Corrosion control: A fight against rust

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Cary Smith
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  A door closes behind four Airmen donned in protective jump suits and respirators. On the other side, lie a large ventilated room and an F-16 Fighting Falcon stripped of its paint.

Beside the aircraft, Airmen with the 31st Maintenance Squadron corrosion control section mix paint needed to restore the aircraft back to its original shine.

According to U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Jimenez, 31 MXS NCO in charge of corrosion control, aircrafts receive full-body paint every four to six years to prevent rust build-up. Once rust appears on the aircraft frame, corrosion is difficult to remove.

"Rust is like cancer for the aircraft," said Jimenez. "Thankfully, the aircraft bodies are very healthy within the [555th and 510th] fighter squadrons, and do not need extensive corrosion control."

The corrosion control section works closely with maintenance units from both squadrons to ensure that aircraft's structure and integrity are operational and maintained at a safe level.

"Our shop's main duty with painting is to provide the care, application and sometimes removal of chemical coating for aircrafts," said U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Maxwell Levey, 31st MXS aircraft structural maintenance journeyman. "If rust builds up on the aircraft, a part could fail during flight, which is not only extremely dangerous, but it may prevent the jet from flying."

Aircraft structural maintenance Airmen do more than inspect the integrity of an aircraft 's chemical coating, they fabricate and repair metal pieces as well.

"Painting is only a portion of our job at this base. We also form metal and do major reconstruction of aircraft parts as well," said Jimenez. "If we can remove an aircraft part from the F-16 we will. Sometimes we have to take measurements and bring fabricated parts back and forth from our sheet metal shop to the hangar so we can ensure it is constructed properly."

Aircraft structural maintenance requires Airmen to be flexible and ready to help wherever needed, whether corrosion or sheet metal.

"Our maintenance section splits the manning hours between corrosion and sheet metal depending on the priority level of jobs," said Airman Justin King, 31st MXS aircraft structural maintenance apprentice. "I mainly work in the sheet metal shop where I cut metal for fabrication and help repair aircraft parts, but I've learned so much about my job with the full-body paint [we are working on]."

From beginning to end, there are precise procedures done in sequence that provide hands-on training for even the most seasoned structural maintainer.

"[Airman] King has probably used more equipment and had more training with this [particular] full-body painting than most Airmen do in the career," said Jimenez. "It is an important job too, because not only do we assist crew chiefs to get the jet in the air, but also, we make the aircraft look good while flying."