Aviation Structural Mechanics (AM) — Navy enlisted ratings responsible for airframe maintenance, hydraulic system maintenance, landing gear maintenance, and flight control surface maintenance — served aboard aircraft carriers and Naval Air Stations maintaining the structural integrity and hydraulic systems of Navy carrier-based aircraft. AM ratings maintained the airframes, flight control systems, landing gear assemblies, wheel brake systems, and hydraulic actuators of Navy aircraft including the F-4 Phantom, A-6 Intruder, A-7 Corsair II, F-14 Tomcat, and other Cold War-era carrier aircraft. Aviation Structural Mechanics performing aircraft brake maintenance encountered asbestos-containing aircraft brake lining materials in the wheel brake assemblies of Cold War-era Navy carrier aircraft, with direct handling of worn asbestos brake linings during brake inspection and brake replacement operations creating occupational asbestos exposure for AM ratings throughout the Cold War service period.
Aircraft Brake Asbestos
AM ratings encountered asbestos-containing brake materials during landing gear maintenance:
- Aircraft wheel brake lining materials — the wheel brake assemblies on Cold War-era Navy carrier aircraft incorporated asbestos-containing brake lining materials in the wheel brake discs and brake pads consistent with the aircraft braking system design and manufacturing specifications of the period. Navy carrier aircraft commissioned and operated through the 1960s and 1970s used aircraft brake systems with asbestos-containing brake lining materials as the standard braking material for the high-energy demands of carrier aircraft braking. AM ratings inspecting, removing, and replacing aircraft wheel brake assemblies handled the asbestos-containing brake lining materials during each brake service operation, with worn brake linings releasing asbestos fiber during removal and brake dust accumulation in wheel well areas containing degraded asbestos brake material
- Carrier landing gear wheel well inspection — AM ratings performing landing gear inspections and wheel well inspections on carrier aircraft worked in the wheel well areas where brake dust and brake lining debris accumulated during aircraft carrier operations. The wheel wells of carrier aircraft accumulated asbestos-containing brake dust from repeated carrier landings and arrested carrier approaches requiring maximum braking energy, with AM ratings working in wheel well areas during landing gear servicing accumulating inhalation exposure from the accumulated brake dust
Aircraft Hydraulic System Asbestos
AM ratings maintaining aircraft hydraulic systems encountered asbestos:
- Hydraulic actuator and fitting gasket materials — the hydraulic actuators, hydraulic valves, and hydraulic line fittings in Cold War-era Navy carrier aircraft incorporated gasket and seal materials consistent with the aircraft hydraulic system construction specifications of the period. AM ratings performing hydraulic system overhaul and actuator replacement operations encountered hydraulic system gasket materials during hydraulic maintenance
- Flight control surface actuator maintenance — the hydraulic actuators powering flight control surfaces — ailerons, elevators, rudders, and spoilers — on Cold War-era carrier aircraft incorporated sealing materials consistent with hydraulic actuator manufacturing practice of the installation period. AM ratings maintaining flight control actuators during carrier aircraft overhaul encountered actuator sealing materials during maintenance operations
Carrier and Shore Station Facility Asbestos
AM ratings at aircraft carrier and NAS maintenance facilities accumulated facility asbestos:
- Aircraft carrier hangar deck construction — the hangar deck spaces on aircraft carriers where AM ratings performed aircraft maintenance were constructed within the carrier hull using construction materials that incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation, overhead construction, and insulation board in the hangar deck overhead and bulkhead construction consistent with the carrier’s construction period. AM ratings performing airframe maintenance in carrier hangar deck spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from the carrier’s construction materials
VA Claims for Aviation Structural Mechanic Veterans
VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy aircraft carrier and air station service. Aviation Structural Mechanics who served aboard aircraft carriers or Naval Air Stations and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.