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美国空军面临战斗机机械师短缺

时间:2016-12-06 23:03:10

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(单词翻译)

US Air Force Faces Shortage of Fighter Jet Mechanics 美国空军面临战斗机机械师短缺

The United States Air Force has a shortage of mechanics to provide support for its fighter airplanes.

VOA recently reported that the Air Force has 725 fighter pilots less than the 3,500 it is permitted to have. It is training about 135 more fighter pilots this year than in 2014. But it will be a long time before they are ready for action.

Pilots must train for years -- at a cost of millions of dollars -- before they have enough experience to fly fighter jets.

The fighter pilot shortage is happening at a time when private airline companies are adding pilots. Private airlines pay more and their pilots spend less time away from home.

Two Air Force generals told VOA that the military is still able to meet the demands for fighter jet support. But they added that unless more pilots choose a career in the Air Force, the service will soon be unable to meet the demands of top commanders. They warn that this could possibly affect both U.S. troops and civilians1.

But even if the Air Force can train and keep jet fighter pilots, it must have enough mechanics to maintain the jets. And right now it has a shortage of more than 3,000 of these maintainers.

Mechanics at Joint2 Base Langley-Eustis in the state of Virginia have much work to do. They help keep F-22 Raptor jets flying. They also work on the T-38 Talon3 -- a jet that is about 50 years old and must often be repaired.

This Air Force fighter pilot says the mechanics work hard.

“Maybe once a day to once every other day we’ll bring back a jet that needs, has some kind of issue that needs to get fixed4 by our maintenance before it can get launched back up. So even at night when we’re not flying, they’re workin' on the planes and making sure that they’re ready to go for the next day.”

This senior airman is one of the mechanics.

“We all understand that the whole ‘(do) more with less’ is, is happening, but I mean it, regardless, jets have to fly. So we’re gonna make it happen, but yeah there's, there’s definitely pain in that process.”

Air Force Lieutenant5 General John Cooper works on ways to train and keep pilots and mechanics.

“We were livin', you know, on the edge with our maintainers for a long time, but we were able to accomplish the mission.”

Now, General Cooper says budget cuts have made his job much harder. But he says the Air Force has begun enlisting6 and training new fighter jet mechanics. And he says if the budget does not get smaller, the shortage will end in 2021.

Words in This Story

mechanic – n. a person who repairs machines (such as engines) and keeps them running properly

maintain – v. to keep (something) in good condition by making repairs, correcting problems, etc.

living on the edge – expression very close to something such as success or failure

accomplish – v. to succeed in doing (something)

mission – n. a specific military or naval task


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1 civilians 2a8bdc87d05da507ff4534c9c974b785     
平民,百姓( civilian的名词复数 ); 老百姓
参考例句:
  • the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
  • At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后,至少有300名平民下落不明。
2 joint m3lx4     
adj.联合的,共同的;n.关节,接合处;v.连接,贴合
参考例句:
  • I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤,肩膀脫臼了。
  • We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。
3 talon WIDzr     
n.爪;(如爪般的)手指;爪状物
参考例句:
  • Can you get a little tighter with the talon?你能不能把摄像探头固定住不动?
  • This kind of spice is made of eagle's talon and has a unique flavor.这种香料味道独特,是用鹰爪作原料制成的。
4 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
5 lieutenant X3GyG     
n.陆军中尉,海军上尉;代理官员,副职官员
参考例句:
  • He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
  • He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官,递上了一张简短的便条进去。
6 enlisting 80783387c68c6664ae9c56b399f6c7c6     
v.(使)入伍, (使)参军( enlist的现在分词 );获得(帮助或支持)
参考例句:
  • He thought about enlisting-about the Spanish legion-about a profession. 他想去打仗,想参加西班牙军团,想找个职业。 来自辞典例句
  • They are not enlisting men over thirty-five. 他们不召超过35岁的人入伍。 来自辞典例句

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