Wednesday February 15, Southwest Tech Aviation Department Power Plant students got to participate in a tour of Altus AFB A Team facilities. This is a yearly event that is always a highly anticipated day that gives students that inspirational jolt to get this long and challenging process completed and occurs just prior to their impending Graduation the first week of March. KC-46 supervisor Mr. Jeffery Pewo's efforts and support from the 97 AMW are greatly appreciated and they continue to be a valued friend and he's a great mentor to Southwest Tech by setting up these tours. Through a lot of his hard work and scheduling efforts he pulled off a very effective tour that students are still talking about 3 days later. Excited students seen here loading on a bus for the all day tour at 8am on transportation provided by the base. On this day students got to experience all 3 Altus AFB operational and powered up type aircraft to include the C-17, KC-46, and KC-135. Starting the day with a morning of boarding and receiving explanations of life on the flight line at each aircraft. Most of the presenters where previous GYOM graduates from SWTC like C-17 maintainers Dusty Cordes and William McCarter (pictured below). After completing a full morning on the flight line students ended with a relaxing quick lunch at the Hanger 97 dinning facility, of which our presence was clearly a surprise for the staff and the sudden rush of 36 new enthusiastic diners, everyone took great care of whole group with welcoming smiles. After a nice lunch the group walked across the street to the ISO docks (hanger 285) and toured a C-17 and KC-135 deep into maintenance and inspection work and after a quick run through of the critical aspects of keeping these operational aircraft safely flying, the students where bused over to the Fabrication and Fuel cell branch shops where for the first time on these type tours, students experienced the more specialized work being performed and provided insight to a little more behind the scenes aspect of aircraft maintenance on AAFB. We had hoped these soon to be graduates would run into last years SWTC alum and graduate Braden Lollis while touring the sheet metal shop but Mr Lollis was gone to training classes in Florida for the week. We greatly appreciate the support of our programs here at SWTC and Mr. Pewo's efforts. Thanks to All at the 97AMW and the A team.
