WE KEEP PAF FIGHTING FIT

Since the establishment of the air force, it has strived to acquire the best aircraft, within the available resources. With the advent of the jet age, initially the air force had B-57 Bombers, F-104 Star Fighters and F-86 Sabre aircraft. In the late 60’s it inducted French Mirages. A shift from advance technology to high technology was made in 80’s with the induction of F-16 aircraft.

The maintenance of fighter aircraft trails down from first line maintenance at the flying squadrons to second line maintenance at the back-up shops. For the third line maintenance, the aircraft are sent to the periodic hangars and finally for the fourth line maintenance and re-building at factories for a new flying life. Few people are aware that at the core of it is a dedicated team of professional engineers and technicians who keep these fighters operationally fit.

A flying squadron is the smallest operational unit. By its very design it operates as a totally independent entity, so that deployment can be made within a short time to meet any exigency. Long years of training and experience coupled with perseverance and dedication, gives it a capacity to work in adverse conditions and enables them to operate from any airfield in the country. The maintenance team single mindedly takes on all the challenges, irrespective of the task which makes them unique in their field. They are accustomed to working in the scorching heat and chilling cold, come rain or storm, they work ceaselessly. For them, every job is to be done well. The job is challenging due to time compressed situations. Contentment and satisfaction seen after hard work of long hours is the ultimate reward.

Full support to the flying squadron is supplemented by back up shops, which cease work only when all aircraft are serviceable for the next day’s mission. Time is not the limiting factor, rather serviceability status of aircraft is the bottom line. The technician in shops rectify equipment and carry out prolonged tests before certifying these as fit for installation on aircraft. Although aircraft equipment is very robust due to its construction on military specifications, but its tolerance values are very strict, making the job very delicate and intricate, as repeat defects are not affordable and can have disastrous consequences.

During flight, an aircraft is subjected to extremes of environmental and physical stresses which lead to wear and tear. This deterioration needs to be checked periodically. For this, preventive maintenance and inspections are conducted by experienced technician, who shoulder heavy responsibility, for the slightest error or casualness may turn into a fatal accident. Such minor and major checks and inspection, are carried out periodically through out the life of an aircraft.

Aviation is a tricky business; an error made on ground or in air is hardly forgiven and can lead to disastrous and sometimes fatal accidents, leaving no room for doubt or error of inefficiency. Each flight of about one hour is backed by huge number of man hours and vast utilisation of resources. The technical staff keeps them flying by continuous rectification of faults, preventive maintenance, schedule inspection and rebuilding. Total supervision and aviation management is the responsibility of engineers. Modifications, quality assurance and flight safety are paramount for them.

The main role of the air force of defending the air space as well as training in peace time can never be achieved without valuable support of various activities like education institutions to graduate professionals, and administrative support for housing, medical, motivation and military engineering services.

It is in fact, a dedicated effort of a large number of professionals who assist the engineers and aviators in accomplishing their task.

Pakistan Air Force being a dynamic organisation does not stop here. It is ever striving for greater efficiency, modernisation, improved professional standard and work facilities.