Maintainers take Herc to the iso docks Published Sept. 30, 2015 By Tech. Sgt. Jim Brock 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- Aircraft Maintainers perform many important aircraft inspections to ensure aircrew and passenger safety. The isochronal inspection provides an in-depth look by dismantling the aircraft to inspect critical components. Maintainers use hanger 302, also known as the iso docks, as a designated isochronal inspection facility. Master Sgt. Nathan Anderson, 910th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron heavy maintenance reserve flight chief, explains the process. “Every 540 days, we downgrade an aircraft from flight status, bring it into the hanger and the backshops come in and take care of the airplane”. Backshops include sheet metal, hydraulic, engine, electric and avionics. The aerial spray shop inspects aerial spray-equipped aircraft. Maintainers perform their inspections using a new dock stand system that surrounds the aircraft providing safety from fall hazards and easy access to tools and equipment. “The set of stands that we use today are safer and more efficient,” said Anderson. “Today, we can bring in an airplane that needs landing gear work done, jack it and put the stands around the aircraft and work at the same time. Before, with our old stands and jacks, maybe a shop would need to work on the landing gear and some people couldn’t work on the tail.” Basic pre-flight and post-flight inspections cannot reveal problems that the isochronal inspection can. Flight engineers and C-130 maintainers perform these basic inspections from the flight line. “The Iso Inspection is very important to the air-worthiness of the plane, we look at systems that don’t normally get looked at,” said Anderson. “This is where you really determine the health of an aircraft.” The Inspection prevents unanticipated problems with aircraft that could keep them flying in the future. The isochronal inspection typically takes 21 days to complete.