European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 28, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday september 28, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 9 William Tell 86 Pitburg team ready for William Tell by Jean Albrighti Uhuru Bureau Pitburg a. Germany the 65 Mcm bar team that will represent Safe at the William Tell weapons meet at to Nall fab Fla demonstrated its skills Friday before a crowd that include Dong. Gen. Philip m. Drew 17th air Force vice commander and Brig. Gen. H. M. Campbell Safe director of logistics. The crowd watched As five newly painted f-i5 eagles flew overhead and a maintenance Crew performed precision recovery of the aircraft. At Tyndall the 36th tac fighter Wing and sex ground intercept controllers an technicians from the 601st tac control Wing at Simbach a Germany will represent Safe. They will face similar teams from tac air come Pacific air forces the air National guard and the Canadian air Force. The teams will be judged in air to air combat Maneu vers maintenance weapons loading and ground controlling. Very few airmen get this Chance since William Tell is held just every other year Drew said. To win this would give those people a feeling you just can t describe. They would t be just the Best in the air Force because they arc competing against Canada and the reserves. They d be the Best of the Gen. Campbell gave the team Mem Bers a Challenge. "1 did t wish them Luck he said. I told them to make their own for the last four months six Pitburg squadrons did without some of their Best people so that they could train with the team. Pitburg residents supported the team with Cash contributions and services to Send a Well prepared and Well dressed team to represent Safe. The contributions provided distinctive baseball Caps and sets of special Pur pose clothing. Sets of fatigues professionally tailored and decorated with William Tell patches were Given to air men on the team. The Money also provided Matching sweaters and suits which would by color and style distinguish the members of Tilburg s team during off duty events. Intake covers on the dressed up air Craft were designed to Honor some of the major contributors. Names of the City and several organisations were printed in dramatic White on Black. Staff sgt. James Chambers of the Wing graphics shop was honoured for his design of the William Tell logo. Friday s Fly by was a dress rehearsal for the William Tell Competition. On arrival at Tyndall fab Fla., each Pilot is to Fly Over the flagpole at a predetermined time. The team and aircraft twice travelled to Decimo Mannu Italy for two week dress rec reals. There less restrictive Fly ing rules and weather similar to Florida s set a realistic stage for the William Tell Competition. Aircraft were serviced on open ramps As they will be at Tyndall. It was All strictly military out there said senior airman Mike .Al Girt an environmental systems specialist. There was nothing else no errands to run no dentist s appointments to during the first of the two trips the projected number of flights had to be reduced. He Gerl said there was so much maintenance to do on these planes we could t have been done in less than 16 hours a the second trip with Only one hour allot cd for Jet maintenance the goal of 58 sorties in five Days was achieved. The trips alerted Crew members to the effects of changing climate and travel on performance. A flight surgeon accompanied the group to look after minor ill Nesses. Eight Days at Eglin fab. Fla. Will allow crows to become acclimated to Florida and recover from Jet lag. Is photo by Juan Albright is proles of is eagles line the ramp at Pitburg a Friday before departing for Florida and Ine William Tell Competition no stage fright for Well trained competitors by Jean Albright Crew chief. He said that Cut training has newcomer. Then i was afraid i could t. You on Billburg Bureau built the team s identity ,.al a has _0jn, Csc scope now get one Chance to get on the William the Pitburg a Germany senior airman George Mcclellan travels to Florida today but it s not Disney world deep sea fishing or surfing that has had him awaiting the move to the Sunshine state. Mcclellan is part of the 65-Pcrson team built by the 36lh tac fighter Wing that will represent Safe at the Wil Liam Tell air to air Competition held at Tyndall fab Fla. Maintenance Crews Load Crews and pilots drawn from bit Burg squadrons have put in Long hours during the past four months in preparation for the Competition. There s no part of the work i Haven t done Mcclellan said. There s no stage fright now. We re going to the Competition with some seasoned the sex Florida resident is one of the few people of his rank with authority to determine if a multimillion Dollar f-15 is ready to Fly. It s up to me to sign off with the red Mcclellan said referring to the stamp of approval by maintenance personnel. That Means that i m willing to buy it if it about 75 per cent of the team was Cut or Cross trained into other Job during a summer of 12-hour Days. Mcclellan an aircraft electrical systems specialist Learned the duties of assistant Crew chief As Pait of the training. Senior airman Mike .Al Girt a Trou blk shooter for the aircraft s environmental systems also functions As assistant Cre buil we be been training each other he said. "1 could probably pass the assist ant Crew chief test and be qualified in a second career capt. Steve Hack chief of maintenance for the team said what they know they know very Well. No member of the team could be easily replaced by a newcomer at this Point these people kno every Little thing about these particular the week before the team s departure .Al Girt was injured when his bicycle hit a ditch and he was hurled to the ground. For several Days he wore a neck Brace after All this you get so raring to go. Senior airman Mike Helgert us pm Toi by my Alan gals Nior airman George Mcclellan the Only get e Chance to get n the William Tel team. And i d have been letting everybody Down. Someone else would have come in cold Turkey. They would t have been a part of the team that s been training together. It takes a Long Lime to become a team the Way we Are .Al Girt received a doctor s of to re move the Brace Friday. Coic of maintenance senior master sgt. Pat Mcgrath said a past William Tell Competition taught him a lesson. I went to the meet in 1984 and saw teams who knew what they were doing self destruct from inside. When things happened that lowered the Points people started picking each other apart. The whole thing imploded for them. Well pick on each other sure but in a constructive Way to keep those Point from being taken. Hulgen exuded Confidence Friday. The contest should be a piece of cake compared to the last four months he said. But we re not so overconfident that Well let Down now. Now that we re not doing our routines every Day i think everyone is practising them in their minds reviewing reviewing. Is there anything forgotten there s Mcclellan said the planes arc ready. We be found All the problems by now. At first routine maintenance was a lot of work. We had to do a lot to get the jets As together As they Are now. We spotted fewer problems every time they the planes went out. Today All i had to do was replace a Light
