How US soldiers tear Black Hawk helicopters apart and put them back together to keep them flying
"Every 480 hours we take a helicopter completely down and apart for safety inspections," US Army Capt. Paul Strella, commander of Delta Company, TF AVN said.
"It's a great opportunity for Delta Company, during the KFOR 26 rotation, to be able to get hands-on experience," Strella said.
"A lot of research went into the training and classes to be able to perform this efficiently and safely. Most importantly it's good training for the soldiers, to build their experience up for the continuity of the unit and to increase the soldiers' skill level."
The inspection should take 23 days by DoD standard, but Delta Company is extending the timeline to 10 weeks in order to move carefully through each step of the inspection.
Strella said this will allow meticulous execution of the processes and provide time for detailed training opportunities.
In addition to the routine aspects of the inspection, the soldiers plan to upgrade the engine to the most current model. The current engine is the General Electric 700 Model C and the updated engine will be a General Electric 700 Model D.
US Army Spc. Jared Turner, UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter repairer, TF AVN, said that it's his job to make sure that the aircraft are in the proper condition to successfully complete missions, whether it's carrying troops, sling-loading for air assault missions, or medical evacuations.
He said his favorite part is seeing the results of his unit's labor.
"Out on the flight line you get to see them take off and fly all the time, and when you recognize an aircraft that you've worked on, it's just a good feeling," Turner said. "That's one of the best parts of the job. You watch it fly away and you're like — I put my hands on that."
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