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D-M, others teach aircraft recovery toFacebook.com/DesertLightningNews Chilean AF partners
Story and photo by Staff Sgt. aircraft technical orders are the same as the U.S. Air Force. U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Charles Biddulph, 21st
“The course being in English actually helped me,†said Space Wing Mobile Training Team member, instructs
ANGELA RUIZ Chilean airmen on connecting a snatch cable to
Airman Gonzalo Payacan, 5th Air Brigade Maintenance an aircraft landing gear D-ring June 4 during crash
12th Air Force Group F-16 Fighting Falcon crew chief of the Chilean air damaged disabled aircraft recovery at Cerro Moreno
force. “All of the technical orders of my specialty are writ- Air Base in Antofagasta, Chile. The MTT traveled to
ANTOFAGASTA, Chile — Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces ten in English. The course helps me prepare when needed.†Iquique, Chile, and then to Antofagasta, Chile. The
Southern) sent a mobile training team to Chile to conduct MTT certified 35 Chilean airmen on CDDAR at both
training with the Chilean Air Force on Crash Damaged Throughout the training course, the Chilean airmen were locations.
Disabled Aircraft Recovery, May 13 to June 8, 2018. given classroom instruction covering an aircraft recovery
plan, personnel protective equipment, and CDDAR opera- Chilean airmen.
The CDDAR Mobile Training Team consisted of four sea- tion followed by hands on training. “Thank you for your time and your patience and for giving
soned crew chiefs who have experienced being an aircraft
crash team chief.The crew chiefs hailed from Davis-Monthan Chilean airmen demonstrated their knowledge by re- us the instruction, life experiences and your knowledge,â€
Air Force Base; Hill AFB, Utah; and Peterson AFB, Colorado. sponding to a simulated damaged disabled F-16 Fighting Zepeda said. “The instructors did everything in their power
Falcon and connecting a crane to simulate lifting the aircraft to make the course the best.â€
The team traveled from the U.S. to the 3rd Aviation Group for the final objective of the course.
at Los Condores Air Force Base in Iquique, Chile and then
to the 5th Air Brigade Maintenance Group at Cerro Moreno “To physically see the aircraft lift procedures was a great
Air Base in Antofagasta, Chile. experience,†Paycan said. “I’m grateful to have experienced
it.â€
“I view the MTTs as a key tool in our security cooperation
apparatus,†said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Hector Gonzalez, Thirty-five Chilean airmen graduated the CDDAR course
embassy Santiago, Chile, theater security cooperation Air from both locations. The Chilean airmen hailed from F-16
Force section chief. maintenance career fields to include crew chiefs, jet engine
mechanics, sheet metal technicians, avionics mechanics,
Gonzalez explained that the MTTs are requested and safety NCOs, egress technicians, nondestruction inspection
funded by the Chilean air force. “By us being able to provide technicians, aircrew flight equipment technicians, mainte-
assistance in an area that they feel a need to improve, we’re nance officers and quality assurance inspectors.
building that partnership, that relationship.â€
“It’s very important we interact with different aircraft
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Michael Powell, 388th Aircraft specialties when we need to pick up an aircraft,†said Chil-
Maintenance Squadron mobile training team member, ean air force Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Zepeda, 5th Air Brigade
explained that the MTT taught the basic principles of how Maintenance Group F-16 Fighting Falcon crew chief. “They
to preserve the area surrounding an aircraft mishap for an will have different viewpoints and they are going to be the
investigation and recover a damaged or disabled aircraft. ones lifting the aircraft.â€
The two-week CDDAR course was instructed in English, Upon completing the final objective, U.S. and Chilean
the same as the U.S. Air Force CDDAR course. This was an airmen conducted a team debrief over what went well and
opportunity for the Chilean Airmen to practice speaking in what could be improved. The following day the U.S. Airmen
English as they already often read in English, since their held a graduation ceremony for the newly CDDAR certified
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