TAC Attack May 1986

pringtime not only brings warm and delightful

S weather, it also stimulates our desire for outdoor
activities. It's the time of year for nice family
drives in the country or a squadron picnic on the
beach that everyone's been looking forward to
for so long. One thing's for certain, there's
plenty to do outside and, sometimes, more than
enough sunshine.
This spring, let's play smart and not let Angle of Attack

beautiful weather lull us into doing things that

could lead to injury or death. It only takes one
dumb decision--based on a dare, too much to we need to start using the creative 2x4s available
drink or clowning around- to ruin not just a day in every unit. You know the ones--they're
but, in some cases, an entire lifetime. If we play stamped "Awareness; Fly Smart;
smart, safety will take care of itself. Self-Discipline; Tactically Unsound; Our
Apart .from the beautiful weather, spring Mission-Nothing Else; I am the Leader, You're
offers little joy for the operators. Why? #2, Be There; #4-RTB Now; Fly the Jet." These
Historically, May has been our worst month for are but a few examples.
flight mishaps. Our losses during the month of Those creative 2x4s have always been within
May over the last five years have cost us about a our reach, but some of us chose not to use them
squadron of jets. That's right--a whole for one reason or another. My thoughts are, if
squadron. you can't take the sting of a well-placed creative
Another spring event is migration. 2x4 in peacetime, swung by a flight or squadron
Deployment planning, preparation and member interested in helping you improve your
execution take many manhours and drain the airmanship, you might as well look for another
best of us. We must also realize that the job. The sting of AAA is much more painful
deployed operation is one of our highest threat and permanent.
areas for flying. Over 50 percent of our ops In combat, we won't have time to be polite and
factor mishaps occur away from home. And ask for performance--it's expected. To have the
there's more. teamwork so essential in combat, we all need to
If you look at who has the mishaps away from pick up a creative 2x4 now and then. Let's make
home, you find our experienced aircrews leading this May our turning point. Start swinging.
the pack. The most disturbing fact is that they
were almost always in a routine phase of the
mission when the mishap occurred. It involved
the basic elements of airmanship.
Don't waste time shaking your head and EDSEL J. DE VILLE, Colonel,
gnashing your teeth--when it involves airman- USAF
ship, it involves discipline- and that means Chief of Safety
TAC ATTACK
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

FEATURE'S
4 The Not So Very Merry Month of make sure both you and your sports gear are
May ready so you can enjoy the summer safely.
(and June and July)
The number of aircraft mishaps this year in 26 COMPAS Is Here
TAC hasn't been anything to brag about. It's here. You need it. What is it?
What lies ahead for us in May? You and I are
the answer to that question. 30 F-111 Emergency Situation Training
br-' "Head Dancer-Cyclone 1, I've Got a
Problem" DEPARTMENTS
Readiness is TAC's profession, and the ability
to deploy fighters anywhere in the world is a 7 Aircrew of Distinction
vital part of that capability. If you're getting 8 TAC Tips
ready for a trip across the pond, take a few 11 Safety Awards
minutes here to make sure you're ready to
go. 15 Short Shots
16 In The Center
21 Getting Ready for Summer 18 Chock Talk
Temperatures are warming up and you're get- 22 Fleagle Salutes
ting ready for summertime activities. Before 24 Weapons Words
you step out the door, take a few minutes to 28 Down to Earth

TACRP 127-1
TAC Attack is not directiv-e in nature. Recommendations are inte'nded to comply with existing directives. Opinions ex-
pressed are those of the authors and not necessarily the positions of TAC or USAF. Mishap information does not identify the
persons, places, or units involved and may not be construed as incriminating under Article 31 of the UCMJ. Photos and art-
work are representative and not necessarily of the people or equipment involved.
Contributions are encouraged, as are comments and criticism. We reserve the right to edit all manuscripts for readability
and good taste. Write the Editor, TAC Attack, HQ TAC/SEP, Langley AFB, VA 23665-5001; or call AUTOVON 574-3658.
Distribution F(X) is controlled by TAC/SEP through the PDQ, based on a ratio of 1 copy per 10 persons assigned. DOD
units other than USAF have no fixed ratio; requests will be considered individually.
Subscriptions for readers outside DOD are available from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. 20402. All correspondence on subscription service should be directed to the superintendent, not to
TAC/SEP.

VOLUME 26 NUMBER 05
The Not So Very
Merry Month of
RUSSELL A. ROURKE
May [and June and July]
SECRETARY OF THE
AIR FORCE
GEN ROBERT D. RUSS
COMMANDER

COL "COUPE" DE VILLE

CHIEF OF SAFETY
MAJDON RIGHTMYER
EDri'OR
STAN HARDISON
ARTEDri'OR
MARTY DU.I.ER
WRITER-EDITOR

8RA KELVIN TAYLOR

STAFF ARTIST

TAC Attack (ISSN 0494-3880) is

published monthly by HQ TAC/SEP,
Langley AFB, VA. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to TAC
Attack, TAC/SEP, Langley AFB, VA
23665-5001 . Second-class postage
W ith our 7-year history
of consistent improve-
ment in mind, 10 Class A mis-
1986 is certainly an attention
getter. But, if you believe in sta-
tistics, the worst could be just
paid at Hampton, Virginia, and ad-
ditional mailing offices. haps in the first quarter of around the corner. Recent his-

4 MAY 1986
tory singles out May as the tically sound. The "new guy" is ment; these are where most of
worst month for aircraft not immune, but our "old heads" the deployed crashes occurred.
mishaps. And there's no slack need to be more attentive to the We need the same quality of
after that. June and July have ROE and mission objectives if planning and supervision for
consistently been the other "high we are to control this trend. each deployment, regardless of
threat" months remaining in the Controlled flight into the ter- size. The three-ship CAS or dis-
year. History shows that an aver- rain (CFIT) is more than just col- similar training weekends need
age of 10 TAC aircraft bite the lision with the ground. In these the same attention as the
dust during these 3 months. The cases, our crews have been so in- "flags." Convince your people
combat capability we lose makes volved with accomplishing a nor- that the KIS (Keep It Simple)
Ivan smile every time we crash a mal mission task that they principle is just as sound today
jet; for it's just one less he1l forgot to fly the airplane. The as it ever was. Make sure that
have to face if the balloon goes accident potential here is high
up. for anyone with a few hundred
That's the bad news. Is there hours in his jet and the com- Convince your people that
any good news to balance it? fortable feeling that comes with
Sure, statistics don't make them- familiarity. The worst of this
the KIS (Keep It Simple)
selves. They don't drive what we problem is its insidious principle is just as sound
do. We, the operators, main- nature-you'll never feel the hair today as it ever was.
tainers and supporters, make the on your neck rising like it does
statistics-good or hD.d. This year when you're disoriented. You
we need to consider the history must work now to identify those "get-home-itis" (in other words,
of May, June and July, and do "normal" things in your daily misplaced priorities) during
e things to see that it doesn't operation which can lead to cross-countries and deployments
~at. Read on and let's look at trouble-range work, defensive isn't allowed to supersede good
some reasons for our tradition- LOWAT and instrument flying judgment.
ally high number of spring and have all led to recent situations With summer also comes the
summer mishaps, and a few where the crew prioritized a mis- big turnover in people. This
ideas on what we can do to cut sion task above ground avoid- means additional time required
down the number of crashes this ance. to supervise and train the new
year. Summertime means deploy- guys, and a corresponding in-
Four factors stand out in the ments-long deployments, short crease in work load. You1l not
statistics as prime accident deployments and back-to-hack only find more inexperienced
makers. On the mechanical side deployments. They consume people coming into your unit
of things, control malfunctions about 20 percent of our flying during the summer, but also a
and engine failures or fires are time in TAC, but unfortunately lot of folks that have been
the heavy hitters. The reasons result in a disproportionate around the Air Force awhile and
vary, but consider what deploy- share of all operator mishaps. are new to your unit and opera-
ments, summer heat, sortie Last year half of TAC's 12 pilot tion. The track record shows
surges and supervisory lapses factor mishaps occurred during that while we have done well at
from new people or vacationing deployed operations. So, when leading and teaching the young,
regulars could do to your mainte- someone mentions deployment, inexperienced folks, we need to
nance and equipment. the caution light in your mind at least consider the cumulative
On the ops side, loss of control should go off. Deployments (in- effects of heavy tasking on our
and controlled flight into the ter- cluding cross-countries) require more experienced old heads, too.
rain are the two big nemeses. more, not less, supervision. Too Summer brings longer days
Two things stand out in loss of often we find a tendency to ease and an opportunity to stretch
control mishaps. The pilots are up on supervision when we get the work day to its limits. Hot
· -\cally highly experienced, but away from the home drome, es- temperatures combined with
nishap maneuver is not tac- pecially on "just a mini" deploy- longer work days increase the

