New engines make the plane

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Matthew Hubby
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The C-5 Galaxy has been part of the Air Force's fleet for 43 years. In that time, it has provided the Air Force with heavy intercontinental strategic airlift capabilities. Able to carry oversized cargo, the C-5 is one of the largest military aircraft in the world. Beginning in 2006, the C-5 underwent a transition. Through the addition of new engines and avionics, it became the C-5M Super Galaxy, and soon Dover Air Force Base, Del., will be the first Air Force base to be home to a fleet made solely of C-5Ms.

The new engines provide 60,000 pounds of thrust - a 67 percent increase. They have been downgraded from their civilian equivalent to 80 percent, giving them a longer lifespan. In order to maximize the potential of the new engines the Team Dover maintainers are undergoing a paradigm shift.

"Because it's a new engine, there is new system we need to learn," said Tech. Sgt. Carl Adee, the lead jet engine technician with the 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "The biggest difference between the C-5B and the M is it is run more by computers. Some of our guys who have worked on the B for a bit have to get used to interpreting the new system."

The new engines have more preventative maintenance checks compared to the old ones, but are less maintenance intensive, said Adee. The new M model allows the jet engine technicians to broaden their horizons and work more with wiring and computers, giving them a larger repertoire of skills.

"Our younger guys really enjoy working on the new plane," said Adee. "But a lot of our older guys are going to miss the B-model. They have been working on it for so long they've gotten attached."

However, even attachment to the older aircraft cannot dampen the pride the technicians feel about being the first to have a full M-model fleet, said Adee.

"You see the work that goes into being the 'guinea pig.' We have some of the best maintainers in the Air Force and these guys were perfect to put this thing through the wringer. It's nice to see our work affect the rest of the Air Force, with what we've developed, like picking out new core tasks for training. It makes a lot of guys proud to say 'yeah, we did this first,'" said Adee.

Another issue jet technicians are focusing on is maintaining the right balance of those trained on M and B model engines. While Dover AFB is the first base to have a complete M fleet, there will still be B model planes flying into the base as well as calls for maintainers for Maintenance Recovery Teams - missions to fly out to aircraft that need to be repaired overseas.

"We're looking forward to being Dover AFB, home of the C-5M," said Adee. "We're really proud of being the ones selected to work on this aircraft and help set up others for success in the future."