OCR Text |
Show Page 2A Wing pauses to By SSgt. James A. Rush ronment. 388th FW Public Affairs Office Air Combat Command's director of operations spoke about managing operational risks to 388th Fighter Wing members in the base theater Friday. Hill AFB was one of several stops for Maj. Gen. Lee Downer who is visiting ACC bases in the Western United States. The general's safety message comes on the heels of a period which saw four ACC airdecraft crash, including one wing F-ployed to Southwest Asia. Prior to these recent incidents, the Air Force was enjoying a record low rate of aircraft mishaps, according to Downer. Then, about a month ago, we saw a dramatic increase,'' he said. "Today, we want to focus on these occurrences and see if there's something we can do to stop the precipitous increase in our mishap rate." During his briefing, the general outlined the theory behind Operational Risk Management to wing members. Each person, top to bottom, should examine everything they do to support the mission, determine what risks are posed and assess what can be done to minimize necessary dangers. The goal is to strike a balance between accepted risks and reasonable safety measures, Downer explained. envi "We're not looking for a zero-ris- k 30-d- C-1- 30 Aug. 29, 1996 Fighter Country assess operational risks Risks are necessary in the mod- ern world and in your business, you have to accept risks to go to war," he said. "We have to make sure that the risks we accept are appropriate though. We don't want to give up people and resources to things that are not risk neutral." The process is to be carried back to the shops for every airman's input "This is not the wing commander stating what the risk is," the general said. "This starts with the airmen who do the work, the section leaders and up working as a team." Risk management shouldn't end at the work center either. Downer advised applying the process to personal issues such as physical conditioning, ground safety, and driving while intoxicated. "Hopefully, today is a start," he said. "Go back and look at other things, not just the hot topic. You need to think about that as well." Wing activities for the ACC Safety Day stand down began with squadron activities focused on identifying areas of risk and hazard in the shops and at flight level. Following the general's speech, and after lunch, wing members returned to their shops and offices to further evaluate safety concerns. Five special safety teams were established by Col. Bentley Rayburn, 388th FW commander. The six or seven-persgroups , ' t ... Photo by Amn. Maj. By 1st Lt. James R. Wilson 388th FW Public Affairs Office C-1- ur Fighter Country Published for people like ... AlCLonnie l Murvin, Jr. 421st Fighter Squadron i discussed ways to reduce mishaps involved with engine intake inspections, engine boroscope operations, flight training, driv- ing while intoxicated or under the influence, right now. If the helicopter could fly longer, we would probably be working even more than that," said Roberts. The job of guiding helicopters to the crash sites is also complicated by the crash site's steep elevation, "Normally the command section for the Hammer ACE (Adaptive Communication Element) is located directly at Ihe site of the crash," said Tech. Sgt. Vernon Hoehn, Air Force Communications Agency, Scott, AFB, 111. "However, given the terrain in this particular area, it wasn't practical for us to do that Essentially, I'm having to use a multi-banportable transceiver to communicate on top of the mountain to the helicopter crews." Col. Jon Swanson, president of the safety board investigating the crash said everyone was doing a good job of contributing in their respective areas of expertise. "Obviously, it's a tragic situation whenever there's loss of life involved with an aircraft crash. The mood is very, somber right now and probably will be for some time to come. "I'd like to express my sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who died as a result of this incident We're all grieving right now, and I just want them to know they're in our thoughts," Swanson said. Swanson added that equally important is the support the Air Force has gotten from local agencies and people, "I really can't say enough about the assistance we have received from the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, the sheriff's department and the local community ' d, members." More than 100 Air Force people from bases in Utah, Arkansas, Texas, Illinois, Washington D.C., and New Mexico have been involved in the recovery operations. Rescue teams are being replaced on a regular basis since the investigation process is expected to last indefinitely. Rodriguez U.S. Air Force photos. Fighter Countryls edited, prepared and provided by the 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office. Submit editorial copy to: 388 FWPA (Bldg. 120, Suite 113). For more information, call the public affairs office at 777-320- and sports activities, Suggestions from the teams will be re-viewed by the colonel and implemented where appropriate and possible. off-du- ty ACC crashes Crashes involving Air Combat Command aircraft in fiscal 1996, which began in October 1995. from Mountain Home,; Aug. 27- Idaho crashed west of Grasmere, Idaho. The pilot ejected. from Dyess AFB, Texas, Aug. 18 crashed near Jackson Hole, Wyo.; killing the crew of eight and one passenger. Aug. 7 - U-- 2 from Beale AFB. Calif, crashed in Oroville, Calif., killing the pilot and one person on the ground. from Hill AFB. Utah, flying in Aug. 3 - 6 Operation Southern Watch crashed in Saudi Arabia. The pilot ejected. from Moody AFB. Ga., July 31 crashed near Kirtland AFB, N.M. The pilot ejected. from Shaw AFB, S.C., July 11 crashed near Pensacola, Fla., killing one person on the ground and badly injuring another . The pilot ejected. A June 17 from Cannon AFB, N.M., crashed near the base. The pilot ejected. March 21 from Lang ley AFB, Va , crashed during a Green Flag exercise at Nellis AFB, Nev. The pilot ejected. Feb. 13 - U-- 2 from Beale crashed near the base. The pilot ejected. , Nov. 28, 1995 from Hill crashed near Salt Lake City. The pilot ejected. F-1- C-1- 30 F-1- F-1- F-1- EF-111- F-1- F-1- Fighter Country is a supplement to the Hilltop Times, published by MorMedia, Inc., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with the Ogden ALC Public Affairs Office. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper Is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. Contents of Fighter Country are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Force. Unless otherwise indicated, all photos are 0. Sua Band Gen. Lee Downer talks safety with the 388th Fighter Wing. crash recovery operations continue JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. Air Force people from six different states continue recovery operations of the that crashed here Aug. 17. "We're beginning to pick up the primary evidence, such as engines and flight controls, so we can see how they were functioning at the time of the crash," said Lt. Col. Jay Johnson, Air Force Safety Agency, Kirtland AFB, N.M. The aircraft was en route from Jackson Hole to John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, carrying presidential support equipment when it crashed into the side of Sleeping Indian Mountain, Wyo., shortly after takeoff. The plane was assigned to the 40th Airlift Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas, and had a crew of eight and one Secret Service member onboard. There were no survivors. Johnson said the investigation had an added difficulty because the impact (crash) area is located in steep mountainous terrain at 10,200 feet, which isn't accessible to vehicles. As a result, helicopters from the Utah Air National Guard have been moving cargo and people between the crash site and the local airport The steep elevation has also made the investigation process even more challenging to team members as they are forced to combat fatigue and dehydration. "The air is a lot thinner here and it makes it hard to breath sometimes, " said Staff Sgt Pernell Roberts, 649th Munitions Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah. "Because of the rocky terrain and hills, it's very difficult Especially when you have to work on your hands and knees. "We all have had to come together to move the larger portions of the wreckage because there's no heavy equipment to do it We're all averaging close to days f Fighter Country Editorial Staff CoL Bentley Rayburn . Lt James R. Wilson.....-.....- ... Commander, 388th FW Chief, Public Attain NCOIC, Public Affairs SSgt Jamet A. Rush Chief, Community Relations SSgt J.C. Wood ring-- .. Amn. Sara Banda Rodriguez ...Editor, Fighter Country 1t |