CORRECTED Flying Wheelchairs for Kids: An Air Force Reserve Command aircrew from the 446th Airlift Wing, McChord AFB, Wash., recently flew 100 pediatric wheelchairs and a fire truck to Charleston AFB, S.C., so a Charleston crew could fly the assets to Iraq and Nicaragua, respectively. SSgt. Nick Przybyciel reports that the 446th picked up the donated wheelchairs in Sioux City, Iowa, where Army medical personnel work with Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids to get wheelchairs for children with cerebral palsy, Spina bifida, and other disabilities. The fire truck went to Condega, Nicaragua so the city could start its own volunteer fire department.
Depot-level maintenance took longer than expected for nearly three-quarters of Air Force aircraft from fiscal 2019-2024, according to a new report, as unplanned repairs rise across the aging fleet. The report, from the Government Accountability Office, also found that the extent of the delays has been masked because officials often revise their target timelines after unplanned work occurs.