Shadow program sheds light on importance of PMEL

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Scott Saldukas
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  The 86th Maintenance Squadron's Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory kicked off its new shadowing program when a group of maintenance Airmen came together to train with PMEL members Jan. 19.

The program was designed so PMEL could educate their customers on how their items are calibrated.

"The Airmen will gain an understanding of what it takes to calibrate a particular item," said Tech. Sgt. Fernando Marinas, 86th MXS test measurement and diagnostic evaluator.

The classes are approximately one hour and discuss key points such as the accuracy of the item, how the item is calibrated, what items are used to calibrate the equipment and how the measurements are traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The program is split into two separate phases. Phase one will bring the person using the calibrated item into PMEL and they will get the opportunity to see their items being calibrated. Phase two will enable the calibrating technicians at PMEL the opportunity to observe the calibrated equipment in use.

Staff Sgt. Stephen Reesman, 86th MXS test measurement and diagnostic technician, noted that it is a good thing for the users of the equipment to get a little inside information on what their equipment goes through before it hits the flightline.

"We want to give them a little background on how we calibrate their equipment and it's important that they know what we're doing to support them," he said. "They are out there in the trenches and we're here in the back shops and don't get a lot of interaction together. That's why we designed a program to allow the two groups to interact more."

While getting the different groups of Airmen together is important, the goal is to show one another how the equipment they both work with affects the mission.

"I think the new PMEL shadowing program is a 'win-win' situation for all people involved," Sergeant Marinas said. "The equipment users out in the field will gain an understanding of how their equipment is calibrated. In turn, the PMEL technician will be able to see and understand how the equipment they calibrated is used by the owners of the equipment."

The program will also open up the communication lines between the user and calibrator.

"Good communication between the calibrator and the end users of test equipment is one key element to providing accurate, safe and reliable equipment," Sergeant Marinas said.

Communication between the different agencies not only familiarizes them with the equipment but builds a rapport between the Airmen and they gain confidence with the equipment they use.

"It's important what PMEL does because it affects people down the line that check the aircraft altitude and air speed recording systems, if they are not working properly it could potentionally cause a crash," said Staff Sgt. Micah Damann, 86th MXS instrument flight control craftsman. "If PMEL wasn't around we wouldn't be able to say without a doubt that our aircraft is operating as it's advertised."