Airmen in the UK are wiping down 'everything a pilot would touch' in order to keep fighter jets flying

• Airmen deployed to the UK are helping maintain combat readiness by sanitizing aircraft after flights.
• The task requires sanitizing everything in the cockpit, including any tool, button or switch the aircrew may have come in contact with during their flight, to keep the disease from spreading among squadrons.
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The 48th Maintenance Group is ensuring combat readiness in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by sanitizing the cockpit of every aircraft after each flight.

"It's a good measure to help prevent spreading the disease to our aircrew," said Staff Sgt. Daniel Solis-Reyes, 494th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief. "We don't want to bring anything back to the squadron, so we make sure to properly dispose of any of the items we use."

"We're taking all the preventative measures we can to help stop the spread of COVID-19," said Senior Airman Evan Boulais, 493rd AMU crew chief. "We are trying to keep everything as clean as possible while maintaining our readiness."

A 494th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief cleans the cockpit of an F-15E Strike Eagle to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, April 16, 2020.      US Air Force/Senior Airman Christopher S. Sparks

Personal protective equipment for cleaning includes wearing gloves, goggles and foot protection while using a sanitizing solution spray and cloth. Afterwards, each item is properly disposed of before the airman returns to the squadron.

A 493rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief sanitizes an F-15C Eagle cockpit tool to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, April 15, 2020.      US Air Force/Senior Airman Christopher S. Sparks

Crew chiefs are required to take safety precautions to help protect themselves and others.

A 493rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief cleans a ladder to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, April 15, 2020.      US Air Force/Airman 1st Class Rhonda Smith

"Basically everything a pilot would touch, we're wiping down and cleaning," said Senior Airman Daniel Smalls, 492nd AMU crew chief.

A 494th Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief sanitizes the cockpit of an F-15E Strike Eagle to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, April 16, 2020.      US Air Force/Senior Airman Christopher S. Sparks

The task requires everything inside the cockpit to be sanitized, to include any tool, button or switch the aircrew may have come in contact with during their flight.

A 493rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit crew chief dons boot-covers as a precaution before sanitizing an F-15C Eagle cockpit to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, April 15, 2020.      US Air Force/Senior Airman Christopher S. Sparks