MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- To satisfy the need for high-tech jet engine inspection, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11 power plants mechanics turn to the Marines of their jet test cell.

The test cell's nine Marines and one Sailor evaluate all of the F/A-18 and KC-130 engines aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in addition to other West Coast aircraft carriers and inspect up to 30 engines a month.

"The majority of our training is on-the-job," said Petty Officer 1st Class Cirilo S. Rayos, test cell operator and instructor, power plants, MALS-11, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.  "There is no separate (military occupational specialty) for working in the test cell. You really have to be 'locked' on and know what you're doing."

Before the engine arrives at any one of the four MALS-11 test cells, it goes to either the 41U shop, where the Marines teardown and buildup all of the F/A-18 engines or to the 41L shop, where the KC-130 engines are repaired.

"All of the shops work hand in hand," said Gunnery Sgt. Heriberto Morales, production control chief, power plants, MALS-11. "It takes a lot of teamwork. You don't hear much about power plants or the test cells, but they're some of the hardest working shops in the MALS."

The hard workers at the two engine repair shops will tear down the engine, break down all the bad modules and build them back up, with the help of the other shops specializing in each engine part.

An F/A-18 engine, for example, has three main modules: the fan, compressor and afterburner, along with three additional modules, the combustor, high-pressure turbine and low-pressure turbine. The 413 and 414 shops each repair the different modules after the 41U shop determines what needs to be fixed.

If the module is beyond repair, another unit will be ordered and the engine repair shops will restore it.

"When we build the engine back up, we'll do a series of tests before sending it to the test cell," said Cpl. David M. Tingstrom, jet engine mechanic, power plants, MALS-11. "We'll check for (foreign object damage), gear box contamination and then we'll do a visual overview to make sure it's ready."  

Once the engine arrives at the cell, the inspectors reattach all the test gears, look over each component and finally run it through all of the power ranges.

"We put the engine through everything that a pilot might put it through," said Rayos, a San Jose, Calif., native. "When we do the tests, we go by the 'pub,' which is basically our test cell bible for these engines." 

The mechanics check the engines they inspect everyday for various limits including speed, temperature, fuel flow and oil pressures.

"All limits are by the book and we test each of them step by step according to the test," said Rayos. "Depending on if the engine has any problems, it can take one-and-a-half to three hours, or even all day to test if we get a bad part that throws off our reading. It's interesting to see the engine torn all apart and then run it, knowing we fixed it by the book."

After the engine meets the test cell requirements, it goes back to the engine repair shops for another look-over and finally back to the squadron.

"No one person can do this on his own, and we couldn't do our job without all of the other power plants shops," said Rayos. "We're all supporting the squadrons by keeping their jets flying, and that's a very rewarding feeling, especially since everyone of us is in this together."