Fighter Jet War Machine Heavy Maintenance - Mega Pit Stops

Mega Pit Stops - Fighter Jet - Putting a war machine to the acid test.

It is one of the most popular and best fighter jets in the world: JAS 39. The so called “Gripen” is a light single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. At the Czech Air Force Base in Caslav, the jet gets the biggest overhaul of its lifetime!

In only 40 days, the Gripen is stripped down to its bone, everything from the ejection seat to the engine is removed and checked. The 14 Gripen of the airbase are part of the “Quick Reaction Alert” Force of the NATO. If they are not in the air, the airspace is not protected. That puts a lot of time pressure and liability to the 11 mechanics, who are responsible for the aircraft.

The machinists put the war machine to the acid test. They check the hydraulic system, all moving parts and the oil – the aircraft`s blood. It is one of the most important things of the Gripen: without it, the pilot is not able to control the jet. The ejection seat – the pilot`s life insurance. The access panel is examined painstakingly – the skin. The biggest part is the engine check: the turbine is the heart of the Gripen. In the end, the weapon system - the fist - will be disassembled, so the gun is working when it is needed in action.

Every fault they will find means a delay to the schedule. So the team has to work really concentrated and, above all properly, that the Gripen will be able to start in time.