TUPELO, Miss. (July 19, 2016) -- Two U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center civilian engineers traveled to Tupelo in June to gain aviation flight-line experience.
The two-week on-the-job training program allowed Aviation Engineering Directorate employees the opportunity to observe and participate in hands-on maintenance for the Apache AH-64D helicopter.
Systems engineer Ashley Erickson and aerospace engineer Gabe Coby completed the Engineer on the Flight Line training program at the Army Aviation Support Facility July 1.
The training program allows engineers to obtain a better understanding of the helicopter system and experience the inspections and services provided to the aircraft on a daily basis, Erickson said.
"I sit behind a desk and write documentation that directly affects Soldiers. I was able to witness first-hand how what I write impacts the maintainers," Erickson said. "It was a great opportunity to follow the maintainers around and help them with everything from daily inspections to unique tear downs."
Participants in the training program actively turn wrenches and perform inspections. The engineers are given a unique perspective on how their decisions affect the personnel on the flight-line and in the maintenance hangar.
"When field issues come up, we as engineers are trying to solve those problems for the Soldiers, but we don't have the hands-on understanding of what it takes to complete a task," Cody said.
Cody said they can look at a part or a drawing and give recommendations on a solution, but without hands-on experience, they won't have a complete grasp of the problem or the time it requires to complete the inspection or task.
Direct involvement with inspections and maintenance actions provide the engineers with an opportunity to make better decisions when analyzing maintenance data and providing feedback to the Apache Project Office.
"Working hand in hand with the National Guard has been an eye-opening experience for me," Erickson said. "We had great communication and we received recommendations on how we can improve our documentation."
Cody concurred with Erickson and said, "It's amazing how something on paper can be a major burden to the Soldier if you don't have an understanding of all the extra labor that goes into a task. I learned even if the document says, 'change the oil filter,' that simple task may not be so simple to complete."
AED leaders hope to continue the program as funding allows.
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The Aviation Engineering Directorate's mission is to deliver responsive airworthiness assessments and solutions throughout the system life cycle as well as sustain the leadership and engineering expertise necessary to provide valued products to our aviation customers.
The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to ensure decisive overmatch for unified land operations to empower the Army, the joint warfighter and our nation. RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command.
Related Links:
U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command
U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center
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