Shaw electrical, engineering flips switch to start aircraft engines
By Airman 1st Class Benjamin Ingold, 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
/ Published January 26, 2018
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- The 20th Component Maintenance Squadron (CMS) electrical and engineering (E&E) section is responsible for ensuring F-16CM Fighting Falcon systems are functioning properly.
The section tests systems on 20th Fighter Wing F-16s and keeps accountability of equipment used during safety inspections.
Without properly functioning E&E systems, the jets cannot fly or complete their mission.
“If you can’t flip the switch to start the engine, you can’t get in the air,” said Senior Airman Cayce Kaminski, 20th CMS E&E systems specialist. “If you can’t get air running up in the sky, the pilot can’t breathe.”
All electric or life support systems on the aircraft falls under the responsibility of the team during break inspections.
“We supply nitrogen carts, charge the batteries, work on the regulated emergency oxygen system and perform maintenance on matrix assemblies,” said Tech. Sgt. Deandra Baker, 20th CMS E&E systems section chief. “We have two or three inspection phases going at once and every aircraft has to go through their phase inspection.”
After the inspection team is done and the plane is cleared, normal operations can continue.
Since flying a jet requires high amounts of focus and attention, pilots cannot spend their energy wondering if sensors are working correctly or if their air supply will run out. E&E systems specialists take the guesswork out of flying to send safe aircraft to the skies.