TAC ATTACK 5
The not so very merry month of May

NOT SO VERY
RRY MONTH OF MAY
fatigue problem. Add to this a sonality: the normally happy last years show that old head
few weekends of work preparing guy who's not talking much; the supervisors (pilots with 900+
for and deploying your llir- conservative flight lead stepping hours in the aircraft) have
craft-and the fact that, during to the aircraft for his third caused a disproportionate share
the summer months, the longer flight of the day with a worn-out of our mishaps. As a supervisor,
days open up the daylight flying wingman still discussing the de- you can't afford to have double
window considerably-and you tailed, super cosmic scenario standards whether it concerns
can begin to appreciate the true they're about to fly; the wing- crew rest or pressing on the
hazard potential you face. man who seems to repeatedly range. The young guys will do
Longer days also mean starting make small uncharacteristic mis- the same things they see you do.
and ending night flying much takes; or the dependable crew We wish we could tell you that
later than in winter months. chief with a wrench in his hand summer mishaps follow more
Combine all these factors and who's staring off into the dis- specific trends, but they don't.
"cumulative fatigue," or ''burn- tance for no apparent reason. The fact is, the increase is
out," among your maintainers Make sure your people drink suf- spread among all types of pilots,
and aircrews can become a prob- ficient water and get adequate flying all types of aircraft, doing
lem, especially among the mid- rest during the surges of the all types of missions. No one is
level supervisors who are ex- summer months; and above all, 1mmune.
pected to do it, lead it and teach don't be afraid to call time out. The next three months hold
it. This kind of fatigue can't be Leadership by example is par- much promise for increasing L
cured by one night's sleep. It re- ticularly effective as a means of combat capability through well-
quires more, maybe a few days showing the troops that it's OK planned, disciplined training
of leave or a 3-day weekend. to call a knock-it-off on the scenarios. But we've got our
Supervisors should help their ground or in the air. Just as im- work cut out for us if we are to
people feel comfortable with portantly, remember that super- turn recent history around. Don't
backing off when the pace ap- visors are people too, and thus increase the risk unnecessarily.
proaches "loss of control." They subject to the same or greater In peacetime, pilots without
also need to be alert for signs of stresses and fatigue than the combat experience often equate
fatigue. Look for changes in per- worker bees. Statistics from the added risk to realistic training.
In truth, you avoid all unneces-
sary risks in combat-a midair
over enemy territory can earn
you a tour in a POW camp.
Moreover, an aircraft or crew
lost in peacetime denies our na-
tion the men and shooting iron
needed in wartime. So, while we
may not achieve perfection in
readiness training on any one
mission flown at a lower level of
risk, we must never forget that
all training stops; all experience
is lost when we lose a crew.
Plan smart, work smart, fly
smart. ~

MAY 1986
,.

AIR CREW
OF
DISTINCTION

Capt Robert E. Suminsby, Jr.

522 TFS , 27 TFW
Cannon AFB, New Mexico

countered with significant stick and rudder deflec-

tion. As airspeed was decreased, the uncommanded
rolling subsided.
Captain Bentley set a safe power setting and
wing sweep combination and headed for Cannon.
While waiting for another airborne F-111 to join
them as a chase aircraft, the left engine compressor
stalled and could not be recovered above idle
Capt Van P. Bentley power.
522 TFS, 27 TFW
With no forward visibility and no usable airspeed
Cannon AFB, New Mexico or angle-of-attack indications, the crew decided that
the only safe way to recover the aircraft was with a

C aptains Van P. Bentley and Robert E. Sumins-

by, Jr., were flying a high-speed, low-level
mission in their F-111D on 20 December 1985
wing approach and formation landing. Although
formation landings are not practiced by USAF
F-111 crews, it was considered necessary under
when a red-tailed hawk struck the nose of their these extreme circumstances. Following completion
aircraft. The impact shattered the fiberglass ra- of emergency checklist procedures, coordination
dome, allowing the pitot boom to snap back and with the SOF and a controllability check, the crew
crack the right canopy while pieces of the radome began a single-engine approach. Due to the idled
went into both engines. Forward visibility for both left engine and reduced thrust on the right one due
crewmembers was totally obscured by bird remains to FOD, afterburner was required several times
and a large section of upturned radome. during the approach. Both aircraft made a flawless
Captain Bentley immediately began a climb and formation landing, after which the leader went
maintained aircraft control despite severe vibra- around. The mishap aircraft safely rolled to a stop
tions, a constant stall warning horn and pedal on the runway centerline.
shaker inputs and loss of all primary and secondary The superior airmanship and outstanding crew
pitot-static instruments. The aircraft also had a coordination demonstrated by Captains Bentley and
·<mg tendency to roll left. Captain Bentley turned Suminsby prevented possible loss of life and a
dampers off, but the left roll could only be valuable combat aircraft. --->
'----------------------------------------------------------------~
TAC ATTACK 7
TAC tips INTERESTING ITE~

Just a tad off

A n A-10 was loaded with wall-to-wall BDUs on
TERs and LAU-68 rocket launchers. The first
bombing passes on the range went fine, but the
Both the maintenance specialists and the pilot
erred in allowing the LAU-68 to be jettisoned like a
bomb. The store display thumbwheels hadn't been
first attempt to fire a rocket brought different re- set properly according to the A-10 TO, and the
sults. On his armament panel, the pilot had se- pilot didn't follow his Dash 34 preflight or inflight
lected station 9, release mode-singles, nose/tail fuz- procedures to make sure that the systems were set
ing and the master arm on. up properly.
The A-10 pilot rolled in for the rocket pass and It's an old cliche, but "attention to detail" sho1·
pressed the pickle button, but he didn't see the ex- never be taken lightly. There's no question that
pected smoke and fire from a rocket. When he aircraft and on-board armament systems are com-
checked the selected station, he noticed an empty plex. That's all the more reason to make sure your
light and, for the first time, saw that "LDGP" was ordnance is hooked up right, that the armament
showing in the thumbwheel display instead of the system is thoroughly checked out and your switch-
expected "RKT." The other station carrying a ology is correct the first time to get the ordnance
rocket launcher was also improperly set. on target.

