Elmendorf's arctic maintainers

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross
  • 3rd Wing Public Affairs
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Below-freezing temperatures and strong gusts of wind with freezing wind chills won't keep Elmendorf's aircraft maintainers off the flightline. These men and women have been known to be out doing their job in the arctic environment in temperatures as cold as 40 below zero.

"Your toes get numb and your fingers get numb,"  said Senior Airman Sean Delaney, an electrical environmental specialist for the 19th Air Maintenance Unit. "The cold conditions make work really hard because of all the extra cold weather gear." 

Delaney, who's been stationed at Elmendorf for three years and was the 2008 3rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's Airman of the Year, said that even though it can be troublesome to work through, there's still work to be done, and that they just have to deal with the cold and get the job done.

Staff Sgt. David Liapis, an electrical environmental craftsman from the 19th AMU, said the maintenance world is a lot different than other Air Force jobs. He said there's a lot of time devoted to repairing the jets that people don't realize.

Liapis said that there's probably more time devoted in the winter than in the summer because of the snow. Airmen spend hours shoveling snow off the top of the jets and off the flightline, as well as de-icing the jets.

It's a time consuming process because Airmen have to be cautious of the slippery conditions. Liapis said there are more leaks and cracking wires in the winter due to the quick freezing and thawing.

Senior Airman Matthew Orozco, 19th AMU crew chief, said that the biggest challenge for him in the winter time is taking care of his hands.

"We work with our hands and a lot of the materials we work with are metal," said Orozco. "Cold hands with cold metal and high winds doesn't mix too well."

Orozco, who's been stationed here for four years now, said that they have to take their time in the winter, but that doesn't mean the work slows down.

All in all it's going to take more than the extreme arctic temperatures to keep Elmendorf's maintainers out of the fight.