Charlie Flight aides stranded NATO E-3A

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Chad Gerrard
  • Eastern Air Defense Sector
Rome, N.Y. --  One quiet evening soon paid off for some Charlie Flight members with a Letter of Appreciation from NATO AWACS Training Wing Commander, Col. Angelo Piccillo.
"The purpose of this letter is to convey my appreciation to the Eastern Air Defense Sector, in particular C-Flight, for their outstanding assistance to a NATO AWACS Aircrew Training Squadron sortie transiting from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., to NATO Airbase Geilenkirchen March 23."
The primary members involved with the AWACS assistance included Maj. Tom Territt, Maj. Steve Rathmell, Tech. Sgt. Chad Gerrard (me) and Staff Sgt. Jose Ortiz.
"As far as I can remember, they were experiencing some issues but I wasn't quite sure what they were," explained Sergeant Ortiz. "We attempted the phone patch a few times and the first couple of times, they were unsuccessful. After about the third or fourth number we tried, we were able to contact the correct section and patch the call through to Germany."
Shortly after take-off from MacDill the NATO aircraft E-3A, callsign NATO 44/MAGIC 94, had a number four engine bleed air valve light illuminate. The situation did not pose a hazard to flight but required repair after landing during a planned fuel stop in Gander, Canada. However, the applicable Technical Order documentation and an approved maintenance waiver were required before the on-board technicians could commence the repair.
In an effort to have the waiver raised and approved and the technical documents transmitted to Gander prior to the jet's arrival, MAGIC 94 called on HUNTRESS for assistance. They requested a phone patch back to NATO Geilenkirchen Air Base, Germany, Job Control and to make several phone calls to both Gander and Geilenkirchen on their behalf.
"Major Territt established the phone patch, talked to them on the radio and made a few phone calls. I talked to the E-3 on the radio and called Geilenkirchen to relay information they couldn't hear on their phone patch," recalls Major Rathmell.
The Letter of Appreciation from Colonel Piccillo noted thanks to the outstanding support from C-Flight members. With their efforts, NATO 44/MAGIC 94 was able to affect the repair immediately upon landing.
"Had it not been for C-Flight's efforts, the crew would most likely have had crew duty expiration issues and been delayed in Gander for 24 hours," he wrote. "Further, a follow-on training sortie scheduled for that aircraft the next day in Geilenkirchen would have been lost."
I recall a radio call received in the ID section from MAGIC 94, and I just treated this as a normal call for a code check.
The radio conversation was as follows after initial call was acknowledged.
CALLER: "Is this Chad?"
GERRARD: "Yes it is, and whom am I speaking with?"
CALLER: "Your former Flight Commander...initials Sierra Oscar"
At this time, I was shocked to learn that I was talking with Maj. Steve Ovens, former C-Flight Commander!
Then we pressed with the request which then required other members to become involved.
"Please convey my appreciation to C-Flight. My sincere thanks to the unit for the outstanding work, and we look forward to any future opportunities to work together," added Colonel Piccillo.