News

Robins team answers C-5 mayday call

  • Published
  • By Wayne Crenshaw
  • 78 ABW/PA
A team of mechanics at Robins recently completed an impromptu emergency repair to help a C-5 Galaxy complete its mission.

The C-5B from Dover Air Force Base, Del., stopped at Robins to load equipment for a mission overseas, which included transporting a classified load. It could not take off, however, because it had a faulty fire-loop sensor on the No. 2 engine.

The sensor is a flat and square yard of looped tubing between the engine and pylon, which is the large section holding the engine to the wing. The part is the engine's fire detector, so for safety reasons flying was out of the question.

"If the crew had a fire, they wouldn't know it," said Terrance Diggins, an electrician who worked on the plane.

C-5 mechanics were pulled off programmed depot maintenance to look at the aircraft. Night shift mechanics troubleshot the issue, and determined the fire loop sensor was the problem.

At first it was thought they would have to detach the huge engine from the pylon and lower it in order to remove the sensor.

However, propulsion mechanic David Murray took a look and determined it could be removed without detaching the engine.

That saved about eight hours, said C-5 production supervisor Terry Hardison, and mechanics completed the job in about six hours. The plane took off one day after the problem was discovered.

"They did an outstanding job," Hardison said of the mechanics' work. "They worked as a team, got it done in minimum time, and the aircraft made its mission."