Combat Edge articles from April 2002

Combat Edge archives from April 2002

Preventable deaths. (Accent on Safety).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... As of press time, Air Combat Command (ACC) has experienced 12 off-duty deaths. Each death is a family tragedy and means the loss of a valuable ACC team member. Virtually all of ACC's off-duty fatalities fall in one of three categories: 1)...

Bird tales.(flight safety)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Before jets, before Orville and Wilbur, even before Daedalus and Icarus, our fine-feathered "friends" frequently flew freely (how's that for alliteration?) through the skies above. There's no denying the basic facts that they were there first,...

Managing wildlife Hazards.
April 1, 2002... During a daily airfield Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) inspection, you might see a series of wildlife activities that may present themselves as hazards. Perhaps a large flock of red-winged blackbirds is foraging in the infield grass;...

The "comm" between storms.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Several years ago I found myself occupying the jump seat of a KC-135A on approach to Keflavik Naval Air Station, Iceland. My first deployment as a young copilot seemed to be going without a hitch - as if I really knew. The crew consisted...

I threw it all away! I killed my wife by driving drunk.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... April 20, 1994, was my wife's 25th birthday, but it passed without a celebration. It's not that I don't love my wife; I killed her by driving drunk. I am writing this story from my jail cell. In addition to the devastation of losing my...

Monthly and quarterly award winners.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Ground Safety Award of Distinction On Dec. 7, 2001, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., was in day three of a local operational readiness exercise. Flying was moderate to heavy with 16-hour flying windows each day. A flight of four F-16s, call signs...

Implementing ORM at the wing level.(Operational Risk Management )
April 1, 2002... I would like to share some different ways that Operational Risk Management (ORM) can be successfully implemented at the wing level. For years the Air Force has enjoyed tremendous safety rates; lately, however, those rates have "flat lined." ORM...

Preventing hung ordnance.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Our squadron recently deployed 16 A-10s to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for an AIR WARRIOR close air support exercise with our neighbors from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. Ammo troops deployed early to Nellis to inspect and...

Drive to survive.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Defensive driving. We hear these two small words all the time, but do we really put them into practice? What will it take for us to do so? I know what it took for me, and I'd like to share that story so that others can hope-fully take heed as...

Don't leave me alone.(motorcycling safety and accident prevention)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... A 27-year-old senior air man from Seymour Johnson was riding his bike with another motorcyclist early one evening. During the ride, an animal darted out of the woods and crossed the road, directly into the path of the airman's motorcycle. He...

Jogging for life.
April 1, 2002... I took up running about 7 years ago to combat the "after 40 spread." You know, that propensity we all have to pack on extra weight around age 40. Running is good for the bones and muscles, it's great for the heart, it builds up endurance, and...

Mishap statistics.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Aircraft Notes Congratulations on making February a zero flying Class A month! At the end of January, FY02 was beginning to look like it was going to be a bad year for mishaps. A mishap-free month may seem like an easy challenge, but with...