How the Air Force's metals techs keep aircraft flying
When it comes to welding, grinding or fabricating, the airmen of metals technology have a reputation for excellence, and it's well deserved.
In a profession with such exacting standards, it's important to continue to learn and improve.
"We are constantly learning, and we start by studying the basic concepts in training, and when we arrive at our shop, we begin to master our craft," Telles explained. "We have 16-year veterans who still learn something new every day."
In addition to their primary job, the aircraft metals shop helps save Team Mildenhall thousands of dollars.
"Today we worked on a part which could be outsourced to the civilian sector for $16,000," Telles said. "We've already completed eight of those parts and we will complete two more; it adds up to a considerable sum."
Innovation and creative solutions are also key for aircraft metals technicians, sometimes leading them to gather insight outside of their shop.
"We speak with engineers and gather information from blue prints to get exact dimensions and determine what a part needs to be made of," Telles said. "Occasionally, the blueprints don't match the aircraft perfectly and we have to go out to the aircraft and measure; it's a lot of precision work."
The metals technology shop has a considerable impact on the mission, but for them its just business as usual.
"In a way we are the last line of defense. When a crew chief finds something that needs to be fixed it comes to us," Telles said. "At that point, we have to fix it, weld it or replace it and if we don't get it done the plane doesn't fly."
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