Keith R. Fix II, 36, is an F-16/F-35 Weight and Balance Manager for the U.S. Air Force at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.
Fix has been fascinated with aircraft since he was 15 years old. He “was always curious how aircraft were able to fly and what kept them in the air. I also had an uncle who was an aircraft mechanic and he always encouraged me to pursue a career as a mechanic."
His mentors include Mr. Rickey Radford and MSgt Jonathan Brannon. They have both pushed him “hard to build a successful career at Luke AFB, and both have made time to discuss issues that I faced when starting the F-35 weight and balance program."
He enlisted in the Air Force in 1999 as a crew chief, and attended training at Sheppard AFB, TX. From there he was stationed at Shaw AFB, SC, until 2001. In 2001 he was then stationed at Kunsan AB, Korea. After his year tour, he was sent back to Shaw where he stayed until 2009. In June of 2009, he was stationed at Sheppard AFB, TX, where he became a weight and balance instructor. In 2013 he was sent to Luke AFB, AZ, and became a flightline expeditor. He was then chosen to become the Luke AFB weight and balance manager because of his experience as the Air Force weight and balance instructor.
Fix has received advanced training on the Automated Weight and Balance System (AWBS) from Lockheed Martin on four airframes. And he attends yearly weight and balance conferences hosted by the AWBS software team.
Last year he was recognized as the Maintenance Operations Squadron Crew Chief of the Year.
He was nominated by Mr. Rickey Radford, aircraft quality assurance inspector, U.S. Air Force: Keith played a major role in software development that allows weight and balance technicians to connect scales directly into the aircraft Automated Weight and Balance System (AWBS). This process takes real-time scale readings that populate aircraft weigh forms automatically, which reduced the weigh process by three hours. Keith coordinated with Intercomp Scale Company to have the current weighing equipment reprogrammed for wireless capabilities. His diligent efforts saved the Air Force $24K by not having to purchase new equipment. Keith’s monumental knowledge and technical experience was crucial in the development of AWBS software for the F-35 program by assisting Mass Property Engineers in streamlining the fuel burn process during flight. This concept was adopted by the Joint Strike Fighter program to include all platforms and service variations of the F-35. When Keith initially started working at Quality Assurance at Luke AFB, two personnel were trained on weighing aircraft. Keith responded to this manning deficit by training other maintenance personnel in aircraft weighing. This process returned aircraft back to flying status two days early. That number has grown to 20 personnel qualified in weight and balance. The Air Education Training Command inspection team lauded his program as one of the best in the Air Force."
To give back to the industry, for the past two years he has hosted weight and balance training sessions at Luke AFB, and also shares the newest technologies in weighing equipment with students. He mentors those who are new to weight and balance by showing them how to correctly weigh aircraft and how to use AWBS.
His career goals are to someday manage his own aircraft weigh station and help those who are in need of training on weight and balance.