8 MAY 1986
~S, MISHAPS WITH MORALS, FOR THE TAC AIRCREWMAN

Watch what you're

doing
Y ou've noticed several TAC Tips in recent
months about what to do with your jet's ex-
haust. But the message apparently still bears re-
peating. Two of the main things to be concerned
about with your aircraft are where you put it and
where your exhaust is going. Running into or over
•~ings with an aircraft seem.s to be a pretty obvious
rd because you can see where you're going or
t's obstructing your path. any run-up for oil purge, bleed air checks or quick
What you do with your aircraft's exhaust check in EOR. Whenever you need to bring an en-
shouldn't be a matter of "out of sight, out of mind" gine up beyond idle power, clear your tail to ensure
just because you can't see what's back there. It's that a person or vehicle hasn't moved in behind you
what you don't see that can cause problems. One unannounced . .
way to make sure there isn't something you didn't Finally, manage your power wisely by using a
see is to give the area around your aircraft a good sufficient amount of thrust to start your aircraft
visual check when you first arrive at the jet. Look rolling and to keep it at the desired taxi speed. Be
for anything lying around loose or improperly se- in idle before you make any turns. There's no need
cured that you're likely to blow away when you pull to "gun" the power and then chop your throttles
out of the chocks. back to idle. That initial blast of raw exhaust is
Take a careful glance not only at the area imme- likely to blow rocks and other loose objects around
diately behind your jet but also. where your ex- in your wake.
haust will point as you taxi out. By doing that, you Your exhaust is like the old haircream commer-
can prevent incidents such as the F-15 making its cial-"A little dab'll do ya' "-so only use what you
initial turn out of parking which blew over two, really need and use that with care.
600-gallon fuel tanks in an adjacent shelter. Both
tanks suffered damage and required repair. On an-
other occasion, a jet pulled out of a parking spot to
taxi around for an integrated combat turnaround.
The jet's exhaust blew some air-to-air missiles off a
trailer sitting adjacent to the parking spot. If
A stitch in time
there's something in your way-front, back or
side-have it moved or secured where there won't
' problem .
A two-ship of F-16s had planned to return non-
stop to their home drome from an exercise
site with one inflight refueling en route. When one
.1other area for caution with your exhaust is of the jets ground aborted during the initial rede-

TAC ATTACK 9
TAC tips

A last note: Just because you've been to an off-

station operating area or base before doesn't mean
ployment operations, their backup plan required a you shouldn't check the current procedures the
two-hop trip home instead. next time you're headed that way. A quick check of
After refueling at the stopover base, the pair of the IFR Sup, NOT AMs and other flight planning
F-16s taxied out for a formation takeoff. Starting tools for current information will ensure that
their roll in front of a raised BAK-9 barrier, the you're working with the latest data.
nosewheel hit the cable at about 60 knots, ap-
parently causing the cable to bounce up and dam-
age an ECM pod mounted on the aircraft center-
line.
Isn't this good enough?
T he main body and computer control group
(CCG) of a GBU-12 bomb had been uploaded
on an F-111 during a local exercise. The load crew
chief prepared to string the bomb arming wire
while the number two man fastened the fins to the
bomb. Because of a shortage of normal safety pins,
the previous load crew had used a piece of arming
wire to safe the battery firing device (BFD). That
works fine when the safety wire is put in the prr
er hole.
On this incident, the safety wire had been incor-
rectly installed in the bottom hole of the BFD
where the arming wire was supposed to go. VV hen
the load crew chief prepared to route the arming
wire, he first removed the substitute safing wire
from the BFD without a safety device in the upper
hole. What happened? The battery device fired just
as advertised.
The main cause of this incident was a lack of This was the second load crew that worked on
thorough flight planning. With the known potential the munition since it had been removed from stor-
for problems between F-16 centerline stores and en- age. The bomb had already been loaded and un-
gagement barriers, the pilots needed to make spe- loaded once that day due to a frag change. Because
cial note of any possible trouble areas at their in- of that, at least two separate crews had the oppor-
tended landing base. tunity to notice the discrepancy and correct it be-
We put a lot of effort into actual details for navi- fore a serious problem occurred.
gation and fuel requirements during the flight por- Working together as a team should be a relation-
tion of a mission, but the sortie isn't over until the ship based on trust, but it also requires that we look
aircraft is safely back on the ground-chocked-and out for each other and insure that someone else's
the engines shut down. mistake doesn't sneak up and bite us. When you ac-
When you've thoroughly planned a mission and cept a job from someone else, give the area a good
then the plan suddenly gets changed, that's the once-over to make sure something obvious hasn't
time to look for trouble. When the rhythm of your slipped through the crack. The question isn't "Who
mission has been broken, extra caution is essential made the mistake?" but "How can I make sure that
to make sure that Plan Bravo is as thoroughly this job is done correctly in the future?" Make su,-.....,
planned as your first. you're part of the answer, not the problem.

10 MAY 1986
TAC SAFETY AWARDS
REW CHIEF SAFETY AWARD
W hile working on his aircraft, Staff Sergeant
Jeffrey A Moening noticed smoke coming
from the number one engine of an adjacent air-
craft; so he immediately went to assist the other
crew chief. When he got to the aircraft, Sergeant
Moening noticed that fuel wasn't dumped after the
engine was shut down, which created an internal
fire hazard. Sergeant Moening told the crew chief
to call the fire department.
Sergeant Moening then advised the student pilot
to motor the engine in an effort to blow out any
fire and dissipate fuel fumes. The pilot then exited
the aircraft, but flames began to appear in the tail
pipe. Sergeant Moening climbed into the cockpit
and extinguished the fire by again motoring the en-
gine.
The fire was out by the time the fire department
arrived. Sergeant Moening's knowledge, experience
and quick action kept a valuable aircraft from
being seriously damaged.

INDIVIDUAL SAFETY AWARD

A irman First Class Moses Salas was completing
a canopy actuator change on an F-16C when
he discovered that the manual control handle used
to raise and lower the aircraft canopy from inside
the cockpit was not working. He investigated
further and found that the engaging key would not
enter the keyway, which would prevent a person in-
side the cockpit from manually opening the canopy.
During a ground emergency with the loss of elec-
trical power, a pilot would have to ballistically
jettison the canopy as his only method of escape,
which would increase the potential for a mishap.
Airman Salas's careful analysis of this defect
prompted a one-time inspection of all F-16 C-model
aircraft, both at Luke AFB and throughout the
fleet. Locally, five aircraft were discovered to have
the same deficiency. Several more defective drive
units were found on production-line aircraft.
Thanks to Airman Salas's conscientious desire to
enhance quality maintenance, production-line in- Dynamics to ensure the quality of egress system
~tion procedures were established by General components.

