Combat Edge articles from March 2004

Combat Edge archives from March 2004

Accent on safety: safety is clearly everyone's responsibility.
March 1, 2004... My time is up as Chief of Safety. Having the opportunity to serve as the command's safety lead has been truly an honor. During my 29 months, Air Combat Command has certainly led the way in the defense of our country. We should all be proud of...

The airfield is closed! The skid mark told the tale of where we touched down ...
March 1, 2004... I've always read the "there I was..." first hand accounts of mishaps with a sort of distant reverence for the mishap writer, never thinking I might be writing the next edition. But, things can turn ugly fast, illustrating the need for constant...

I brought the Jet back! I planted the stick in my lap and everything went black ...
March 1, 2004... "Just bring the jet back." Those were the words I got from my Instructor Pilot (IP), a quirky Brit and great stick, as I headed out the door for my initial area solo in the "Mighty Tweet." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Just bring the jet...

Risk management made easy!
March 1, 2004... With operations tempo at an all time high, finding time to workout can be difficult. Time to workout has to be carved out of an otherwise busy day. In Pacific Air Forces, there are a lot of people using their few spare minutes to exercise, and...

I fell off the trailer.
March 1, 2004... my 3 1/2-year tour with the Air Force Thunderbirds was drawing to a close. I had only 2 months left on the team before my family and I moved on. My time on the Thunderbirds was the highlight of my career thus far--who wouldn't want to go out...

Aircrew Safety Award of Distinction.(Monthly Award Winners)
March 1, 2004... While recovering his F-16 from a night Red Flag sortie, Maj Jansons encountered a gear problem during his approach to Nellis AFB. One normally gets a red light in the gear handle while the gear are in transit and three green indications without...

Flightline Safety Award of Distinction.(Monthly Award Winners)
March 1, 2004... On 04 November, a maintenance team performed an operational checkout (retraction) on the main landing gear (MLG) of F-15E aircraft 89-0474. During the checkout, Amn Sawtelle discovered the left strut anti-skid harness showing signs of potential...

Ground Safety Award of Distinction.(Monthly Award Winners)
March 1, 2004... TSgt Campbell was observing Aft Optical Bench (AOB) maintenance in the Airborne Laser clean room. After noticing that current wire wrapping did not appear to meet Air Force and contractor standards, he researched and suggested implementation of...

Pilot Safety Award of Distinction.(Monthly Award Winners)
March 1, 2004... The sortie was briefed as an instrument check, with Lt Col Holdaway as the Flight Examiner. Ground ops, takeoff, and the initial portion of the check ride were uneventful. During the final instrument pattern at a nearby Navy airfield with Col...

Weapons Safety Award of Distinction.(Monthly Award Winners)
March 1, 2004... SSgt Goodermont, SSgt Buffell (AFMC), and SrA Leonguerrero demonstrated sustained technical expertise and professionalism and applied superb weapons safety knowledge while supporting the F/A-22 Developmental and Operational Test and Evaluation...

Anger meets mailbox.
March 1, 2004... It was a dry, sunny day in England, a rare occurrence. I had just finished a Class A argument with my wife which, of course, I lost. Not one to admit defeat, I decided that the best way to display my displeasure was to roar out of the driveway...

Safety on the forefront: safety standards are developed for protection of our assets. Including you!
March 1, 2004... During this time of heightened activity, and in our efforts to protect our bases and prepare for what may come, some may feel this is not a time to follow all the safety precautions developed for protection of our assets. In fact, some...

Unsafe choices: their vehicle drifted across the roadway and crashed head-onto a tree ...
March 1, 2004... People may think "it's not going to happen to me." But they need to think again. No one is immune; preventable vehicle crashes happen all the time. Automobile crashes do not mean just cuts, bruises, and broken bones. They can mean permanent...

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

A few of the mishaps.
March 1, 2004... Nov 15, 2003: Off-Duty automobile fatality of a 21 year-old SrA who was traveling on a steep, mountainous highway in a vehicle. For a yet undetermined reason, the vehicle exited the left side of the roadway, traveled down a dry ravine, and...

Mishap statistics scoreboard.
March 1, 2004... Aircraft Notes Again, Well Done! No Class As in January. Let's talk about regulations/instructions. Does anyone in the unit know the Instructions better than you? Yes. Why? Granted there's a fair amount that has not changed, and probably...

The Combat Edge.
March 1, 2004... The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve play a large role in taking the fight to the enemy. Nearly 20,000 Guardsmen and Reservists are currently serving on active duty to support the global war on terrorism. They serve in every capacity...