1 Air Maintenance Squadron

1 Air Maintenance Squadron (AMS) was formed in 1971 at the foot of the Black Forest along the Rhine River in Germany at Canadian Forces Base Soellingen.

The German chapter of 1 AMS came to a close on April 26, 1993 as the squadron deactivated, coincident with the close of Baden-Soellingen. 1 AMS was immediately reactivated at 4 Wing Cold Lake, effectively absorbing and replacing the Base Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Organization (BAMEO).

1 AMS is a central maintenance organization integral to 4 Wing flying operations and continues to evolve with the role of the fighter force. The unit is responsible for providing a wide range of technical support services from numerous locations on the base and Cold Lake Air Weapons Range.

It is one of the largest squadrons at 4 Wing employing just under 500 personnel.

1 AMS is comprised of two main flights, the Production Flight and the Production Support Flight.

The Production Flight (PF), providing routine production services ranging over a spectrum of bullets to avionics, is responsible for Avionics Production (AP), Mechanical Production (MP), Armament Production (Armt), the Calibration Centre (Cal Centre) and the Repair and Propulsion Organization (RPO).

Avionics Production provides second and third line testing and repair of numerous avionics systems and components for a wide variety of Canadian Forces Aircraft. Included are CF-18 Avionics labs, this is where second line maintenance is carried out on CF-18 black boxes and circuit cards.

Most of the work is carried out using sophisticated computer operated test situations or simply good old fashioned trouble shooting.

The Armt organization is responsible for weapons storage, target maintenance and central maintenance of all 4 Wing armament equipment and stores. The Cal Centre is responsible for ensuring that 7500 mechanical and/or electrical tools and instruments are operating at national and international standards.

RPO ensures serviceable engines are available to support 4 Wing CF-18 flying operations by carrying out scheduled maintenance on engines as well as repairing engines damaged in flight. RP overhauls and tests in excess of 250 engines per year and operates the engine test facility.

Mechanical Production provides off aircraft maintenance support for 4 Wing using a network of specialty areas including workshops, refinishing, safety systems, non-destructive testing (NDT) and the component repair shop. They are responsible for everything from painting Aircraft to ensuring parachutes and survival kits are serviceable.

The Production Support Flight (PSF) is responsible for support services to PF and providing maintenance planning and support services to 4 Wing.

PSF Maintenance Support Section (MSS), as well as the Air Maintenance Computer Facility (AMCF) and the Quality and Standards section. The AMCF performs software and hardware maintenance of the CF-18 Data Management System within 4 Wing. MSS provides research and technical library services to all 1 AMS sections. This office also coordinates all Aircraft projects for 4 Wing. The Quality and Assurance section provides Aircraft Quality Assurance services for all 4 Wing organizations.

Besides the traditional services, the support side of the house also includes Wing Photo Services (WPS), who provide photographic support for 4 Wing, Human Resources (HR), and the Quality Manager (QM), who's mandate is to implement the ISO 9002 quality management program .

Other new services include Transition Management Services (TMS), a Business Manager (BM), and the OPs Planning/Support Cell (1 AMS Ops).

The 1 AMS Operations Cell, is the section responsible for the coordination of all operational taskings for 1 AMS, providing one point of contact to outside agencies to receive operational support from 1 AMS.

1 AMS is proud of its ability to respond to the challenging pace of Aircraft maintenance at this base. Our motto? "AD VOLATUM REPAIRAMUS" "WE RESTORE TO FLIGHT"