A quick visit to Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on September 20th, 2022 gave us several flights of 10th Flight Test Squadron Aircraft.
Sabre52, a B-52H belonging to the 69th BS of Minot AFB, and Sabre03, an E-3G Sentry belonging to the 552nd ACW of Tinker AFB, performed brief Functional Check Flights.
Sabre is the call sign of the 10th Flight Test Squadron, which belongs to the 413th Flight Test Group of the US Air Force Material Command.
The 10th FTS and it’s pilots carry out important post-depot and post-maintenance functional test flights, which are rigorous flights that put the aircraft through it’s paces before return to it’s home unit and operational status following the Programmed Depot Maintenance cycles.
Tinker is not just home to the E-3 Sentry-- in addition to being the home base for the 552nd ACW, it is home to the 507th Aerial Refueling Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command, flying the KC-135, Fleet Reconnaissance Squadrons VQ-3, VQ-4 and VQ-7, flying the E-6B Mercury "TACAMO", the Air Force Sustainment Center which is overseen by the 448th Supply Chain Management Wing, and the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, overseen by the 76th Aircraft Maintenance Wing.
The 76th AMW and assorted functions at Tinker AFB are directly responsible for the planning and execution of depot level maintenance of the KC-135 Stratotanker, KC-46 Pegasus, E-3 Sentry, B-52 Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer. This process of aircraft revitalization is performed within the OK-ALC.
Above: Sabre52 lifts off from Runway 18
Above: Sabre03 heads out for a local sortie, testing aircraft function and acting as the final flight for Lt. Col Lown.
Sabre52 returns to Tinker following a successful FCF.