Program gives US, Bulgarian maintainers insight into each other's aircraft

  • Published
  • By By Tech. Sgt. J. LaVoie
  • 323rd Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
GRAF IGNATIEVO AIR BASE, Bulgaria --  In an effort to increase theater security cooperation, U.S. and Bulgarian Airmen received familiarization briefings on F-15C and MiG-29 aircraft here.

The NATO program is designed to familiarize Airmen from member nations with cross-servicing on different aircraft.  Because F-15s are currently deployed to Bulgaria as part of Operation Noble Endeavor, it presented the maintainers from the two countries an opportunity to take part in the program.

After two-days of classroom discussion, the Bulgarian crew chiefs were given the opportunity to get some hands on familiarization with the F-15C.

"I can give them all the classroom instruction I want, but diagrams only go so far," said Master Sgt. Darrell Wiedenbeck, U.S. Forces in Europe A-10 functional manager. "The hands-on is more beneficial to the program."

The briefings were truly a familiarization, as many of the Bulgarians had years of aircraft experience.

"I was really impressed with how much they know about the jet," said Staff Sgt. Robert Jackson, an F-15 dedicated crew chief who gave the hands-on familiarization briefing.

Sergeant Widenbeck explained that for many of them, this is just explaining the differences.

"They have a very good understanding of aircraft, so we are just showing them our procedures. An actuator is an actuator - the bits and pieces of an aircraft are the same. The only difference is an actuator on an A-10 is in one place and on an F-15 another," said Sergeant Widenbeck.

This training allows the two militaries to better work together during NATO operations.

"The familiarization allows Bulgaria to better support us, and allows us to better support Bulgaria," said Sergeant Jackson. "If we send a jet somewhere, and it diverts, now that they are familiar with our operations, they could assist with the aircraft."

According to the Bulgarians, the familiarization assists with more than NATO operations.

"The way you service your aircraft is not the way we service our aircraft," said Bulgarian Air Force Master Sgt. Vladimir Kolev, a MiG 29-crew chief. "We can use the methodology we learn to service our aircraft as well."

Sergeants Jackson and Wiedenbeck also had the opportunity to learn about the MiG-29.

"It made me grateful for what we have in the U.S. Air Force," said Sergeant Jackson. "We have a really expensive piece of equipment that we hook up to a few probes that will perform the same test they just did with an air hose."

Overall, everyone was pleased with the opportunity to work with airmen from another nation.

"Since we are NATO members, we take every opportunity to work with other nations," said Bulgarian Air Force Warrent Officer Nikolay Genovski, a MiG-29 crew chief. 

"It is good to cross train. When we work together, it is better if we have basic knowledge of each other's operations."