New 400-Hour Phase Inspection Equates to Lives Saved

New 400-Hour Phase Inspection Equates to Lives Saved
Air Force Print News | November 20, 2007

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - F-15E Strike Eagle maintainers here recently became the first in the Air Force to implement a new inspection process that promises greater airpower capability throughout Afghanistan.

Shortly after becoming the first deployed F-15E unit in the Air Force to return to full operational capability following the Air Force's fleet-wide grounding of the aircraft, the 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron began the new "400-hour phase" inspection process this week.

Phase inspections are among the most comprehensive maintenance actions performed on Air Force aircraft, said unit officials.

"Previously, each of our aircraft went into a five- to seven-day phase inspection for every 200 flight hours," said Maj. Jennifer Hammerstedt, the squadron commander. "Engineers at (the Air Logistics Center at) Warner-Robins Air Force Base, Ga., looked carefully at all the data after years of analysis and testing and were able to extend it to 400 hours."

While the 400-hour standard wasn't slated for implementation until early 2008, maintenance leaders here asked the Air Force to approve an earlier adoption for Bagram. "We're at the tip of the spear and we wanted the extra hours to meet our mission demands," said Major Hammerstedt.

Thanks to the new standard, maintainers are not only able to keep the F-15Es in the air longer -- which Maj. Hammerstedt said "ultimately equates to lives saved on the ground."

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