18 Frontiers October 2014 When a new Super Hornet, Growler or Advanced F-15 is ready to take off for the first time from the runway near Boeing’s fighter production plant in St. Louis, it’s a good bet that A.J. Wilson is listening to those powerful jet engines. It’s his job, and that of his team, to prepare the engines for every fighter built in St. Louis. From inside the hangar where he works, the earth-shaking roar produced by each fighter’s two engines can be not only heard but felt. Sometimes Wilson steps outside just to watch. “Nothing like the roar of those engines,” said Wilson, an F/A-18 flight mechanic and the engine shop lead supporting both the F/A-18 and F-15. The engine shop is responsible for making sure that every arriving new engine is inspected, filled with oil and prepared for installation. “I’m responsible for those engines,” Wilson said. “So I have hands-on experience getting every one of those fighters into the air. When you watch one take off for the first time, knowing
Frontiers October 2014 Issue
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