Accessorizing the mission

ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England - Staff Sgt. Christopher Waller, 48th Component Maintenance Squadron hydraulic systems craftsman and a Bunceton, Mo. native, cleans and inspects an F-15 E model nose landing gear strut in the hydraulics shop Nov. 8, 2012. Hydraulics, fuels, electro environmental and emergency global rescue, escape and survival systems are the four sections that make up the accessories flight. They are responsible for intermediate level maintenance on the components of the F-15s. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Grigg)

Accessorizing the mission

ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England - Staff Sgts. Earnest Franks, a Haleyville, Al. native, and Joseph Samples, a Kell Ill. native, 48th Component Maintenance Squadron aircrew emergency global rescue, escape and survival systems craftsmen, load an F-15 ejection seat into a truck Nov. 8, 2012. Hydraulics, fuels, electro environmental and emergency global rescue, escape and survival systems are the four sections that make up the accessories flight. They are responsible for intermediate level maintenance on the components of the F-15s. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Grigg)

Accessorizing the mission

ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England – Senior Airman Bryan LaMonte, 48th Component Maintenance Squadron hydraulics systems journeyman and Shasta Lake, Calif. native, tests the boost assembly of the pitch and roll channel assembly in the hydraulics shop Nov. 8, 2012. Hydraulics, fuels, electro-environmental and emergency global rescue, escape and survival systems are the four sections that make up the accessories flight. They are responsible for intermediate level maintenance on the components of the F-15. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Grigg)

Accessorizing the mission

ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England - Senior Airman David Grove, 48th Component Maintenance Squadron electro environmental systems journeyman and Springfield, Ill. native, types a program for the automatic wire test set in the electro-environmental shop Nov. 8, 2012. Hydraulics, fuels, electro-environmental and emergency global rescue, escape and survival systems are the four sections that make up the accessories flight. They are responsible for intermediate level maintenance on the components of the F-15. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tiffany M. Grigg)

Accessorizing the mission

Published Nov. 20, 2012
By Senior Airman Tiffany M. Grigg
48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England - -- To many, earrings and necklaces come to mind when they hear the word 'accessories'.
When it comes to the mission here at RAF Lakenheath, accessories have a different and more important meaning.

The 48th Component Maintenance Squadron Accessories Flight, comprised of four sections, emergency global rescue, escape and survival systems (EGRESS), electro-environmental, aircraft hydraulics and fuels, is responsible for keeping all the parts of the F-15 in working order.

The EGRESS section handles emergency and survival functions.

"[We are]responsible for maintaining the EGRESS systems, ejection seats, parachutes, survival kits and the explosive components that are on the aircraft," said Master Sgt. David Willaman, 48th CMS Accessories Flight maintenance superintendent, EGRESS craftsman and Morrisville, Ind. native. "EGRESS supports all the F-15C models and E models."

The E&E section is responsible for keeping the electrical components of the F-15 in working order.

"The electro-environmental section is responsible for the phase production for all the inspections for the E&E [items]", said Tech. Sgt. Chad Rasmussen, 48th CMS E&E shift supervisor and Portland, Ore. native. "We also work batteries for the helicopters, lox carts and lox bottles for the F-15C models and all the electrical components that come in, such as lighting panels and generators, for the F-15E models."

The hydraulics section ensures that the F-15s' brakes are working properly, among other things.

"Our responsibilities are to repair, troubleshoot and inspect aircraft hydraulic components such as brakes, aircraft struts and hydraulic flight control systems on the F-15s," said Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Mason, 48th CMS aircraft hydraulics craftsman and Tampa, Fla. native. "We're specialists. The accessories flight as a whole works on the parts that require more detail, peforming intermediate level maintenance."

The fuels section maintains the F-15 fuel systems to ensure the jets keep flying.

"Accessories flight, like many other flights in maintenance, is one big family," said Staff Sgt. Joshua Boudinot, 48th CMS aircraft fuels systems technician. "The one thing about fuel systems is that we work flightline and backshop, whereas the other sections mostly work backshop, meaning the jobs come to them."

Though separated into different sections, the accessories flight's shared goal is to keep the F-15s flying.

"Our ultimate goal is to make sure that every available aircraft is able to [complete] the mission," said Master Sgt. Samual Parr, 48th CMS Accessories Flight chief and Glendale, Ariz. native. "We do the best that we can do to send out quality products, perform quality work on jets and ensure the F-15s are ready to go at a moment's notice."