RAF technician is ‘flying doctor’ for material testing in the Gulf
02/04/2014
RAF technician Flight Sergeant Adam Wesley is based at 902 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) in the Middle East to provide non-destructive testing services all around the region.
On a three-month detachment from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, Flt Sgt Wesley is called in to provide routine testing and emergency diagnosis wherever it is needed. He said: “My role is to quantify the unknown. If an aircraft has been struck by lightning, had a particularly hard landing or even been hit by a bird, I’ll be tasked to investigate it.” From his base at 902 EAW, where the RAF operates Sentinel surveillance aircraft, which route almost daily over Afghanistan to support Afghan-led ground forces, Flt Sgt Wesley spoke of a recent day: “One of our two HS125 jets showed signs of damage to the aircraft skin near the window. These aircraft are essential for moving staff around the area of operations, which extends 8 million square km across the Gulf into Afghanistan and the Indian Ocean.”
He has a very personal interest in the work, since these planes might next be taking him to either of the other two of the RAF’s expeditionary air wings in the region, which provide hubs for air transport, or to the headquarters of 83 Expeditionary Air Group, from where RAF personnel work with coalition partners to manage and monitor air power.
He continued: “I have all the equipment I need with me here. There is a sliding scale of investigation, from visual assessment and dye penetration through to eddy current inspection and ultrasound. On the 125 here were multiple dents, perhaps from hailstones, and in this case I was able to provide a good diagnosis so that the aircraft was up and flying again quickly.”
Adam’s career of 23 years in the RAF has seen him progress from working on aircraft maintenance to completing the one-year course in non-destructive testing at RAF St Athan. This gives him a qualification recognised externally in accordance with British Standard EN 4179. It has also seen him travel the world and have plenty of variety in his work. He said: “I have worked in austere locations when deployed to Basra in Iraq, yet I’ve also been X-raying the wings of the old Lancaster in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.”
The operational value of his work for the RAF team comes full circle. One of the pilots of the Sentinel aircraft at 902 EAW is Flt Lt Roger Nichols. In a few weeks’ time, Fl Lt Nichols will be taking up summer duties with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, piloting that same Lancaster. From Adam’s perspective: “Those old bombers were designed to fly with a large payload. Flying them unloaded as we do now means the airframe tends not to suffer from fatigue.” This is no doubt helped by their pilots’ care and consideration. Just back from a 10-hour mission high over Afghanistan, Flt Lt Nichols said: “We have a different style of flying on Lancasters. We have to fly conservatively and defensively.”
Reflecting on the ‘one team, one fight’ motto of 902 EAW, Adam says: “My time in the RAF has been good. The teamwork is great. I’m enjoying it and I’ve had great opportunities. I’ve even had the chance of playing badminton to represent the RAF in sport.”
