European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 31, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday july 31, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 9 is Gus Schuettler a maintenance Crew goes through a breakdown and buildup class on the f-16c engine left and staff sgt. Mark Avra a Crew chief inspects the cockpit avionics right. Conversion keeps Torrejon Crews Busy by Rosemary Sawyer staff writer Torrejon a Spain airmen from the 401st tac fighter Wing s operation and maintenance sections Aren t packing their bags yet. Even though the Wing s f-16 fighter bombers Are due to be evicted from the Madrid base in 1990, flight and ground Crews stand Chest deep in the business of converting aircraft models. With an Eye toward maintaining the highest level of combat readiness throughout the complicated updating of six dozen fighter jets the Torrejon Crews have Little time to contemplate their future in Southern Italy. We re the Only game in town in the Southern Region. We know it nato knows it and also our enemies know it said it. Col. Rocky Mccutcheon former Wing assistant Deputy commander for operations. It behoves us to maintain the highest possible level of combat capability throughout the  the Wing is in the process of convert ing its f-16s from the older a Model to the newer c Type. The change involves a radar offering greater Range and Resolution an advanced cockpit with up front controls and multifunction displays in creased capacity electrical systems and other improvements. If they gave a War i m sure we d be invited no matter what disposition of aircraft we had whether we had half Asand half is. It does t matter Mccutcheon said. The 401st tac fighter Wing Marks the last air Force f-16 Wing in Europe to convert to the c Model. The Wing has finished converting the 612th and 613th tac fighter squadrons and conversion of the last Squadron should be completed i october. We Are pretty much sticking to the original plan said maj. Stephen Sterne chief of the operational transition unit. It the relocation has t affected the types of sorties or Type of training we re going through during the  the Wing began switching models in october 1987, but Long before that Mem Bers of a ready team were planning the transition and trying to head off Pitfalls is Gus Schuettler staff sgt. Thomas Davison left and sgt. Joseph Worth right Check results in the test Center for f-16a, a and c models. Before they happened. The team Drew heavily from the expertise of personnel at Ramstein Hahn and Span Dahlem air bases in West Ger Many who had already weathered the great Trade in. Because of its geographical isolation the Wing is unable to share equipment with other f-16 bases during the conver Sion period. If there s a certain piece of equip ment that we need that is unique to the a Model it takes a Lead time and a lag time to get that equipment Here on Loaner basis said Mccutcheon who is now assigned to he systems come Standrews fab my. Close proximity within the Central Region allows them f-16 units there to readily  the team also had to plan around the effects of air Force budget cuts. Some conversion related projects such As the construction of buildings to House sup port equipment were halted because of Lack of funds Mccutcheon said. While everyone on base was affected by the conversion to some extent the avionics and propulsion maintenance personnel received the greatest workout because those were the most modified sections of the c Model. Airmen in the propulsion Branch for example have routinely clocked 10 to 11-hour Days and worked every third weekend to maintain the old Pratt Whit Ney and new general electric engines said first it. John Heyne propulsion Branch officer in charge. Training of the maintenance Crews took place on base with instructors com ing from bases in Germany. Likewise for the first time pilots were trained in country. Normally All the pilots would travel to Luke fab ariz., for three to four weeks to learn the new Model s ins and outs. With this conversion however seven pilots trained at Luke then returned to teach their colleagues. That saved the Wing at least $250,000, Sterne said. But despite the Long hours most of the maintenance people Are pleased to be Able to work on the shiny aircraft. How often do you have a Brand new Jet said staff sgt. Mark Avra. Ill seethe Jet taxiing through puddles and say a arg dirt on my Brand new Jet "