"New" Tyndall Raptors cleared for takeoff

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Dustin Mullen
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Before Tyndall's newest F-22 Raptors take to the skies, they must complete a long list of certifications, processes and maintenance.

The 24 incoming jets from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. will go through this process preformed by Tyndall's specialized maintainers.

"The F-22 has electronic forms, which have their own computer system, Integrated Maintenance Information System," said Capt. Emily Harris, 95th Air Maintenance Unit officer in charge. "When a jet lands here from Holloman, we have to gain the aircraft in IMIS before we can do much with it. This is the only way we can see the aircraft forms and history."

Once owned in IMIS, they can go through the data and make sure all the maintenance is up-to-date. This is when they can begin routine maintenance on any discrepancies that may have come up during the flight from Holloman.

"This is all part of the acceptance process," said Master Sgt. Kelly Martin, 95th AMU F-22 production superintendent. "We are mandated by Air Force Instruction regulations to perform specific tasks to ensure the aircraft is mission ready and the proper electronic information has transferred."

From there, the maintainers begin a process to ensure pilot safety in case of an emergency. This two-day process consists of making sure the ejection components are in working order and the repacking of emergency parachutes and the survival kit.

"The canopy is removed to facilitate the ejection seat removal," Martin said. "Once the ejection seat is removed, it is taken to the egress shop to verify component installation. From there, aircrew flight equipment personnel repacks the drogue chute and verifies the survival kit has the proper items required."

Finally, depending on whether the aircraft came with a Holloman tail flash or not, the aircraft will be scheduled for either two or five days in the paint barn to get the Tyndall tail flash, 325th Fighter Wing and 95th Fighter Squadron patches.

"The process of accepting and putting a Tyndall tail flash on these aircraft is part of standing up the 95th FS and 95th AMU," Harris said. "Changing the tail flash and putting a 95th FS patch on the aircraft is pride of ownership. These are now Tyndall tails, 95th FS tails, part of Tyndall's first combat-coded unit and we are proud to maintain them."