TAC ATTACK 11
''HEAD DANCER-CYCLONE --,
I've got a problem"

Maj Denny Granquist

HQ TAC/DOXD dle the problem? What type of paring for a safe ocean-crossing
assistance can you depend on? deployment. I will address two

I t's daybreak at approximately

55 degrees north latitude, 30
degrees west longitude. You're at
Hopefully, this scenario is an
emergency procedures drill ad-
ministered by a squadron in-
possible malfunctions that will
significantly affect your flight
and some procedures and tech-
30,000 feet eastbound in an elec- structor in the cockpit trainer niques to keep in mind .
tric jet on the squadron's Euro- prior to your deployment. If it's What happens if you have a
pean deployment. Master caution the real thing, you'd better have slow feeding fuel tank? Your fuel
light is on steady. What are you a plan. This article is designed to flow is 500 pounds/hour mor~
going to do? How will you han- assist you, the operator, in pre- than the flight profile requi.
12 MAY 1986
'uld you be worried? How miles. (2) Abort time (1 + 35) is and remaining receivers to the
;h fuel is required to divert the flying time from the missed abort base to ensure successful
'to'Keflavik? A thorough under- refueling location to the abort recovery of all aircraft. Remem-
standing of the flight profile base. (3) Abort fuel (5644 lbs) is ber, tank feeding problems can
provided by H Q TAC/DOXD or the fuel used from the missed re- drastically reduce your options
2d Aircraft Delivery Group is re- fueling point to the abort base. and degrade aircraft cruise per-
quired. If you listened to the (4) Abort fuel remaining (24 75 formance. The bottom line is
flight briefing without knowing lbs) is the fuel on board over the know your fuel requirements for
what your particular flight plan abort base at refueling altitude the planned profile and monitor
calls for , you're asking for trou- or cruise altitude as indicated. your fuel flows closely. Don't
ble. The Tactical Air Command (5) Bingo fuel (6644 lbs) is the delay decisions to abort-you
Aircraft Profile (T ACAP) is an amount of fuel on board required may not have all the fuel you
automated means of providing to reach a point over the abort need to recover safely .
flight plans for deployment tac- base with a minimum of 30 min- Another problem that will
tical fighter aircraft. Aircraft utes reserve (computed for alter your plans is the worst
performance information is com- 10,000 feet at maximum endur- type: a catastrophic failure of a
bined with the applicable clima- ance). It is important to note critical aircraft component such
tology or forecast wind data and that regardless of your actual as flight controls, engine failure
processed into a flight plan. The flight position (1, 2 .. . or 6), it or fire, etc. One thing is forcer-
result is an ATC approved route is the sequence in which you re- tain, you're going down in the
for a normal receiver to tanker fuel that is critical when consid- North Atlantic. Now, how will
ratio of 6:1 and includes provi- ering abort fuel requirements. you handle this one?
sions for air refueling abort Any delay in making the divert "No sweat," you say, ''The Air-
bases. The profile closely ap- decision beyond your scheduled borne rescue Duckbutt will be
proximates a Great Circle route missed refueling abort point may overhead shortly. They'll take
"lliusted for the abort base prox- also result in insufficient fuel for care of me." Not so fast, Slick.
~y and aircraft performance. recovery. Keep a close watch on Don't bet your water wings on a
\..__..;.lthough the flight plan is your fuel schedule to ensure you 007-type recovery as seen in the
self-explanatory, let's look at the remain close to the winded flight movie "Thunderball." James
refueling abort base information profile fuel schedule. If your re- · Bond may have been successfully
in detail (see profile excerpt). maining fuel is less than Bingo plucked from the water by a Ful-
(1) Leg distance (646 NM) is for a given refueling position, ton Recovery System, but the
figured from the missed refuel- Head Dancer (the airborne mis- military never employed this
ing abort point (5917 N, 4409 sion director for the deployment) procedure for search and rescue
W) to the abort base and is will probably decide to abort the (SAR) efforts at sea. Thus, you
Great Circle if greater than 300 mission and divert the tanker need to think through a more

Line Label HDG Total Dist GS Total Time Total Fuel Fuel Flow
Number Lat Long Drift Leg Dist Leg Time Leg Fuel
AAR4
Abort Point
5917N 04409W 2125 04 +34 8119
49A Goose UYR 98 275 1 646 409 (!)1 +S5 ~5644 3S76
6319N 06025W PO 2771 06+09 2476
49A Bingo Fuel ( 5) 6644
498 Keflavik KF 49 081 671 460 1 +28 6246 3597
6359N 02236W MO 2796 06+02 2874
49B Bingo Fuel 6245

TAC ATTACK 13
D DANCER
Head Dancer

conventional and basic game plan. As you can see, without suits using your survival radio. Con-
In this case, your personal sur- coupled with possible loss and/or serve drinking water.
vival plan should include some a malfunction of your raft, you Recovery phase will be initiat-
of the following considerations: can get into trouble fast. (I won- ed immediately. Communication
Fix Your Position. This can der why some units even consid- on board the escort tanker will
adequately be done by your iner- er requesting waivers from wear- enable the tanker crew to alert
tial navigation system (INS), a ing these lifesaving suits.) Even the controlling air traffic control
wingman's INS or by the escort if there was a Duckbutt directly (ATC) agency and relay the posi-
tanker's plot. In addition, during overhead as you hit the water, tion of the downed aircraft. ATC
your ejection, the emergency lo- you have to get in your raft to has the best capability to scram-
cator beacon will continuously limit exposure. No one will be ble available SAR assets. In addi-
transmit your position until you dropped into the water to assist tion ATC can notify the mari-
turn it off. This is an important you. Additional rafts and sup- time control agencies to divert
electronic signaling device espe- plies will be dropped as soon as maritime shipping for your re-
cially since the new SAR satel- possible. But don't leave that covery. Pickup by surface vessel
lite (SARSAT) has been commis- raft. Even if they drop a 20-man is the most likely method of ex-
sioned. SARSAT can fix your raft and you can get to it, re- traction from the water.
position to within 6 NM with member to keep your one-man You may have heard that pr·
only a 30-second ELT transmis- raft. By using the smaller raft cautionary airborne search and
siOn. inside a larger flotation device, rescue escort missions (Duckbutt)
Limit Exposure to the Environ- you will be better able to insu- have ended. That's true. Now,
ment . Retaining your body heat late yourself from the elements SAR assets will only respond to
is the most important considera- and retain your body heat. actual emergency/distress situa-
tion. Know where your raft is Conserve Survival Equipment . tions. Although you may feel
and get into it. Don't swim to Utilizing your emergency locator less comfortable because of this
your raft-pull it to your posi- beacon and your survival radio, recent change, you can see from
tion. Anti-exposure suits really you have up to 18 hours of con- the above discussion that your
help here as Figure 2 below tinuous use. Remember to turn actions are the key to your sur-
points out. off the emergency beacon before vival. In fact, some advantages
Figure2 can be gained because the re-
gional SAR Control Center can
focus all available assets and
Time of Useful Consciousness their capabilities on the recovery
in Anti- exposure Suits effort. Although I've got a few
ocean crossings on the books my-
Water Temp With Suits Without Suits self, I'm not sure I really ever
completely considered the conse-
50°F up to 8 hrs 65 min
. quences of an aircraft malfunc-
tion over the North Atlantic.
1-

40°F 3 hrs, 45 min 30

.
min
~

Hopefully, this article gives you

some useful information that en-
hances your personal attitude
30°F lhr, 50 min 15 min towards overseas deployments.
Have a good one. ~

14 MAY 1986
NO DIVING SIGNS. Although infrequent, diving
injuries are of a catastrophic nature, often leaving
the victim paralyzed. If you see this sign, heed it's
warning.

short shots

CAUTION
Do Not
Dive P.Mis
mid Sr
Mil Mini IS
M eel. IrW V inon I. /
No rrr. kw dm... r 1
abe lon
*Mont Ma..
rr OftIi MA*, ow., I.
Ow

rw lore . OM.
Cem

ul Mr, YON. SA..

