Maintainer receives T-38 incentive flight

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tracy Brown
  • 442nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  Master Sgt. Michael Bannon, integrated automatic test station (IATS) shop chief of the 442nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, took an incentive flight Dec. 22 at Whiteman Air Force Base.

Sergeant Bannon was awarded the T-38 flight after he won Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the year in 2007. The T-38 Bannon flew in is a trainer aircraft containing two seats. It was flown by 1st Lt. Jason Boman from the 509th Bomb Wing.

Senior Master Sgt. Cindy Spaulding, avionics flight chief, nominated Sergeant Bannon. Sergeant Spaulding submitted the package for Sergeant Bannon's nomination highlighting his accomplishments throughout the year.

In 2007 he managed the IATS shop while emphasizing communication between him and the technicians, which ultimately created a cohesive team striving for the same goals, she said.

Sergeant Spaulding said through Sergeant Bannon's ability to develop excellent working relationships with the specialist flight's supervisor and technicians, he was able to improve prioritizing and repair of line-replaceable units to meet flying schedules. While maintaining a productive work environment and training requirements for the shop, he assisted in developing and improving the 15 compliance programs required by Air Force Instruction 21-101.

Sergeant Bannon and his team's efforts were recognized when the shop received an "Outstanding" following the Air Force Reserve Command maintenance standardization and evaluation inspection. Sergeant Bannon volunteered as the point of contact for the maintenance group for the MSEP and performed the duties of an augmented inspector as part of the AFRC MSEP inspection team at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

Sergeant Spaulding said the AFRC team chief was so impressed with Sergeant Bannon's performance of inspections and how thoroughly and professionally he conducted himself that he requested Sergeant Bannon participate as the point of contact for future inspections.

Sergeant Spaulding said Sergeant Bannon also completed the Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy by correspondence months before his eligible promotion date.

During that time he was also enrolled in State Fair Community College working toward an Associate of Applied Science in Avionics Systems Technology degree.

His base and community involvement entailed volunteering to assist Airmen moving to Whiteman Air Force Base due to a base realignment and closure. Sergeant Bannon assisted the new members in finding housing and aided them in filling out their travel vouchers.

Sergeant Bannon appeared before the semiannual/annual Senior Noncommissioned Officer board in 2007 and served on the board in 2008.

His suggestion to Airmen hoping to obtain an award such as this is, "don't just do your job, but look outside your specific job duties and think of things you can do to help the wing as a whole to succeed."

He also said any effort to further an education or to excel in training would be beneficial.

Sergeant Bannon said it is important to be a volunteer within the wing as well as in the community; any effort to boost morale is always appreciated by military members and civilians.

Sergeant Bannon prepared for the incentive flight by undergoing a flight physical and egress training as well as being fitted for his flight suit and G-suit, a suit designed to make it possible to sustain a higher g-force for an extended period of time without excessive physical fatigue. His egress training entailed instructions on ejection and proper parachute techniques for a safe landing if ejection was necessary.

Pressurization of the G-suit restricts the draining of blood away from the brain during periods of high acceleration.

If blood is allowed to pool in the lower areas of the body, the person may experience dimming vision, tunnel-vision and complete loss of vision is possible.

Sergeant Bannon said he experienced a small amount of tunnel-vision throughout his flight although, without hesitation, he said the experience was, "very cool." He said he jokingly commented to the pilot, "Let's just take a break for a minute and fly straight," when the twists and turns became a little too intense.

Sergeant Bannon said he recognized a few of the instruments in the aircraft, although he specializes in A-10 maintenance as an air reserve technician. He said participating in the flight gave him a better understanding of how the instruments are used throughout the flight and descent. Sergeant Bannon works with instruments both aircraft contain such as the altitude direction indicator and the horizontal situation indicator. He said he witnessed these instruments in action first hand. He said he came out of the experience with a better understanding of the importance of the instruments duties concerning periods of low-to-zero visibility on the day's flight.

"It was much more than I expected," Sergeant Bannon said, "it was a great experience and I would suggest it to anyone who has the opportunity."

Sergeant Bannon expressed his appreciation to the pilots of the 509th Bomb Wing.

"They were very welcoming and treated me as one of their own, quintessentially, one of the boys -- a pilot for the day."

Sergeant Bannon said they were so welcoming in fact, that he never felt out of place -- not even for a moment.