Luke Airmen give runway spit shine during FOD walk

  • Published
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  No more than 12 hours after Luke Air Force Base's two-day Luke Days 2009 Thunder in the Desert Open House and Air Show concluded, Airmen from across the base inched along the flightline to gather trash that comes in all shapes and sizes left behind by air show visitors. It's better known as foreign object debris and can be lethal to the F-16 Fighting Falcon and it's crew. 

According to Ben Bruce, 56th Fighter Wing ground safety specialist, foreign object damage can occur when trash, debris and items from such events as the air show are left on the air drum (ramp, airfield and runway). The items can be sucked up in the intake of an F-16 Fighting Falcon or damage the propeller on prop-driven aircraft. 

"We had a detail of 30 to 40 Airmen plus volunteers who were tasked to pick up trash on the air drum, eliminating potential FOD during the event," Mr. Bruce said. "It's an 
important issue that we have to stay on top of." 

FOD walks were conducted each night before and after the air show Saturday and Sunday to reduce the trash left on the flightline. 

"When we restored the 2.5 mile radius around the air drum Monday morning, we did a mass FOD walk to ensure we were ready to fly later that evening," said Mr. Bruce. 

What is FOD? 

FOD is anything that potentially impairs an aircraft's ability to fly, according to Master Sgt. Russ Ludwig, 56th FW FOD prevention NCO. 

"From a piece of hardware that gets ingested into an aircraft's intake, to an object that could puncture a tire during take-off roll, foreign objects have the potential to cause an enormous amount of damage, and a potential loss of life. That is why it is imperative to be 'FOD conscience' in all work that is performed in and around our aircraft and associated systems." 

"That's what makes it so crucial to identify potential FOD sources, get and stay organized to handle FOD and keep people motivated to eliminate it 100 percent of the time." 

FOD prevention 

High in the FOD-fighting arsenal is the daily FOD walk. This is when an unit of 30 to 50 Airmen walk side-by-side, canvassing Luke's runways and F-16 parking areas that make up the flightline. 

Daily FOD walks are conducted by eight aircraft maintenance units, composed of between 240 and 400 Airmen, who comb Luke's parking aprons to remove all visible debris. 

Pre- and post-flight inspections are conducted on each aircraft, cabin and engine of Luke's more than 180 F-16s. 

A towable friction mat called the "FOD boss" also plays an important daily role. It is used on military and airport preflight runways throughout the nation and overseas.
The FOD boss sweeps and clears ramps and runways of debris as small as a pebble, which could cause damage if swept into a jet engine. 

FOD and tool control bags and covers 

Other valuable prevention devices include FOD and tool control bags. Airmen working on or around the flightline are required to deposit FOD in specially marked bags whenever they find it. Maintainers store and carry tools in tool control bags. Some bags can be placed on belts so workers have FOD pouches with them at all times. 

Some FOD bags are color-coded and kept in specific work areas. Other bags hold personal effects like pens and flashlights, so they don't fall from pockets. Bag covers are used to keep FOD out of equipment and aircraft parts while work is being done nearby. 

Courtesy of 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs