C-123K Provider Gets a Makeover Published June 13, 2008 By Airman 1st Class Nathan Allen 314th Airlift Wing Public Affairs LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- The camouflage C-123K Provider in Heritage Park is getting a makeover, and according to Chief Master Sgt. Robert Fedor, 314th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight chief, taking care of our C-130s and static display airframes is only a small part of what the fabrication flight at the Rock is about. "We maintain the structural integrity of the airframe itself. We have several shops that get involved in that," Chief Fedor said. "Metals technology, design and repair, aircraft structural maintenance, and non-destructive inspections, and our aircraft refurbishment section all take part." The Fabrication Flight boasts 163 members and is responsible for maintaining the airframes of 88 aircraft and nine static displays here at the Rock, but according to Chief Fedor, the outstanding members of this flight often get tasked to take care of C-130s at other locations as well. "We also support maintenance repair teams," he said. "Say, for example, we have an airframe from Pope AFB, N.C., or Dyess AFB, Texas, that's broken at some off-station location, on occasion we will deploy and go out to their location and fix their airplanes." According to Senior Master Sgt. John Simonof, 314th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight assistant flight chief, the "Fab" Flight plays a critical role in the Global War on Terrorism. "We're making sure convoys stay off the road through maintaining the C-130s here," he said. "The C-130s are the backbone of major theater airlift in the area of responsibility... without the C-130s in theater, our guys over there have to ride down roads full of explosives." "It all boils down to flying safe airframes," said Chief Fedor. "Every aircrew out there is somebody's brother, sister, father, mother, or cousin...so our job is to provide them safe airframes...not only to support the GWOT, but for our future pilots to be trained on."
C-123K Provider Gets a Makeover Published June 13, 2008 By Airman 1st Class Nathan Allen 314th Airlift Wing Public Affairs LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- The camouflage C-123K Provider in Heritage Park is getting a makeover, and according to Chief Master Sgt. Robert Fedor, 314th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight chief, taking care of our C-130s and static display airframes is only a small part of what the fabrication flight at the Rock is about. "We maintain the structural integrity of the airframe itself. We have several shops that get involved in that," Chief Fedor said. "Metals technology, design and repair, aircraft structural maintenance, and non-destructive inspections, and our aircraft refurbishment section all take part." The Fabrication Flight boasts 163 members and is responsible for maintaining the airframes of 88 aircraft and nine static displays here at the Rock, but according to Chief Fedor, the outstanding members of this flight often get tasked to take care of C-130s at other locations as well. "We also support maintenance repair teams," he said. "Say, for example, we have an airframe from Pope AFB, N.C., or Dyess AFB, Texas, that's broken at some off-station location, on occasion we will deploy and go out to their location and fix their airplanes." According to Senior Master Sgt. John Simonof, 314th Maintenance Squadron fabrication flight assistant flight chief, the "Fab" Flight plays a critical role in the Global War on Terrorism. "We're making sure convoys stay off the road through maintaining the C-130s here," he said. "The C-130s are the backbone of major theater airlift in the area of responsibility... without the C-130s in theater, our guys over there have to ride down roads full of explosives." "It all boils down to flying safe airframes," said Chief Fedor. "Every aircrew out there is somebody's brother, sister, father, mother, or cousin...so our job is to provide them safe airframes...not only to support the GWOT, but for our future pilots to be trained on."