Protection, Survival Equipment

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jessica Kendziorek
  • 403rd Wing Public Affairs

Helmets, night vision goggles, parachutes, and life rafts are just a few items that are considered essential equipment for protection and survival on the C-130J aircraft for the 403rd Wing flying squadrons.

“We provide all of the equipment that the aircrews need for survival, whether on land or in the water,” said Master Sgt. Ray Reynolds, 403rd Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment supervisor. “We are the ones who are responsible for the equipment that is needed to keep our aircrews safe, if, for some reason, an aircraft goes down.”

Reynolds has been performing this duty for 31 years, with 11 years in the Air Force and the remaining time as an Air Reserve Technician in the AF Reserve. When Reynolds began his military career the job title was called life support, which is how most aircrew members still refer to them, but their job title has been changed to aircrew flight equipment.

While all AFE technicians get the basics during technical school for all types of protective and survival equipment, the majority of their knowledge is gained during on-the-job training based on the unit they are assigned to and the specific aircraft of that unit. 

“They have a vital role in our survival and flight safety equipment,” said Capt. Jason Rimmer, 815th Airlift Squadron pilot. “The equipment and training that they provide is extremely important, but is often not thought about except during an emergency situation.  It prepares us for the worst case scenario to ensure that we come home.”

The AFE technicians here assigned to the 403rd Wing have to be proficient with their knowledge of the protection and survival equipment for two different types of missions: the weather reconnaissance mission and the airlift mission.

“We equip and maintain chemical survival gear and night vision goggles for the aircrew of the 815th AS, because they are a tactical unit,” said Reynolds. “But we have to equip and fit the aircrew members of both 815th Airlift Squadron and the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron with survival gear, helmets, oxygen masks and the equipment for the aircraft.”

The equipment assigned to each aircrew member must be inspected every 120 days, but the equipment is also inspected before and after each use, or pre-flight and post-flight.

“They are here from the time we start preparing for a flight until we take-off,” said Maj. Kendall Dunn, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance pilot. “They ensure that our equipment, from the oxygen masks to the parachutes are operable. Without the ‘life support’ members we cannot complete our mission.”

During pre-flight inspections, equipment is available that the aircrew use to test their helmets to check and see if the communications work, both voice and hearing, and to check the oxygen masks. These inspections are important because if there are any issues they can be fixed on the spot.

“It is important that the aircrew be able to talk to us,” said Reynolds. “If they don’t tell us that there is a problem, then we won’t know to fix it immediately.”

The 815th AS aircrew members assigned night vision goggles also have to inspect and check their goggles prior to a mission, whether training or real-world.  They enter a darkened room and use an eye chart to focus the NVGs to their vision, to ensure that the NVGs are ready for use during a black-out.

“A black-out mission, whether it is training or real-world, means that the aircraft goes completely dark, with no lights on inside or outside of the aircraft,” said Reynolds. “Ultimately it means the pilots are flying at night and the loadmaster completes cargo drops, while using their NVGs and radar to operate.”

At the end of every flight the post-flight inspection is completed. This inspection gives the aircrew a chance to let the AFE technician know if a problem occurred with the equipment.

“Making sure the aircrew is safe is the most important thing in this job,” said Reynolds. “Their life is in my hands with this equipment and if they trust me, then they will trust the equipment that I give them.”