European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 22, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse Artillery men donate $400 tuesday August 22, 1978 the stars and stripes Page 9 unit enables mom to look after bedridden son by Merle Jacobsen staff writer Frankfurt is the army claims to take care of its own but the unit of a Soldier hospitalized Here has taken that a step further. Normally the phrase applies to a Soldier plus spouse and children. For sgt. Melvin Shepherd a Btry 3rd in 33rd Field arty takes care of its own was extended to his Mother Rosie. Mrs. Shepherd the Mother of five daughters and three sons from fort Worth Texas arrived in Germany july 4 to visit her Soldier son and daughter Ruby Phifer son in Law air Force sgt. George whiter recently transferred from the 52nd Security police so at Span Dahlem Germany . While the grandmother of seven was vis iting her daughter grandson and son in Law at Span Dahlem Melvin was injured in an Auto Accident july 13 Between Shenau and Frankfurt. It happened on a thurs Day night and i did t know about it until sunday night mrs. Shepherd said. Army officials she said were unaware she was in Germany and tried to inform her at her Home in fort Worth. Driven to Hospital i had planned to leave for the states on aug. 1 and this happened she said. The people from the Battery have Given me approximately $400 since i be been Here. Someone from the company Battery Usu ally takes me every Day she said to visit Melvin at the 97th general Hospital. Mrs. Shepherd has been the guest of to and mrs. Martin Mcnamer in Hanau. Where Mcnamer and her son Are stationed at Francois Cavern. She came to Europe so we could travel but after the Accident we did t get a Chance to mrs. Phifer said. Mrs. Shep Herd said she did manage to visit some other friends from fort Worth in the area . Jimmy Joyce and his wife Clau Dette and specs. 4 Daryl and Lola Champi on. Joyce is attached to a finance office in Frankfurt and the champions Are stationed at Pioneer Cavern in Hanau. Sgt. Shepherd who is a radar operator had his left leg broken in three places in the Accident. Since i got Hurt she stayed Here to be with me. One of her friends came Over but had to go Back he said mrs. Shepherd said she will accompany Melvin on his medical evacuation flight Back to the Stales when the Hospital staff considers his condition to be sufficiently stabilized. The Soldier like his Mother appreciates the help Given her by his unit. He also is comforted by having his Mother with him. I d hate to Fly Back by myself All broken up like this he said. Accident victim sgt. Melvin Shepherd shows Bis Mother Center and Lister Bow he keeps his Muscles in shape Motherly attention while lying in his Hospital bed by lilting an eight Pound Dumbbell. Donations from his unit have enabled role Shep Herd to prolong a european visit in order to look after her son. His sister is Ruby Phifer. Is photo red Grandy copter test pilots aim to let nothing slip by us Story and photo by de Hill Stuttgart Bureau chief Nellinger Germany its the test flight is the final step in Quality control said two Carroll Vaughan from Stuart is not Only qualified As a test Pilot but has also taught that Art to others at the maintenance test Pilot course at fort Eustis a. During my three years there As a maintenance test Pilot instructor i logged More than 1,000 hours in the air teaching the students How to identify is a member of the 2nd support come s aviation intermediate maintenance aim unit the 394th trans in av1m. The 394th supports More than 400 helicopters oh-58 and uh-1 assigned to vol corps units in and the other maintenance test pilots working with me insure that the aircraft brought Here for maintenance Are ready to Fly when the work is finished he said. After the work is done on an aircraft a technical inspector from our Quality control Section inspects it. U it passes his inspection it is then turned Over to us for the test test flight that follows int quite what a lot of people might envision people think it Means that we go out and do weird things with the helicopter wring it out. Thai simply in t True. We never do what really happens is thai the test Pilot starts with a Complete inspection the aircraft records once we re satisfied that the maintenance records Are in order and that All the required maintenance has been performed then we go out to inspect the aircraft itself he this inspection there is a maintenance test flight checklist for each Type of aircraft. This checklist has a lot More items to Check than the Normal Pilot s checklist he said. In addition we have to Check each item in greater detail than the regular Pilot is required example of this detail can be seen after the engine has been started and the instruments and controls have checked out of. At this Point the regular Pilot is ready to Fly said Vaughan but we still two Carroll Vaughan of Stuart. Fla. Makes adjustments at a helicopter test Pilot. Have another 30 items to Check before we can Fly that same aircraft. In addition we have 49 different in flight checks and an other 40 after we have landed the skill of properly test flying a Heli copter is taught at fort Eustis As part of the aviation maintenance officer course. However it has been Given its present emphasis Only in recent years according to Vaughan. Until 1975, the maintenance test Pilot course was a separate three week course he said. It was reserved for maintenance officers who had already taken the maintenance officer course arid gone out to work As maintenance officers. What happened was that they wound up doing the flight tests anyhow because there was do one else to do it. Then they d come Back to the school to team How to properly conduct test then in 1975. The three week course became part of the maintenance officers course. During the first 13 weeks the Stu dents Are taught the basics of maintenance management and aircraft systems said Vaughan. During the last three weeks they undergo an intense study of the sys tems of a particular Type of helicopter. They Fly Ever Day learning to identify malfunctions and trouble shooting to Fin the source of them the idea is that they should be Able to go Back to the Mechanic and Tell him exactly what is the result according to Vaughan is a higher level of Quality control in air Rall maintenance
