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No Hangar Bay, No Problem for GW's AIMD

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050415-01
Release Date: 4/15/2005 8:18:00 AM

By Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Matthew Liddell, USS George Washington Public Affairs

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (NNS) -- Sailors from USS George Washington (CVN 73) (GW) have been performing preservation and upkeep work on the ship's aircraft maintenance equipment at Norfolk Navy Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., as the ship undergoes a docked planned incremental availability in Newport News, Va.

Even though GW doesn't expect to see any airplanes touching down while in the yards, Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department's IM4 Division will be preparing for it by servicing a variety of equipment during the scheduled yard period.

"We're reconditioning all of our equipment," said Aviation Support Equipment Technician 2nd Class (AW/SW) Jacobo Montes. "What that means is we're rebuilding [it to be in the] best condition it can be, so it will be ready for the squadrons to use."

Montes and the rest of IM4 division normally services this equipment aboard ship, but since the ship has relocated to Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard, it is no longer possible. Norfolk Naval Shipyard provides GW with an aviation support equipment repair space, where they do all the work they would do aboard the ship. They also service other support equipment, like engine stands, jacks and devices to help perform aircraft maintenance. In total, they service about 460 items of equipment, everything from tractors to forklifts, and anything else that helps airplanes get around on the flight deck.

"We have a lot of room to work and do our jobs," said Montes.

Montes pointed out that the aviation support workspace gives him a chance to train newer Sailors in an environment that is different from the ship. On deployment, IM4 will be repairing and maintaining equipment on the ship with a tighter schedule and tougher working conditions.

Aviation Support Equipment Technician Creston Alexander, who has been out to sea with the ship but has yet to make a deployment, agreed that Portsmouth is a great place to sharpen his skills and become more efficient.

"It's a lot easier to work here," he said. "When we go out to sea, we won't have nearly as much room, and we'll always have to worry about tying down equipment because [of the ship] rocking in the seas."

Alexander also said he is aware that when the ship is underway, flight operations can go on day and night. He said his current working environment is good training for the "crunch-time" of flight ops.

IM4's mission is to keep readiness high by supporting air operations aboard the ship. They do this by quickly repairing equipment and making sure that no repairable equipment goes to waste.

Aviation Support Equipment Technician 2nd Class (AW/SW) Samuel Watson said his division is ensuring the quality of all the support equipment and maintaining the condition of the equipment the ship already has.

"It doesn't cost nearly as much to fix something as it does to replace it," said Watson.

GW takes aircraft equipment around the world and exposes it to all kinds of harsh conditions. IM4 Sailors say the environment can play a big part on the wear and tear a piece of equipment goes through.

"We're taking care of corrosion and a lot of other problems that accumulated from [the] cruise," said Aviation Support Equipment Technician 2nd Class (AW/SW) Roy Camangian. He said that salt water, sandy wind and other harsh elements like he experienced in the recent Persian Gulf deployment all take their toll on the equipment.

This routine of shifting from a shipboard-working environment to a shore working environment is one that IM4 Sailors come to expect when their ship goes into the yards. Portsmouth plays host to approximately 35 IM4 Sailors, or about 75 percent of the division.

Still, some of the division remains aboard ship, contributing to regular shipboard operations.

"We know it's required of us, and we just roll with it," said Chief Aviation Support Equipment Technician (AW/SW) Steve Davis, IM4's leading chief petty officer. "Many of our personnel are still here on the ship, rehabilitating spaces and completing essential tasks required of them. We're definitely still one team, though."