Unlll First Reading Warning to the Right al...* MINI am.. Ina wow ./
Burning poison ivy in your fireplace-even old,
dried-up poison ivy-can produce smoke that will
give the rash to people. Be careful what you burn.
Diving into this pool could cause serious injury,
Knowing where your gas, water and electrical probably resulting in paralysis or death. Striking
shut-offs are can be a lifesaver in an emergency the floor or sides is dangerous. Dives from the deck
-nado, flood, hurricane). Make sure your family into less than 5' or from a deck-mounted diving
turn off trouble. board into less than 9' or from a one-meter board
into less than 12' of water are hazardous, especially
Older baby furniture may not meet today's safety steep entries. Learn proper diving techniques in-
standards. Be cautious when you buy used furni- cluding hand position and safe entry angles. Addi-
ture for your children-make sure it meets safety tional diving information is posted and/or available
requirements. from owner or operator.

mi_1-1 EA D S
lurpmpwpmmpr -111M
Next month, in the
JUNE
issue of TAC Attack,
you can look forward
to seeing SrA Kelvin
Taylor's stipple
rendition of an F-4D
firing an AIM-7 missile
IN THE CENTER.
TAC ATTACK 15
...--F-16A/ AIM-9L-------

··~·~.....
-

-
chock talk incidents and

Just at the right time

T he number two pilot in a flight of F-16s had
just raised his gear handle on takeoff when he
noticed an unusual thump. A warning light in the
possible to determine visually if everything was in
place. The concrete evidence came on the jet's next
flight.
gear handle confirmed a gear problem, and a chase We are continually reminded of the need to take
aircraft reported that the nosewheel was missing. our jobs seriously and to do our work by the book.
The pilot brought his aircraft in for a smooth land- There's a lot to be said for leadership by example.
ing, resulting in minor damage to the nose strut. If, as a supervisor, you decide to sign off an inspf'
tion at other than the prescribed time, you also
send a clear message to the troops that it's OK to
do things when it's convenient, not when you're
supposed to.

Got my signals crossed

A n F-15 pilot was under the control of a
marshaller as he pulled his Eagle into its
parking spot. During the final stages of maneuver-
ing the jet into place, the pilot stopped taxiing
Another possible horror story that ended well. All when he became confused by the crew chiefs non-
of the missing nosewheel parts except the out- standard hand signals. Unfortunately, that left the
board bearing spacer were found off the departure F-15's exhaust pointing straight at a small prop-
end of the runway. The spacer was missing because driven aircraft parked nearby. When the pilot
it was never installed during a nosewheel change added power to start rolling forward again, the ex-
two days before. The job procedures required an in- haust caused damage to the small aircraft's flight
process inspection between steps seven and eight of controls.
the Job Guide, but the supervisor signed the inspec- The standardized hand signals for aircraft move-
tion off at step six prior to the spacer installation. ment provide a shorthand for communication be- .-....._
After the wheel assembly was complete, it was im- tween ground crews and pilots. When everyone i1 \
18 MAY 1986
INCIDENTALS WITH A MAINTENANCE SLANT

-------- - --- ----

volved knows and uses the established signals cor-

rectly, the whole process of moving aircraft on
busy ramps full of AGE and other aircraft is made
much simpler and safer. The time to know those
signals is before you hit the flight line, not when
you've got the pointy end of a jet coming your way.

A fiery puddle
A n F-4 crew had just started the right engine
when the crew chief commented that a lot of
white vapor was coming out of the tail pipe. The
aircraft commander told him that was normal for
low smoke engines and continued the start. At 22
percent, the engine lit off with a loud rumble and a done by the crew chief; he applied external power
fireball appeared in the tail pipe. The crew chief and air to the number two engine in order to un-
- - told_the_crmv _there was~ fire in the_E.i_!_pipe area, fold the wings. The TO for starting or motoring the
and the crew shut down the engine and egressed - - - engine ooescoverthrottle positioning;- but -the-crew - - - -
after advising the tower of their problem. chief apparently didn't follow it. A power off check
The fire was caused by undetected fuel puddling. wasn't completed prior to crew arrival or the pud-
On the day prior to the incident, the aircraft had dled fuel would probably have been discovered.
been towed into a hangar for scheduled mainte- Do you have MOis or local checklists that could
nance. The wings had been folded in accordance set you up for a problem such as this? This incident
with a local maintenance operating instruction wasn't caused by an imperfect checklist. It was
(MOl) covering hangar entry and departure. During caused by not following the established checklists.
one check, the right throttle was moved forward Fortunately, the aircraft suffered no damage from
but never placed back in the off position. When the the fire, but we can't rely on good fortune to mini-
'\ircraft left the hangar, the MOl didn't include mize the results of our mistakes. Tech data is indis-
ecking throttle positions. A power check was pensable. Use it.

TAC A'ITACK 19
chock talk

These guys also mentioned one very important

A failure to fact that they allowed to influence their actions in
communicate .doing the job. It was cold and rainy at the time and
this was their last job of the day. When the

T wo maintenance technicians were installing a

centerline pylon on an F-15 after the right en-
gine had been reinstalled. They used the proper
weather conditions on the flight line aren't what
you'd like them to be, that should be a reminder to
check your personal attitude and sense of urgency
checklist, and the job of getting the pylon secured toward the jobs left to do. When the weather is
was completed without any problems. cold and miserable, that's probably the time to slow
The team chief, seated in the cockpit, operated down and make sure you don't skip or overlook
the cockpit switches while the other technician, on steps in your haste to get back inside. The thunder-
the ground, ran the test equipment. After the jetti- storms of spring as well as the heat of summer can
son check was completed, the other technician make the flight line just as inhospitable as the
started to install impulse cartridges in the pylon snow and winds of winter. Don't let adverse
breeches before aircraft power was shut down. weather and time of day box you into a corner
Both breeches had been installed; he was getting where you feel shortcuts are OK. Take your time,
ready to tighten the first one down when the car- do the job right and you'll be glad you did.
tridges fired and the pylon fell to the ground.

Who would have

thought it
S ometimes a mishap is caused by an obvious dis-
regard for the most basic principles of safety.
At other times, what seems to be a very minor vio-
lation of the tech data can result in a very serious
outcome. One recent example was an F-15 that ex-
perienced engine damage due to foreign objects
that were sucked down the intake.
The FOD was caused by a nosewheel tie bolt nut
and washer; but the parts hadn't been carelessly left
was am causes lying around in front of, or thrown toward, the
malfunction. The crew member in the cockpit felt hungry F-100 engines. This particular mishap be-
he might have accidentally pushed the selective jet- gan during a change of the nosewheel when an im-
tison button while he attempted to safe the cockpit proper antiseize compound was used. That mistake
switches. The technician on the ground hadn't in- allowed an over torque of the tie bolt, and even-
stalled the pylon safety pin fully after the jettison tually stress and fatigue caused the tie bolt to fail
check was completed. during a landrng. The washer and tie bolt were
The team chief didn't communicate with the then sucked into the engine, causing extensive
other technician to wait on the cart installation un- damage to several fan core sections.
til he had safed the switches, turned the power off You may not understand why every step in the
and disconnected the power cart from the aircraft. tech data is required, but you can bet there are a_lot
All of that boils down to one simple fact-they of possible costly consequences for each deviation.
failed to follow their tech data. The result: a costly If you don't know the reason, ask somebody; but
ordnance pylon jettisoned on the ramp and two de- don't decide to just ignore the TO until you find
certified maintenance technicians. out.

