to prepare the roles for the spare
aircraft. Because a spare planned for one flight might be planned
for another flight after the first one takes off. So we have to
proceed with refuelling/defuelling and role change. We've got alot
of different roles available, some roles take hours to fit up, some
like fixing seats and rappeling kits are easy and fast. It all
depends on the flying program. All these role changes will have to
be recorded in the -4, -6 and -9. Not only that, some role
equipment have log books so we have to update that too.
When the aircraft that took off lands later, we gotta go out and do
a comp wash. Some aircraft have requirements like I stated earlier
(oil sampling, run down time check, leak checks) so all these are
done once the aircraft shuts down. The hottest job is the Rundown
time check where the pilot starts timing how long it takes for the
compressor blades to stop spinning. We open up the top of the
aircraft, make our way to the front and put our faces into the air
intake (because the space is so small and u have to put ur face in
there to see the blades turn) and tahan the bloody heat. For engine
oil sampling, we have to collect it within 15mins of shutting down,
so the engine is still bloody hot, we still have to be right beside
it to collect the engine oil.
After doing all that we still have to go back and settle the
paperwork in the -6, -7 and -9. Around that time, the other shift
would have arrived and finished their briefing... then they finally
take over and we get to go home.
Suay guys get aircrafts that have aircraft wash due, run down time
due and all SOAP (Spectrometric Oil Analysis Program, or what i've
been saying, oil) sampling due.
