AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy -- Airmen from the 555th Fighter Generation Squadron and the 31st Maintenance participated in an engine run class at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Feb. 23 – 29, 2024.
The course taught Airmen how to conduct an engine run for an F-16 Fighting Falcon without the aid of a pilot.
An engine run is the process of testing an aircraft and making sure that all systems are functional. Before every flight, the pilot performs an engine run, however upon return, things could have happened to the aircraft. It is now up to the enlisted force to perform an engine run and troubleshoot all the systems and make sure the aircraft is still operational for another flight. Because of the amount of knowledge and steps involved in an engine run, the class is designed to be a more in-depth and hands-on experience. Due to this and other criteria needing to be met, the classes are small with a maximum of four Airmen and only happens twice a year on average.
The Airmen learned valuable skills over three phases. The first phase was briefing segments, learning what to do before actually doing it. Phases two and three had the Airmen perform an engine run in a virtual reality system and on a real F-16 respectively.
During an engine run, there are a lot of parameters to monitor. In phases two and three, the instructors make sure that the Airmen know those parameters and are able to operate, monitor and perform the tasks necessary with a high level of competency.
“For engine troops and crew chiefs that go through this course, this is their first time running an aircraft,” stated U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Justin Johnson, 31st Maintenance primary engine instructor. “This class is a major milestone for some of them, because not all them get to go through this course. It’s actually more of a rarity for them.”
At the end the course, the Airmen engage in a capstone. They sit in the cockpit and perform an engine run, while an inspector on the ground critiques their every step. Once the student successfully accomplishes an engine run, they will graduate from the course and become engine run certified.
“As rare as it is for one to be engine run certified, it is even more rare to watch them perform the engine run,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. William Howell 372nd Training Squadron Field Training Detachment 24 carrier instructor.
Howell coordinated with Johnson to send members from across the 31st Fighter Wing to watch the Airmen in the course complete their first engine run.
“It’s a special thing having people watch your first engine run,” said Howell. “For any of us, it can be easy to get lost in our job and not realize what we’re contributing to. But being able to see the engine run firsthand, and know that in one way or another, we helped that engine run happen, it’s really special.”