20 MAY 1986
liET
READY \,.
---: ~ .
r
-I ;

FOR ~

SUMMER
CMSgt Ronald C. Christiansen thing last another season when it belongs in the
Chief, TAC Ground Safety dump. Prepare for the activity that involves use of
the equipment-make a checklist and use it.

A nother winter is past, summer is on the way.

What a great feeling: warmer temperatures,
boating, swimming, scuba diving, fewer clothes.
• To burn or not to burn. It's your decision, but
when you're stuck in the hospital because you
didn't protect yourself from the sun, the boss or
But are you ready for summer? We all look forward your supervisor won't be too understanding. If
to it, but the majority of us don't get ready for it you're a burner, use protective lotion or clothes and
until midseason. limit your exposure time.
Every summer people spend many agonizing and • Use common sense. Don't booze it up on a beach
painful hours because of foolish recreational acci- or boat and decide to become an Olympic swimmer
dents and "beet red" bodies. We read a lot about or diver. Booze makes it difficult to determine if
what we should do to protect ourselves during off- the water is too shallow. Many Air Force people
duty hours, but some of us don't pay attention to have become permanently disabled from slamming
all the free advice. Let's be smart this summer and head first into a rock or pool bottom because they
get ready for it by doing things right. let alcohol be their guide.
• Be physically prepared. You don't have to be a • Avoid peer pressure. Don't let peer pressure
super athlete. Don't take on a new activity such as force you to do something you know is wrong. Al-
scuba diving or distance swimming unless you're ways make sure someone knows where you are.
capable and have the right stuff-training. Throw Just a few tips to get you thinking about a super
the macho attitude away and you'll be better off. summer that you'll look back on in October as hav-
• Check your gear. Make sure equipment is in ing been just beautiful. Don't spoil it by not having
>od working condition. Don't try to make some- your act together. __:::-

TAC ATTACK 21
A-7 cross-country sortie when eral recycling attempts over an
his generator feU off line and unpopulated area, but the tower
wouldn't reset. The emergency confirmed that the right gear
generator didn't come up to still had not come down.
speed immediately and left him After several more unsuccess-
without attitude references. At ful attempts to lower the gear,
the same time an RF -4 from the and a minimum fuel state, he
4485th Test Squadron, Eglin prepared to land gear up. He
AFB, FL, crewed by Maj Mike flew the approach straight in
Byrd and Maj Danny Clark, with full flaps and speed brake
was inbound from a PDM pickup extended according to the emer-
at Hill AFB. With visibility gency checklist procedures. The
ranging from 5000 feet down to aircraft slid to a stop on the
only a few feet in rain showers, empty pylon tanks and speed
they successfully intercepted the brake, causing only minor
A-7 on the first try. The F-4 abrasive damage to the aircraft.

FLEAGLE crew then led the A-7 pilot

through the weather to an ILS
approach and a safe landing.
Capt Richard Danzey,
20 TFTS, 35 TTW,
SALUTES
Captains Joseph Sokol, Jr.,
SSgt Charlie L. Miller, 33
George AFB, Calif., was
performing IP duties in the rear
EMS, 33 TFW, Eglin AFB, Fla., cockpit of an F-4E with a Ger-
and Michael Bohanan, 435 was performing preventive main- man student in the front seat.
TFTS, 479 TTW, Holloman tenance on an AIM 32C-10 air During a practice instrument
AFB, N.Mex., were flying an cycle machine when he found a approach at Edwards AFB, the
AT-38B in a two-ship BFM mis- design deficiency on its tire rim aircraft lost utility hydraulic
sion when the left wing tip assembly. This is a new type rim pressure. Since it was only the
departed the aircraft, assembly, held together by a student's eleventh F-4 sortie,
damaging the left flap and fuse- spring clip and requires 100 psi. Capt Danzey assumed control of
lage. Capt Sokol immediately However, if the spring clip does the aircraft and made an imme-
took control of the aircraft and, not seat, the assembly could diate go-around. Returning to
despite the need for abnormally blow apart causing a serious mis- George for recovery, Capt Dan-
large control inputs, was able to hap. Sergeant Miller discovered zey found that low altitude wind
maintain controlled flight. The that this assembly is not covered shear, turbulence and strong
two crewmen pointed the air- in the end item equipment TO, gusty surface winds had
craft toward home, performed so he submitted an AFTO Form increased in intensity since their
the appropriate emergency 22 that resulted in a change to takeoff. Runway 34 at George
checklist procedures and made the TO. His branch also imple- was most closely aligned with
several critical decisions concern- mented procedures where only the wind, so he set up for a
ing the airworthiness of their 20 psi will be used until the straight-in approach to it.
aircraft. After performing a spring clip secures. Because of his utility hydraulic
thorough evaluation of the air- loss, Capt Danzey was also com-
craft's controllability, Capt Sokol Capt James C. Kuzo, mitted to an approach-end
flew a smooth recovery and land- 103 TASS, 111 TASG, arrestment.
ing despite the large amount of Willow Grove NAS, Pa., On the first pass, blowing dust
aileron control required. was preparing to land his OA-37 and aircraft crab from a strong
after a cross-country sortie to a crosswind prevented Capt
An A-7 pilot was just begin- midwestern base when he real- Danzey from seeing the runway,
ning an ILS approach into Tulsa, ized that his right main gear so he passed control of the air- / -
Okla., in the weather on an would not extend. He made sev- craft to the student. When hoo

