Everyone knows what a pilot is and what a pilot does. Almost everyone is familiar with aircraft and may even know how to distinguish certain airframes apart. But does anyone know about the maintainers for each aircraft? When attending airshows or watching your favorite aircraft in flight do you ever wonder about who keeps it flying or do you think about who is flying it? It seems, all too often, that the maintainers are forgotten. They are shadowed by the accomplishments of the pilot after shooting down an enemy aircraft or the capabilities of some new airframe. They are generally not mentioned in the newspaper articles or newscasts. They are an overlooked necessity in all aircraft functions.
A Crew Chief is a jack of all trades, but a master of none. Some say "it takes a college education to break an airplane, but a high school education to fix it!" He or she is responsible for the entire aircraft and the pilot that flies it. They are the mechanics, electricians, the specialists, and the ground crew that keep the aircraft flying. An aircraft without a Crew Chief is an aircraft that cannot fly. Crew Chiefs repair, replace, and troubleshoot worn out or malfunctioning parts. They go home dirty, greasy, tired, and most of the time not in the best of moods. Not to mention smelling like he took a bath in jet fuel, hydraulic fluid, and engine oil that day. They are responsible for daily flying operations, changing broken parts (from the smallest screw to the wing!), ground servicing, and whatever else the pilot throws at him.
Crew Chiefs are always proud of the aircraft they crew, even when others think that his aircraft is just a hunk of metal (don't say that around one). Just ask an old F-4 Crew Chief and you'll be lucky to get away from him without the F-4's entire history! Crew Chiefs are normally a special breed of persons, eager to work, and even more eager to play! They are funloving and loud. Some considered to be rude and obnoxious. They cuss, sweat, bleed, and cry until their job is done. You see, for a Crew Chief, there is no greater satisfaction than to see his airplane break ground and take flight after a 12 hour shift of busting nuckles trying to get it ready for flight. There is no greater job than his, and there is no greater reward for a job well done.
So the next time you see an aircraft at an airshow, or watch a contrail fly against a clear blue sky, or hear the low rumble of a distant jet engine, think of the Crew Chief that makes that happen and silently thank him for keeping em' flying and keeping our skies safe.
Paul C. Boliou
