The squadron is going to Australia in about a month. The Australians are terribly paranoid about invasive species, for some reason. So we're getting ready to have all our aircraft inspected by people from the USDA. (Why not the Aussies themselves? We can't let them near our classified gear.)

We have to remove every speck of dirt that might contain a snail egg, an insect, or a seed. The easy part is taking the aircraft apart and pressure washing. But then all the little nooks and crannies need cleaned. So all maintenance has stopped, and all maintainers as well as all the S-shop (admin) personnel, are cleaning the interiors with toothbrushes. Yes, toothbrushes. They're not just for boot camp anymore!

I am happy that the officers have also been given this task. So the Lieutenants and Captains are there alongside us, scrubbing away.

Of course, you can't just scrub away the oily mess that accumulates from hydraulic leaks, lubricating grease, dripping fuel, and suchlike. So we've got rags and isopropyl alcohol too. Which leads to a story for later...

Posted by: Boviate at 04:46 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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