Colorado Reserve wing 'maintains' C-130 excellence

  • Published
  • By Maj. Corinna Moylan
  • 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  The 302nd Maintenance Group achieved a black-letter inspection on Sept. 20 for the 12th time since June of 2011. A black-letter initial on an aircraft's inspection form indicates zero discrepancies for that aircraft.

According to Master Sgt. James Scharfenberg, 302nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron flight chief, due to the age of the wing's C-130s, now 16 to 18 years old, and the wing's high operations tempo, maintaining operational readiness is a challenge in and of itself, let alone achieving a perfect, black-letter status.

"There is always something. A scratched window, a loose bolt or you are waiting for a part," he said.

A red letter "x" in the status box denotes that there are discrepancies significant enough to ground an aircraft. A red slash denotes discrepancies that are not significant enough to ground the aircraft. If there are zero discrepancies of any kind, the form is reviewed and annotated in black with the initial of an officer or senior noncommissioned officer designated by the group commander to release the aircraft for flight signifying aircraft airworthy. This is called an exceptional release on a "black-letter" initial.

Aircraft discrepancies can range from something as minor as a malfunctioning light bulb to a more serious issue that can ground an aircraft.

Scharfenberg said this latest black-letter status was achieved because of the pride the 302nd maintenance Airmen take in their assigned aircraft.

"A lot of them treat the aircraft like it's their car. They like to hear 'this looks good or flew good,' from the aircrews," he said.

The latest black letter aircraft is tail number 94-7320 earned by the 302nd Maintenance Group with Tech. Sgt. Tony Shaw leading the team as the crew chief. A crew chief is the last person on the ground to check the aircraft before it flies.

"We are always striving for this. It is a constant battle," Shaw said. "Congrats to everyone who worked on it."

The eight person team assigned to aircraft 94-7320 is made up of two traditional reservists, three Air Reserve Technicians and three active duty Airmen, exemplifying the Air Force's Total Force Integration initiative.

According to Shaw, such an achievement, not once, but 12 times since 2011, is a coordinated team effort within the entire maintenance squadron; from the supply Airmen who make sure parts are ordered to the schedulers who balance operational needs with maintenance requirements.

Since 2011, black letter status has been achieved twice on aircraft 96-7322, 94-7310, 94-7315, 94-7317, 94-7319, and once on aircraft 94-7318 and now 94-7320.