Airman 1st Class Matthew Andrade, a native of Vacaville, Calif., and an F-16 crew chief assigned to the 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Gamblers Aircraft Maintenance Unit applies tape to sensitive electrical equipment and any openings on an F-16 Fighting Falcon at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., July 31, 2012. Andrade was preparing the plane to be cleaned of debris that builds up during flight. To prevent corrosion, the planes are washed every 180 days. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krystal M. Jeffers/Released)
Staff Sgt. Kyle Padgett, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Gamblers Aircraft Maintenance Unit dedicated crew chief, and Airman 1st Class Matthew Andrade, Gamblers AMXU crew chief, apply tape to sensitive electrical equipment on an F-16 Fighting Falcon at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., July 31, 2012. The plane was being prepared for the cleaning, which happens every 180 days. Padgett is a native of Aiken, S.C., while Andrade is a native of Vacaville, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krystal M. Jeffers/Released)
Staff Sgt. Kyle Padgett, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Gamblers Aircraft Maintenance Unit, a dedicated crew chief and a native of Aiken, S.C., and Airman 1st Class Matthew Andrade, Gamblers AMXU crew chief and a native of Vacaville, Calif., apply tape to the tail of an F-16 Fighting Falcon at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., July 31, 2012. The purpose of the tape is to protect sensitive electrical equipment while the plane is washed of dirt, grime and other debris. Planes are washed every 180 days to prevent corrosion. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krystal M. Jeffers/Released)
Staff Sgt. Kyle Padgett, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Gamblers Aircraft Maintenance Unit dedicated crew chief and a native of Aiken, S.C., places tape over sensitive electrical equipment on an F-16 Fighting Falcon before it is washed at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., July 31, 2012. Aircraft are washed every 180 days to prevent corrosion from weakening the structure of the plane. The three- hour process of washing an F-16 includes applying tape, washing, removing the tape and checking the paint for corrosion. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krystal M. Jeffers/Released)
Displayed are examples of the goggles, gloves, boots, overalls and the jacket Airmen wear to protect themselves from the soap used to wash an F-16 Fighting Falcon at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., July 31, 2012. Each plane is washed clean of grime and environmental build-up every 180 days to prevent corrosion from weakening its structure. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krystal M. Jeffers/Released)
Airman 1st Class Jake Palmiero, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Gamblers Aircraft Maintenance Unit electrical environmental specialist, fills up buckets of soap to wash an F-16 Fighter Falcon at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., July 31, 2012. It takes more than three hours to wash an F-16. It involves taping up sensitive electrical equipment and all openings into the plane, cleaning the aircraft of debris, removing the tape and checking the paint for corrosion which could weaken the plane’s integrity. Palmiero is a native of Kenmore, N.Y. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krystal M. Jeffers/Released)
Airman 1st Class Jake Palmiero, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Gamblers Aircraft Maintenance Unit electrical environmental specialist, fills up buckets of soap to wash an F-16 Fighter Falcon at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., July 31, 2012. It takes more than three hours to wash an F-16. It involves taping up sensitive electrical equipment and all openings into the plane, cleaning the aircraft of debris, removing the tape and checking the paint for corrosion which could weaken the plane’s integrity. Palmiero is a native of Kenmore, N.Y. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krystal M. Jeffers/Released)
Staff Sgt. Kyle Padgett, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Gamblers Aircraft Maintenance Unit dedicated crew chief and a native of Aiken, S.C., sprays an F-16 Fighting Falcon with a soap called Aerowash at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., July 31, 2012. Maintainers washing an aircraft are required to wear goggles, gloves, boots, overalls and a jacket, to protect them from the soap. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krystal M. Jeffers/Released)
Airman 1st Class Jake Palmiero, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Gamblers Aircraft Maintenance Unit electrical environmental specialist and a native of Kenmore, N.Y., washes the landing gear of an F-16 Fighting Falcon at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., July 31, 2012. F-16s are cleaned twice a year of oil, grime and environmental debris to prevent corrosion. Corrosion can cause a landing failure by causing the wheels to crack and jeopardizing the strength the landing gear. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krystal M. Jeffers/Released)
by Airman 1st Class Krystal M. Jeffers
20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
8/7/2012 - SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Airmen from the 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Gambler Aircraft Maintenance Unit, was busy washing an F-16 Fighting Falcon to remove built-up debris here, July 31.
Debris that collect on aircraft includes exhaust from the engines, exhaust from firing the aircraft's weapons and environmental debris like insects.
"You want to keep the aircraft looking clean not only for pride but also to prevent corrosion from long time exposure to the environment," said Master Sgt. Jeremy Wells, 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron wash rack manager. "If you don't clean your aircraft on a regular scheduled basis then debris become corrosive to the aircraft."
F-16s are washed clean of the dirt and grime every 180 days at the base's wash rack to prevent damage the aircraft.
"If you don't clean the corrosives off of the aircraft the corrosion starts attacking the metal substructure and the aluminum frame." The native of Lawrenceville, Ga., said. "Once that start happening it weakens the aircraft and possible catastrophes could occur. In a worst case scenario a wing could come off."
Panels can break off of aircrafts due to corrosion and wheels can crack which could lead to landing failures.
"If you don't clean the landing gear of foreign debris and it corrodes then the strength of the landing gear could be jeopardized. So, when the aircraft comes down to land, it could collapse," Wells said.
"The landing gear has to work every single time," said Staff Sgt. Kyle Padgett, Gamblers AMU dedicated crew chief and native of Aiken, S.C. "It is not optional. It is necessary to keep the landing gear in good shape, clean and lubricated."
It takes more than three hours to completely wash a F-16. Sensitive equipment is taped up along with any openings into the aircraft. Every part of the aircraft is washed from the wings to the smallest parts in the landing gear. Afterwards, all the tape is removed and the paint is checked for damage.
"It is hard work," Padgett said. "These jets are very heard to clean because the grease, oil hydraulic fluids and debris that build up over a 180 days is difficult to get off the paint. The landing gear is also hard to clean because there are so many nooks and crannies."
It is a very tedious job. It is not easy to wash a jet but it is necessary," he added.
