JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. –
The Airmen of the 305th Maintenance Squadron non-destructive inspection flight play a critical role in ensuring the safety and reliability of aircraft and ground equipment at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
“A lot of our job consists of checking the integrity of an airframe to ensure that there’s no surface or subsurface defects,” said Senior Airman Richard Carter, 305th Maintenance Squadron non-destructive inspection technician. “If one of the surfaces is over-stressed, it can lead to major issues with an aircraft.”
NDI technicians help ensure the integrity of aircraft structures by utilizing multiple inspection methods such as x-rays, magnetic particle, fluorescent dye penetrant, eddy current, ultrasound and lastly, joint oil analysis.
The most frequent inspection the NDI shop conducts is the testing of oil samples. These samples are taken directly from aircraft and analyzed for its cleanliness.
“We ensure the quality of the oil is up to par with our standards,” said Senior Airman Alexis Martinez, 305th Maintenance Squadron non-destructive inspection technician. “You can’t run an aircraft with oil contaminated with foreign particles.”
The stakes are always high in maintenance, but that doesn’t stop “Can Do” Airmen from enjoying what they do.
“I like the inspection aspect of my job,” said Martinez. “Having the ability to find small imperfections in metal and potentially saving the lives of aircrew members is what drives me to work hard.”
The NDI flight’s constant effort in attention to detail and frequent inspections help the 305th Air Mobility Wing continue to provide rapid global mobility across the Joint Force, ensuring its readiness and capability to dominate any adversary.