22 MAY 1986
- skip caused a missed engage- was increased to maximum, but ceeded to check the retaining
ment, Capt Danzey resumed air- the engine began to overtemp. clips on all J85 engines in the
craft control and went around. To keep the engine temperature shop. He found 4 77 bad
On their second approach, the within limits, power was reduced retaining clips on 10 engines.
same thing happened. Now low and a slight descent initiated. Eight days after submitting a
on fuel and believing another at- Once a steady airspeed, power quality deficiency report, 121
tempt on runway 34 would be setting and descent rate were clips were removed from the
futile, he decided to attempt a established, Capt Dritenbas de- supply system. A follow-up
landing on runway 21 despite a termined that sufficient altitude report was submitted and the
strong right crosswind. This was available to reach the emer- San Antonio SA-ALC depot was
time he was able to pick up the gency field without having to notified; their stock was
runway environment and landed jettison stores into the surround- reviewed and also purged of
short of the cable, but hook skip ing populated areas. While Capt defective clips.
once again resulted in a missed Dritenbas flew the aircraft, Lt
engagement. Although faced Williams completed all of the Sgt Joseph L. Crady, 355
with difficult control capability, appropriate checklist proce- EMS, 355 TTW, Davis-Monthan
Capt Danzey went to his backup dures, assisted in reviewing the AFB, Ariz., was performing a
plan to remain on the ground. strange field approach and used basic postflight inspection on a
He directed the student to jetti- the emergency hand pump to transient A-10 when he discov-
son the drag chute if they were lower the landing gear. The air- ered extensive damage to several
unable to maintain directional craft was sucessfully landed fan blades on the number two
control with it deployed, but without further problems. engine, rivets missing on both
that didn't prove necessary. Capt intakes, improper sheet metal
1zey was able to bring the air- SSgt James 0. Fretwell, 23 patches and severe fan blade
.'t safely to a stop on the cen- TFW, England AFB, La., used chafing. As a result, the air-
erline with 3000 feet remaining, the techniques he learned in self- craft was held over for two days
using the emergency braking sys- aid and buddy care to assist an in order to accomplish the
tem. injured woman and her young amount of repair work required.
child when their car had a head- Sergeant Crady's assistance dur-
2d Lt Rodger L. Williams, an on collision with a pickup truck ing the repairs enabled the air-
upgrading 0-2 pilot from the 21 in front of his home. His knowl- craft to be returned to opera-
TASS, Shaw AFB, S.C., and Capt edge and assistance were invalu- tional status in minimum time.
John R. Dritenbas, an 0-2 IP in able during this serious emer-
the 549 TASTG, Patrick AFB, gency. TSgt Kenneth E. Ellis, 33
FL, were flying on a night weap- EMS, 33 TFW, Eglin AFB, Fla.
ons delivery sortie when the SrA Russell D. J. Gerard, 57 During the fourth day of a Phase
aircraft began severe vibrations CRS, 57 FWW, Nellis AFB, II TAC ORI, Sergeant Ellis
about fifteen minutes Nev., was installing variable found an MJ-1A bomblift lifting
after takeoff. Capt Dritenbas guide vane retaining clips on the arm end plate lying on the
took the controls and inlet guide vane, which allows ground. Without this plate, the
shut down the front engine the engine to breath at different lifting arm could shift and drop
when he determined that it was altitudes. Airman Gerard noticed a missile. Sergeant Ellis imple-
the cause of the problem. The that when some of the clips were mented procedures to inspect all
crew turned toward the nearest pried open, they failed to return MJ-1A bomblifts in the wing.
emergency field equipped with to original position. If the clips The bomblift with the missing
runway lights as they informed were to come off the engine in end plate was found and it was
flight lead of their problem and flight, the result would be a com- replaced. The immediate actions
intentions. pressor stall or even a flameout. of Sergeant Ellis prevented dam-
Tn an attempt to maintain alti- Airman Gerard immediately age to AIM-7 missiles, MJ-1A
e, power on the rear engine notified his supervisor and pro- bomblifts and personnel.
'--
TAC ATTACK 23
WEAPONS WORDS
Combat Oriented
Explosives Safety (COES)
SMSgt Ed ·Hartman
HQ TAC/SEW tions about explosives safety standards:

C OES-The letters probably don't mean as much

to you as COMO, COSO, CMU and AMU, but
the expression they stand for probably has a greater
Misconception #1: Hardened aircraft shelters are
designed to contain the effects of an internal explo-
sion.
effect on mission accomplishment than most people Fact: Hardened aircraft shelters were designed to
are aware of. The letters don't exist in any formal protect the contents of the shelter from external
publication, but the concept should be a serious con- enemy attack.
sideration in every plan or action where explosives Fact: In tests, four AIM-9 warheads were deto-
are involved. nated inside a shelter. The net explosive weight c
Bombs, missiles and rockets are designed to de- the warheads was about 48 pounds. Although the
stroy enemy personnel and property. Explosives shelter arch was undamaged by the blast, the 170
safety standards were developed to protect friendly ton doors were pushed out over 20 feet in front of
personnel and property from the effects of their the shelter.
own munitions. Here are some common misconcep- Fact: In tests, the typical aircraft load of MK-82

24 MAY 1986
GP bonbs was detonated inside a shelter. The shel- detonating at once.
ter suffered massive structural failure. Some shel- Fact: If an explosion occurred on one aircraft in
ters within 300 feet were destroyed by impact of a row of aircraft properly separated (about 145 feet
huge shelter fragments. between aircraft), the row would not mass detonate.
Misconception #2 : The standard earth-covered The explosion and blast would be limited to the 12
storage igloo is designed t<? contain an internal ex- bombs on the aircraft.
plosion. Fact: Blast and fragments from the above explo-
Fact: The earth-covered igloo was designed to sion would destroy nearby aircraft. Aircraft at
't eet its contents from external forces. about 500 feet would require major repair and
~lact: The design of the igloo does direct some of would be unflyable.
the blast in a less hazardous direction. Fact: The 145-foot separation only prevents mass
Fact: In tests, 150 pounds of explosives (less detonation. The entire row of aircraft would prob-
than one 500- pound MK-82 bomb) were detonated ably be destroyed from secondary explosions caused
in.side an igloo. The headwall, door and most of the by fire and hot fragments. This is called propaga-
arch were completely destroyed. Only the rear wall tion.
was left standing. Misconception #4 : Two thousand feet is a safe
Fact: Most igloos can store from 250,000 to distance to withdraw from a burning aircraft
500,000 pounds (net explosive weight) of explo- loaded with explosives.
sives. A MK-82 bomb has a net explosive weight of Fact: Two thousand feet is the minimum with-
192 pounds. drawal distance.
Misconception #3: Properly separated combat air- Fact: Two percent of the personnel in the open
craft loaded with GP bombs are protected from at 2000 feet can be expected to be killed by frag-
blast and fragment damage if one loaded aircraft ments.
blows up. Fact: During a fire power demonstration, a large
Fact: Properly separated aircraft will only keep fragment from a MK-84 (2000 pound) bomb landed
the bombs on nearby aircraft from mass detonat- behind the reviewing stands. The reviewing stands
ing. were over 7000 feet from the target.
Fact: A row of aircraft, each loaded with 12 MK- Modern munitions are designed to minimize the
82 GP bombs, with an improper separation of 50 risk involved to the handlers; however, technology
feet between aircraft will transfer and detonate the has not yet advanced enough to insure the weapons
bombs on the next aircraft, and the next, and the know the difference between enemy and friendly
next, so fast that it will appear to be one explosion. forces. How we manage the risk inherent in this
For example, if there were 10 aircraft in the row, job could determine mission success or failure. Let's
' explosion and blast is equivalent to 120 bombs not give the enemy a double-edged sword.

AC A'ITACK 25
COMPAS

CMSgt Ronald C. Christiansen

Chief, TAC Ground Safety

1981 T AC study reveale~

A that our methods to ensure
safe mission accomplishment
were based on policies and phi-
losophies revolving around rules
and regulations rather than true
prevention systems using risk as-
sessment and management tech-
niques. It was apparent that
many lessons once learned from
mishaps had to be relearned be-
cause we never identified the
real cause behind some mishaps
in the first place. In other
words, we hadn't gone far
enough in the investigative proc-
ess. Our prevention activities
were also out of tune with force
modernization and mission
changes. In many cases, our safe-
ty professionals were not trained
in state-of-the-art technology.
We learned of a new approach
in use by the Department of
Energy (DOE) that was a spin-e~
of early systems safet~' work
MAY 1986-
is here

