Combat Edge articles from September 2005

Combat Edge archives from September 2005

ACT!(ACCent on Safety; safety awareness)
September 1, 2005... Serving on the ACC staff has been a very interesting learning experience for me the past 12 months, and I've learned a great deal about safety and the many different missions in ACC. Most importantly, I have a much greater appreciation of how...

Overhauling element deconfliction.
September 1, 2005... The bandit merges at high aspect, below and between the two fighters. The element suffers a communication breakdown resulting in both fighters thinking they are engaged. Both pilots begin to focus on the bandit, and both begin flying their best...

Fat finger fiasco.
September 1, 2005... Pilots always want to be remembered. Most pilots want to be remembered for something great, but no one wants to be remembered as the first pilot to crash a B-2, especially a perfectly good one. I sure didn't, but if things had been a little...

Running from the pack.(bicycle accidents)
September 1, 2005... The big "101 Critical Days of Summer" clock had barely started ticking when I became an early statistic. As is my custom, I had read the summer safety articles and messages from the senior leaders, cautioning on the dangers of summer and...

What is large, yellow and holds the future of America?(school buses)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... After a long, hot summer, The Combat Edge and ACC Ground Safety are issuing a BOLO (Be On the Lookout) for school buses in your neighborhood and on your local streets. --Every year, approximately 440,000 public school buses travel more...

Training in the dark.(air force)
September 1, 2005... The sortie was briefed as a night two ship to the local conventional bombing range with a high-time wingman. We each planned to drop six BDU-33 inert training bombs and shoot 100 training practice (TP) rounds using night vision goggles (NVGs)...

Gun powder.
September 1, 2005... There was a time less than 14 years ago when the term "weapons safety" was nothing more than a passing thought in this young Airman's mind. With one stripe, I was more concerned about how long my crew chief was going to make me push a broom,...

Aircrew safety: award of distinction.(award for safe emergency landing of Global Hawk aircraft)
September 1, 2005... During a combat mission, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, a Global Hawk aircraft experienced multiple system faults. The fault indications showed a low engine oil level, high engine oil temperature, and an abnormal change in engine...

Flight safety: award of distinction.(MONTHLY AWARD WINNERS)
September 1, 2005... SSgt Davis, SSgt Priemer, SrA Smart, and A1C Magnie were performing an engine run on an F-15 aircraft to troubleshoot a #1 engine no start. All indications on the initial start of the JFS were normal until the #2 engine was engaged for start....

Crew chief safety: award of distinction.
September 1, 2005... During a launch of a U-2 aircraft, A1C Kristunas discovered the upper Q-bay hatch unsecured. A keen eye enabled him to discover the red vertical line indicator on the locking mechanism was slightly angled; an inspection that was overlooked...

Ground safety: award of distinction.
September 1, 2005... As the Unit Safety Representative for the 2nd Civil Engineering Squadron, TSgt Schneider expertly directed an ambitious multi-faceted safety program for over 500 active duty personnel and civilians in 24 sections. During his annual program...

Pilot safety: award of distinction.(Major Donald Temple of 1st Reconnaissance Squadron receives award)
September 1, 2005... While serving as an instructor pilot in the two-seat TU-2S, Maj Donald Temple's aircraft encountered a complete loss of hydraulic pressure following a routine touch and go. The flight was the student's first syllabus sortie in the U-2 Basic...

Unit safety: award of distinction.(509th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron)
September 1, 2005... The #3 engine and tailpipe were removed from a B-2 aircraft as part of scheduled maintenance for the aircraft entering programmed depot maintenance. Evidence of heat damage was discovered on: the tailpipe, the electromagnetic foam (e-foam)...

Weapons safety: award of distinction.(Munitions Squadron's Gavin B. Hamilton)
September 1, 2005... A1C Hamilton was inspecting 10 MHU-141 trailers used to transport and load Air Launched Cruise Missiles and Advanced Cruise Missiles on B-52 aircraft for compliance with a recent Time Compliance Technical Order (TCTO). After conducting this...

ACC salutes superior performance.(Air Force. Air Combat Command)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Capt Chadwick D. Greer Pilot 34th Fighter Squadron 388th Fighter Wing Hill AFB, Utah Capt Andrew P. Stockman Pilot 34th Fighter Squadron 388th Fighter Wing Hill AFB, Utah Capt James F. Ross, Jr....

Mishap statistics scoreboard.(accidents statistics)
September 1, 2005... Aircraft Notes ACC had one Class A in July involving two tethered Aerostats. Both Aerostats were destroyed by Hurricane Dennis while moored in the Florida Keys. The crew on the ground did a great job preparing for the storm, preventing the...

Global reach, global power, global presence.(air force officers conducts pre-flight checks)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Senior Airman Mindy High, (extreme left) together with Capt. Justin Amann, a B-2 pilot, and Airman 1st Class Dustin Spring, conduct pre-flight checks of their aircraft before a mission at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The B-2s were deployed...