Combat Edge articles from December 2004

Combat Edge archives from December 2004

Accent on safety: celebrate safely.
December 1, 2004... We are in the midst of our holiday season and, traditionally, it's a festive time of year spent with family members. It is a time for us to reflect upon the past and make plans for the diverse challenges the future will bring. Within ACC, the...

A death in the family.
December 1, 2004... Summer has always been my family's favorite time of year. The trees full with leaves, lush green lawns, flowers in full bloom, and the school year coming to an end. This is an exciting time of year--a time for families to share special moments...

Car survival.(methods to survive road accidents)
December 1, 2004... The top three places people spend most of their time are home, work, and their vehicle. Now for some of us, home and work rank in the top two spots, but our cars always seem to make it to third place. And whether it is going to work, around...

Snooze before you drive.
December 1, 2004... During the holiday season, many will be looking forward to an extended leave period and time with their family and friends. While you may be eager to begin this period of rest and relaxation, don't be in a rush to jump in the car after a long...

Playing the odds: nighttime driving increases chances of accidents.
December 1, 2004... Many people dislike working at night, and the reason is usually simple. It can be harder to function at night than it is in the daytime. Darkness can make driving to and from work a challenging job. It can be dangerous, too. According to...

Line of duty.(Air Force communicates the need to stay safety-focused during the 101 Critical Days of Summer)
December 1, 2004... Each year, the Air Force communicates the need to stay safety-focused during the 101 Critical Days of Summer, but injury, death, or mission impairment are only part of the reason. Any unsafe act may lead to Line Of Duty (LOD) determinations and...

Aircrew Safety Award of Distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)
December 1, 2004... On the afternoon of June 9, the crew of Sentry 05 plus one observer had an uneventful takeoff from Cold Lake Canadian Forces Base (CFB). Sentry 05 was cleared to the tactical frequency by a student engineer and directed to the orbit. The...

Flight Line Safety Award of Distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)(Joseph M. Schmitz)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... SrA Joseph Schmitz was dispatched to phase section to perform a routine F-15 landing gear operational check. During the check, all cockpit indications were normal and the landing gear was operating perfectly. Airman Schmitz continued his...

Pilot Safety Award of Distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)(Capt Robert K. Mitchell)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Capt Robert Mitchell was number three of a four-ship on an F-15C continuity training sortie. In an over water training area, Capt Mitchell noticed a master caution light accompanied by a PC1-A hydraulic light, indicating one of his hydraulic...

Weapons Safety Award of Distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... SSgt Bradford Gilley and AIC Richard Jackson discovered a broken P-1 gun connector while performing routine safe for maintenance procedures on an F-15 gun system that had returned from a gun mission. Further investigation revealed sheared bolt...

Unit Safety Award of Distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)(23rd Fighter Group)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... As part of their daily preparation for flight operations, 23rd Fighter Group (FG) maintenance personnel loaded an LAU-117 launcher onto an A-10 in order to carry a TGM-65 for local training sorties. After a routine training sortie on July 12, a...

Ground Safety Award of Distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)
December 1, 2004... SrA Christopher Barker was handpicked to be the 33rd Combat Communications Squadron's Unit Safety Representative and charged with overhauling and revitalizing the unit's entire safety program. He began with an all-inclusive review of the...

ACC Safety Salutes Superior Performance.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Capt Kevin R. Eilers, [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Upgrading FTU Instructor Pilot 358th Fighter Sqdn., 355th Wing Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. SSgt Daniel C. Penhallegon, Senior Weapons System Coordinator 2nd Maint...

Brute force disconnect.(a personal narrative of zero visibility landing)
December 1, 2004... Flying long-duration sorties in the B-1, or any airframe, presents numerous challenges to an aircrew--not a few of which are physiological in nature. Last fall, as our squadron deployed to a Forward Operating Location (FOL) in support of...

Drifting away.(a personal narrative of vacation accident)
December 1, 2004... The worst thing that can happen during a vacation is for someone to get hurt or injured. Unfortunately, safety often does not take priority when one is on vacation. This incident happened a few years ago on my vacation to the beautiful island...

Letters to the editor.(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2004... From e-mail: "The first page of Combat Edge includes the statement, 'The editors reserve the right to edit all manuscripts for readability and good taste'... take a look at the back page (cover) of the October issue ... is this...

Fleagle.
December 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Mishap statistics scoreboard.
December 1, 2004... Aircraft Notes Great start on FY05. ACC is on the bubble for only one Class A--an F-16 blew a tire getting airborne. During landing/barrier engagement, the right main gear collapsed. The pilot egressed and the fire fighters used foam to...