301st Fabrication Flight -- Results show devotion to duty

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Stephen Bailey
  • 301st Fighter Wing
FORT WORTH, TEXAS --  The 301st Fighter Wing at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas is one of the premier fighter wings within the Air Force Reserve Command and at the forefront of its successes and accomplishments is the 301st Fabrication Flight. 

Known for their support of every major 301st deployment, the Fab flight, as it's commonly referred to, literally has its hands in every project, activity, and event the wing does. Officials agree the Fab flight continues to set and meet the quality standards evident within each and every 301st unit. 

"We certainly get involved and stay involved," said Senior Master Sgt. Art Zimmerman, 301st Fabrication Flight chief. "We work extremely hard to make a positive impact in performing the wing's mission - it's a responsibility that everyone in my shop takes seriously." 

The flight has four areas: structural shop; metals tech shop, which includes machine and welding shop; Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) Lab; and the survival equipment shop. It seems like only a few areas, but when you examine what the fabrication flight does each day - it's quite amazing. 

Next time you visit an event in the aircraft maintenance hangar chances are the Fab flight has already been there setting up the aircraft, moving stands, hanging the American flag, providing the engraving for the plaques, trophies, awards, signs for wing events, ... the list continues on and on. And that's just the extra stuff they do. 

"Our folks stay busy with big and the small projects," explained Sergeant Zimmerman. 
"Our goal is to make our section available for the wing's mission - no matter what needs to be done. Our performances have saved the wing considerable money, our people have received numerous awards, and we work tirelessly to ensure our pilots and support personnel have the best maintenance equipment and services possible to get the job done right the first time." 

Let's take a look at a few of the more recent successes. The structural shop managed to perform an intricate gun cup side frame replacement on three F-16 aircraft returning them to mission capable status ahead of schedule and with a zero defect efficiency. Technicians were also lauded when they repaired a severely damaged F-16 ventral fin, saving the wing more than $3,000 in replacement costs. This followed a horizontal stabilizer leading edge assembly repair that again saved the wing nearly $12,700. 

"Coming to work everyday is like being in a episode of "Monster Garage," said Senior Airman Scott Sommers, structural shop. "With the proper technical orders, we can make just about anything!" 

And the work is not necessary at home station. With the wing deploying in support of the war on terrorism, the Fab flight has made numerous trips to undisclosed locations. "It has been hard at times, but we're all prepared and ready to go at a moment's notice - that is what it's all about," said Sergeant Zimmerman. 

Their accomplishments keep getting noticed. Most recently, a metals tech specialist spearheaded the design and fabrication of a 'flapperon actuator support wear washer tool' that facilitates washer installation and eliminates 72 hours of fuel systems support maintenance. According to officials, this allowed for a huge time and money savings-effort within maintenance support functions. 

The Fab flight's NDI Lab also has the only Joint Oil Analysis program for all of central Texas. They have the responsibility of servicing all transient, Lockheed, and 301st FW aircraft burning over 1,760 oil samples each year. In addition to their normal work load, efforts were increased when the lab processed more than 250 aircraft oil samples during the evacuation for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

But it was the survival equipment shop that took top honors when last year's awards were announced. The shop was named 10th Air Force's Maintenance Flight of the Year. 

"This was no surprise because the shop's leader, Master Sgt. Jose Rodriguez, is an indispensable team leader who has the whole section working like a finely-tuned machine," Sergeant Zimmerman said. Recently while deployed to Southwest Asia, Sergeant Rodriquez was tasked to design new floor plans for a consolidated fabrication complex facilitating the C-130 cargo and fighter aircraft mission. 

"Everyday I come to work," said Senior Airman Travis Roman, survival equipment shop, "I know that another person's safety relies upon me doing my job right the first time, every time." 

Sergeant Zimmerman concluded "I'm very proud of my people and in the work they do we're either training to learn how to do the job or we're out there every day getting it done."