Maintenance keeps flight line ready for launches

Members of the 932nd Maintenance Group, move toward a C-40C aircraft, looking for any small items on the ground that don't belong. All successful 932nd Airlift Wing C-40C mission launches start days earlier with mission planning, maintenance and aircraft preparation. Another area behind the scenes that's important is keeping the ramps and parking spots clean and ready to launch missions. Here, a team search the flight line for FOD (Foreign Object Damage) items May 8, 2018, at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.. Time spent getting eyes on the ramps during these "FOD walks" protects tires and engines of all incoming and outgoing aircraft. This is done by manually collecting debris in plastic bags such as trash, blowing leaves, and small rocks or twigs, some dropped by birds flying over. These are all removed from the flight line to keep it safe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Stan Paregien)