Combat Edge articles from February 2006

Combat Edge archives from February 2006

Bailout, bailout, bailout!(ACCent on Safety)(Editorial)(Brief article)
February 1, 2006... The final decision to eject rests with you, no matter whether in a controlled situation, or in an out-of-control event. Almost every aircraft's boldface comes down to... EJECTION HANDLES--PULL, because when it's time to go, there isn't time to...

Post-rescue considerations.
February 1, 2006... There you are: On a CONUS peacetime mission with a catastrophic failure in your aircraft, which is unresponsive to all proper Dash One procedures and results in an ejection. The ejection goes smoothly. The post-ejection life support procedures...

Life Assurance.(Brief article)
February 1, 2006... Have you ever noticed the people around you? You know... the ones that play Russian roulette? They are the people who get in their cars and drive away without fastening their seat belts! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The reality is that not...

Forward quarter night VID: it can be done if you are willing to die for it!
February 1, 2006... It was a typical strike sortie during a Western Pacific deployment. We had been spending an entire line period cleaning out an integrated air defense system (IADS) that had been beefed up recently. On this particular night, I was flying a...

Taking the next step in ORM.(Operational Risk Management)
February 1, 2006... I have recently had the opportunity to observe and evaluate Operational Risk Management (ORM) programs throughout Air Combat Command (ACC) as well as other major commands. Programs come in all shapes and sizes and are managed to different...

Over the hills and through the woods.
February 1, 2006... My story starts on a beautiful winter day in 1970. I woke up on this day very early because: It was Christmas; I was visiting my father in Massachusetts; and we were going tobogganing. I was 10 years old and life could not have been much...

Tuskegee Airmen.(Brief article)
February 1, 2006... Either called the "Red-Tail Angels" by the appreciative bomber crews, or the "Schwarze Vogelmenschen (Black Bird Men)" by their enemies, the Tuskegee Airmen's combat record speaks for itself: 15,500 missions flown, destroying over 260 enemy...

Avoiding carbon monoxide exposure.(Reprint)
February 1, 2006... Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless poison. It's so hard to detect without monitors that it kills hundreds of people in their homes and on the job every year. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Organic materials such as wood, oil,...

Flight line safety: award of distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2006... SrA Daniel Box, SSgt Joel Black and TSgt Robert Etters demonstrated outstanding attention to detail, expert technical knowledge, and exemplary judgment in detecting and fixing an engine fuel leak. SrA Box was accomplishing the duties of ground...

Weapons safety: award of distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2006... SSgt Gonzales passed a munitions flight line delivery driver pulling two MHU-141 trailers loaded with captive 9M missiles heading from the Munitions Storage Area to the Holding Area for Munitions Storage. As he passed by the munitions trailer,...

Aircrew safety: award of distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)
February 1, 2006... During a recent Operation ENDURING FREEDOM combat sortie, the crew of Havoc 21 successfully supported ground troops in contact with the enemy despite the loss of both primary attitude reference systems. En route to the AOR, the attitude warning...

Pilot safety: award of distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2006... Capt Jeffrey "LJ" Rivers was returning in his F-15 from a routine 3-ship sortie. As he was accomplishing his battle damage assessment check, smoke began pouring into the cockpit from behind the Vertical Situation Display. A quick glance inside...

Unit safety: award of distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2006... The 3rd Weather Squadron (3 WS) made significant contributions towards flight mishap prevention and resource protection in support of Fort Hood Army Installation. The 3 WS integrated ACC, AMC, and Army safety programs into a comprehensive and...

ACC safety salutes superior performance.(Brief article)
February 1, 2006... Capt James R. Bartran T-38A Instructor Pilot 1st Reconnaissance Squadron 9th Reconnaissance Wing Beale AFB, Calif. MSgt Chalmer M. Addison Lead Production Supervisor 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron 2nd...

Ground safety: award of distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)
February 1, 2006... SSgt Bettag is a vehicle and chemical safety expert! SSgt Bettag demonstrated superior performance in the squadron's National Training Center (NTC)-Iraqi equipment "quick-turn" in which equipment that had been deployed to NTC had to be quickly...

Red Horse aids Keesler.
February 1, 2006... More than 90 823rd RED HORSE Squadron members deployed to keesler Air Force Base, Miss., to support Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts on August 30. These combat engineers usually build combat support facilities in far off, austere locations....

Mishap statistics scoreboard.
February 1, 2006... Aircraft Notes ACC had another good month with no Class A mishaps and a lower than average mishap rate for December. We need vigilant stick actuators to prevent the higher mishap rates we usually see in January and February. Many units...

Fleagle.(Brief article)(Cartoon)
February 1, 2006... ANOTHER DAY ON THE RANGE. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THESE NEW NIGHT VISION GOGGLES (NVG)... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IS GONNA LET ME SEE EVERYTHING LIGHT AND BRIGHT. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FLEAGLE, BE ADVISED OF NEAR- HIT...