View Full Version : Nice Job ATC at Kirtland AFB: Osprey Bearing Failure
Looks like a "well done" is in order for a controller who noticed "something doesn't look right (https://www.kirtland.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2471177/air-traffic-controller-at-kirtland-afb-credited-with-saving-cv-22-crew-aircraft/fbclid/IwAR18pW_kmqtP3DXHY79HOf1bqBGOi3V3poaWk_8RxxbdXwKT_-l5XXUl07c/fbclid/IwAR2_9jrWeSYRP3dF1MPQmLf4Z8qv7GbtnKV_n2mwQN5F-NizGqo4bT7XOiA/)" and alerted the crew.
They did some inspections, and found a pitch link bearing that controls the blade pitch was falling apart. It had probably another 45 minutes to an hour left of life at the rate it was breaking down. If the aircraft had continued not to report, and the aircrew hadn’t noticed the vibrations, it would’ve been a catastrophic failure. That would’ve been a loss of the aircraft and crew. It's a team effort.
West Coast
20th Jan 2021, 18:43
Good on her for speaking up.
Rotorhead1026
20th Jan 2021, 20:03
Good on her for speaking up.
And for noticing in the first place! :)
TBM-Legend
20th Jan 2021, 21:23
As a former military ATCO it became second nature to look for things that were 'different' given as a tower controller you looked at hundreds of aircraft and activities. Good for her....
West Coast
21st Jan 2021, 01:29
As a former military ATCO it became second nature to look for things that were 'different' given as a tower controller you looked at hundreds of aircraft and activities. Good for her....
A tower flower!
Herod
21st Jan 2021, 10:10
A tower flower!
No. An alert professional doing her job; and doing it very well.
falcon900
21st Jan 2021, 10:21
It does raise the question how something "3 times out of limit" in a critical component hadnt been picked up by maintenance or on board systems. .......Well done Wendy nevertheless.
212man
21st Jan 2021, 14:44
It does raise the question how something "3 times out of limit" in a critical component hadnt been picked up by maintenance or on board systems. .......Well done Wendy nevertheless.
Yes - you would think given it's complexity it would have HUMS
Thirsty
22nd Jan 2021, 18:05
Well spotted. The right person in the right place at the right time, just doin' her job.
Curious: What is with the presentation of a coin? What type of coin? What value? Reason?
@Thirsty:
It's not money. Many American military units have coins struck that are handed out for a variety of reasons by the Commanding Officer.
Challenge Coins
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenge_coin
1771 DELETE
22nd Jan 2021, 20:37
A coin is all she got for saving 6 lives and millions of dollars, surely they could do better than that!
Last time i was at Kirtland was to drop a couple of shapes out in the White Sands range just as the Falklands was kicking off.
We did get home in time to fly south and not miss the shooting match.
MightyGem
23rd Jan 2021, 19:58
A coin is all she got for saving 6 lives and millions of dollars, surely they could do better than that!
Their equivalent of a Green Endorsement?
Imagegear
24th Jan 2021, 07:21
It looks like the lady is a civvy, unless that is standard issue cammo for air trafficers on base.
So it is likely that full military recognition would not be forthcoming, alternatively some other form of civvy/corporate award would need to be made.
Irrespective, I trust her career prospects have significantly improved. A professional action which to my mind exceeds well done.
IG
Brain Potter
24th Jan 2021, 12:29
Kirtland AFB uses the aerodrome facilities of the civilian airport Albuquerque KABQ, so I would think that Ms Smith is an employee of the FAA. This does seem like rather a low-level recognition of such a spectacularly good “save”. I think she deserves a safety award from a much higher level, surely at least a general officer’s commendation? Civilian or not, the benefit was all to the USAF, so why shouldn’t “full military recognition” be appropriate?
Asturias56
24th Jan 2021, 15:05
We all want more people like that around...........