Loading bombs on an F-16 takes some finesse and care.
So when load crews competed last week to see who the best team of
2005 was, there was nothing but seriousness among the
competitors.
Four load crews that won quarterly competitions were joined by two
wildcard crews in the 2005 Load Crew of the Year Competition.
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Pilots and others within the fighter squadrons came out to give
their loaders support.
Luke Vice Cmdr. Col. Dave Orr, 43, said the pilots learn from
watching the loaders, and it strengthens the team.
"It's unique, and it's great for camaraderie," Orr said of the
competition.
The quarterly winners were the 310th Air Maintenance Unit, Crews 11
and 14; the 425th AMU, Crew 92, and the 309th AMU, Crew 41. The
wildcard teams were the 308th AMU, Crew 58, and the 63rd AMU, Crew
26.
The first competition of the day featured the 63rd's Crew 26 and
the 425th's Crew 92. The 425th is a part of the Singapore Air
Force, which trains at Luke.
Master Sgt. Anna Reynolds, weapons standardization superintendent,
said each team begins with 1,000 points. Points are deducted for
mistakes and missteps. The team with the highest points wins, but
those winners won't be announced until the Annual Maintenance
Professionals Banquet in March.
Each team loaded three training munitions on one side of an F-16.
Each three-man crew had to attach one 200-pound AIM-9 Sidewinder
missile and two 500-pound MK-82LD bombs to the airplane.
The crews "are judged on their proficiency, reliability and on the
safety of the load," said Reynolds, 47, from Salem, Ore. "They are
judged on how well they can load these munitions, safely, reliably
and proficiently."
Three evaluators watched and scored each crew.
Airman 1st Class Nichole Womack, 24, is on the 63rd AMU crew. She
has been loading bombs for two years. She is responsible for
keeping the tools clean and making sure they are returned to their
proper places and documented when done.
She worked furiously to attach a 500-pound bomb to the jet. When
the competition was complete, Womack appeared satisfied with
herself and her crew.
"I think we did really good," said Womack, from Lykens, Pa. "I was
kind of nervous. Once we got the MK-82s on there, it was smooth
sailing after that."
Staff Sgt. Adrian Ng, with the 425th's Crew 92, was pleased with
the performance of the crew, though he fretted about a "small"
paperwork mistake that he said would cost a couple of points.
"This (competition) is showing where you are in loading, and you
compete with others," Ng said.
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