 CORPORAL BRYAN FORRESTER
While deployed as a member of a Mobile Repair Party to Torbay Newfoundland from 20-22 August 2003, Corporal Forrester, an Aviation Systems (AVN) Technician from 14 Air Maintenance Squadron, was tasked to conduct an extensive overstress inspection on Arcturus CP140120A. Due to his unsurpassed technical expertise, he was responsible for inspecting the entire airframe structure. After almost two days of inspection, without hangar space, with minimal equipment and in harsh environmental conditions, he found no signs of overstress.
Showing perseverance and a keen attention to detail, he noticed that a hinge pin for the wing bleed air ducting extended out of the hinge and was in contact with the top of the wing. The area in which he made the discovery is almost inaccessible. The panels that were open for this inspection would not, under normal circumstances, be opened for inspection until next periodic, which would be in 350 hours. Had Corporal Forrester not gone beyond the necessary inspection area, this hinge would have eventually torn and caused a bleed air leak in the leading edge ducting. If the indication system failed, or the aircrew did not notice it quickly, it could have resulted in an inflight leading-edge over-temperature resulting in an uncontrollable, catastrophic condition. The hinge pin itself, if allowed to vibrate through the leading edge, could have resulted in a very expensive leading edge change, necessitating numerous man-hours and the loss of the aircraft from the flying program for several days.
Corporal Forrester was quick to recognize the possibility for an inflight emergency and severe aircraft damage and immediately initiated a flight safety report. Corporal Forrester is commended for his professionalism and initiative in identifying this significant flight safety hazard.
Corporal Forrester serves with 413 Air Maintenance Squadron, 14 Wing Greenwood.
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