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A day in the life: C-17 Crew Chief

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alexander Martinez
  • 15th Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --  When it comes to the maintenance and care of a C-17 Globemaster III, the crew chief is considered the "jack of all trades." The crew chief, an aerospace maintenance technician, ensures maintenance work on an aircraft is accomplished and done correctly. 

"As a crew chief it's my job to perform [aircraft] servicing procedures, as well as aircraft inspections and any other maintenance that needs to be done to keep the aircraft flying," said Staff Sgt. Lee Taylor, 15th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

Long hours and hard work would best describe Taylor's day, which starts out receiving instruction for the day's tasks and turnover from the previous shift's crew.

"Each day is a little different," said Taylor, a Phoenix, Arizona, native. "We know what's coming in and going out and from there we'll know what procedures need to be performed."

From the squadron's building, he and other specialized maintenance technicians head to the aircraft equipped with a toolkit that he'll use to either perform maintenance work or assist others in their job.

With many Airmen invested in the maintenance and repair of an aircraft, Taylor said safety is paramount.

"There are all types of safety precautions in place," he said. "With so many moving parts and so many people with their hands on the aircraft it's important to track who's doing what."

In the aircraft cockpit, several buttons and switches are marked off with tags, informing others to not turn on or off the component they control, for the safety of others. This is an example of the precise communication all maintenance technicians need to have with each other while working on the aircraft.

"It's important that we communicate with the specialists to make sure all of our maintenance procedures are performed ... and we get the job done," Taylor said.

Taylor aspires to be a flying crew chief, which would enable him to fly with the aircraft as part of an aircrew. It would also allow him to travel more, which is what he likes most about his job.

"My favorite part of my job is definitely the travel," he said. "I've been afforded a lot of great travel opportunities because of this job."

After spending a busy day overseeing and helping with various maintenance projects, Taylor said he always has a strong sense of fulfillment knowing the importance of his role in the mission.

"I have a great sense of pride as a crew chief because I can really see what we do and see the mission happen as a result of what we do," he said.

At the end of the day, he wraps up by finalizing the work done on the aircraft, turns in his toolkit and provides turnover for the next shift. Tomorrow will surely have new challenges for Taylor, but he wouldn't have it any other way.