Cutlines

Teammates who worked on the F/A-18 Center Barrel Replacement Plus in Building 378 are: (standing left to right) Ken Brady, Mike Kremer, Jeff Ayers, Henry Mundwiller Robert Brinkmeier, Robert Ellington, Art Montalvan and George Guale. (Kneeling left to right) Jim Martinez, Eric Geilenkirchen, Sean Himes, and crew leaders Duane Schulz and Don Davidson.

Paul Gopher helps Capt. James Woolway strap into the back seat.

Capt. James Woolway thanks NADEP North Island Teammates for a job well done before leaving for Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.

Capt. James Woolway signals a thumbs up that he’s ready to go.

The F/A-18 team: engineers and artisans.

NAVAIR North Island XO takes first Depot flight in a Hornet

By Bill Bartkus
Photos by Danny McGehee, Scott Janes
NADEP North Island

When he became the executive officer of Naval Air Depot North Island in November, Capt. James Woolway established a personal goal to take at least one flight in each type of aircraft that Depot artisans and engineers work on. Last month, he started attaining his goal; he took his first ride in an F/A-18 Hornet.
“While we regularly seek feedback from our fleet customers, I wanted to experience the quality of our products first hand,” Woolway said, before he suited up for a back seat ride to deliver the Depot’s first Center Barrel Plus Hornet to Fighter Attack Squadron 125 in Lemoore, Calif. “Since I am an aircraft maintenance officer, I do not normally fly in Navy airplanes.”
To prepare for these flights, Woolway said that he had to undergo rigorous flight physiology and water survival training at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
“I trust the workmanship of our artisans in producing safe, airworthy aircraft and components. Now, I have the privilege of accompanying one of our pilots, Cmdr. (Alan) Micklewright, in delivering our first Center Barrel Plus F/A-18 Hornet.”
Artisans and engineers stood on the Test Line and watched as the executive officer climbed aboard the freshly painted F/A-18 with the new NAVAIR logo with the inscription “painted by NADEP North Island” put there by artisans in the Paint Facility.
Paul Gopher, Code 6.2.1.6, helped Woolway strap into the back seat while Mickelwright performed the preflight. Several minutes later, the crowd cheered as they watched the two men leave North Island for Lemoore.
Another successful job completed by talented men and women at the Depot!