ERE
done by the Air Force in the vide an easy understanding of techniques so that they can en-
aerospace and missile develop- the mishap sequence and any hance your unit's mission
ment program. Their analytical systematic deficiencies (i.e., man- achievement. They will also be
techniques were excellent tools agement decision factors, train- able to provide training to your.
for application to Tactical Air ing, higher headquarters actions, personnel on some methods to
Command, since the intent of etc.). improve your unit's operation.
their program was to eliminate COMPAS can be used by any-
oversights and omissions to oper- • Change Analysis. We change one wanting a quality operation.
ational readiness. After 21/2 things daily, but we don't often It can be used to bring a new
years of special training and a study the impact of those process or task on line or just to
concerted effort to adapt the changes to ensure that we're get- ensure the effectiveness of your
DOE program to USAF mission ting the job done right. Change current work and performance.
~ds, TAC's Combat Oriented analysis provides the oppor- COMPAS has no boundaries, but
3hap Prevention Analysis Sys- tunity to identify potential it does require the support of
em (COMPAS) went into action failures and gives counteractions technical specialists to ensure
in February 1986. to prevent them from happen- thoroughness.
COMPAS can give com- ing. Change analysis can also be COMPAS also permits you to
manders and supervisors a used to find obscure causes for perform an indepth self-
formal assessment of their unit some problems. evaluation of your own organiza-
operation including such items tion. Like any new system,
as aircraft or mission conversion, • System Observation Reviews. COMPAS will have some grow-
deployments, information flow, This is a method used to inter- ing pains, and some of its tools
operational readiness and quality view supervisors and workers take time to learn and use prop-
mishap investigation. It also pro- about their unit and tasks. The erly. But, like any quality sys-
vides leaders with answers on review identifies levels of safety tem, it's worth the time in-
which to base risk management awareness, information flow, job vested. COMPAS proves its
decisions. Although still in its in- hazards and mishap potential. value when used in conjunction
fancy, many of the COMPAS The results give unit leadership with other existing systems. It
tools now available can be ap- answers about policy success or provides a method to standardize
plied by safety and functional failure, what is real versus per- tasks that were previously only
personnel. Here are some of the ceived and any required mishap based on individual experiences.
items incorporated in COMPAS. prevention adjustments. COMPAS will help us become
There are other analytical even better at what we do. To
• Mishap Prevention and Inves- techniques available to the safe- make it last, we've got to make
tigation. Specialists use a logic ty professional using COMP AS, it happen and COMPAS is the
tree to ensure that a complete but these are the primary ones way. Why not find out more
analysis is done to get to the of interest to commanders and about COMPAS and give it a
· --ttom line. Mishap investiga- supervisors. Safety personnel are try. Prevention is worth mil-
1 flow charts graphically pro- being trained in. all the COMP AS lions. ~

TAC ATIACK 27
DOWN TO EARTH ITEMS THAT CAN AFFECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

Bicycling
B icycling has changed from being largely a
child's pastime to an adult's way of exercising
and travelling. This increase in adult cycling has
At least half of all car-bike accidents result from
traffic violations by both the cyclist and the motor-
ist. The cyclist's most common violations are failing
also brought an increase in the number of adults in- to yield the right-of-way, driving in the middle of
jured: in 1960, 78 percent of those injured while the street, driving too fast for conditions, disre-
cycling were children 14 years old and younger. By garding traffic signs and signals, driving against
1981, 65 percent of those injured were older than the flow of traffic and making an improper turn .
15. When bicycles are mixed with motor vehicles,
Most bicycle accidents that end in death or a dis- they have all the rights and all the duties and re-
abling injury involve a collision with a motor vehi- sponsibilities of motorists. This means they must
cle and usually occur during rush hour traffic be- obey all traffic signals, go with the flow of traffic
tween 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. and signal their intentions.
In many car-bike accidents, motorists report not
seeing the cyclist in time to avoid a collision. It is
up to cyclists, therefore, to make themselves as vis-
ible as possible. The law requires bicycles to be
equipped with rear, pedal and side reflectors. Rear
reflectors must be red and visible from a distance
of 500 feet to the rear while in front of the upper
beams of a motor vehicle. Pedal reflectors should
be amber or colorless and be visible 200 feet from
the front and rear.
Side reflectors may be mounted on the frame or
spokes, but must be visible from 500 feet. Front-
side reflectors can be amber or colorless, but those
on back must be red.
Cyclists who ride at night are required to have a
headlight that is visible from 500 feet in front of
the bike.
Brightly colored clothing also makes cyclists easi-
er to see. Reflective spacer flags alert motorists to
the presence of cyclists and some cyclists claim
that motorists are more willing to share the road
with cycles that have flags.
Even with equipment to make them visible, cy-

28 MAY 1986
HERE ON THE GROUND _ _ _ __
\.l \ . . ·- CTOO-

clists should always practice defensive driving. The rule to remember when approaching any of
They should look for vehicles turning left in front these is to slow down. Accelerating, braking and
of them, or turning right across their lane. A cy- stopping should all be performed gradually, so the
clist entering an intersection should look in all di- tires don't lose traction. If there are grooves in the
rections and be prepared for defensive maneuvers. road, such as those found at railroad crossings, it's
Cyclists should also show their own intentions with best to cross them at the 45- to 90-degree angle so
hand signals. the wheels won't be caught.
Injuries that don't involve motor vehicles are As with cars, bicycles that go too fast on a wet
•t often caused by falls, collisions or the cyclist's road can hydroplane, especially if the tires are
~ of control. Falls often involve a hazardous road worn. Reducing speed is the only way to avoid this.
surface, such as water, gravel, wet leaves and holes. Falls and collisions are also caused by defective
equipment on the bike. The law requires that
brakes be able to stop a bike within 15 feet from a
speed of 10 mph on dry pavement. Bikes equipped
with hand brakes must have one on each wheel, or
a hand brake on the front and a coaster brake on
the rear. Brakes should be checked periodically to
make sure they're in good condition.
Lack of a chain guard can also cause a fall by al-
lowing the chain to grab onto a pant leg. Even on
bikes that havj'! chain guards, cyclists may want to
use a trouser clip (or even a heavy rubber band) to
keep the pant leg wrapped around their ankle and
away from the chain.
The piece of equipment that is perhaps most ef-
fective in preventing severe injuries doesn't come
with a bicycle-a helmet. Three-quarters of all bi-
cycle deaths and permanent disabilities are caused
by severe blows to the head. A helmet can mini-
mize the danger of a head injury. The National
Safety Council urges all cyclists, no matter where
they ride, to wear a helmet. Sporting goods and de-
partment stores carry helmets that are lightweight,
sturdy and brightly colored for increased visibility.
Courtesy National Safety News

29
~''''''''
~
~
~
~
F-111

~
~
EMERGENCY SITUATION TRAINING
Maj Jeffrey N. Fender down exceeding your control stick authority. You"
~~
"'111111111111

TAC/DOV be within or close to damper off limits. (Besides,

step 8 of the "Unscheduled Pitch Maneuver" check-
SITUATION: You are flying TFR around the list states "within ... limits, if practical.") Check-
low-level route in your Vark at 540 knots ground- list procedures should now be used to attempt to
speed. As you crest a small ridge, you see a "flock recover the right engine and handle the SIS light

S
of feathered fliers." You react by pulling up (nor- (option A and B). It was probably the result of a
mally correct direction), but you hear and feel the damaged right AOA probe. Once all the damage
impact. The right engine compressor stalls and the has been assessed (a chase plane will help), a con-

S
~'1111111111
SIS caution light illuminates.
OPTIONS: A. Turn the pitch damper off.
B. Refer to the checklist for a SIS
trollability check should be performed. In addition
to the areas discussed in the flight manual on con-
trollability checks, some other considerations are-

~
C. ~~~~sure the TFRs are on to ~· ~ossible si~,~~e~gine configuration
ensure 68 percent protection. 3: r::;~e;:.r~me:!stduring the check.
D • Maintain aircraft control, climb

S to a safe altitude and analyze

the damage.
DISCUSSION: Damage from a birdstrike can
range from very minor to loss of an aircraft. The
first thing to do after a high speed, low-altitude
A lot of pilots perform controllability checks in the
landing configuration/profile only, that is, config-
ured for landing in a straight-ahead flight profile.
Remember, you have to maneuver to the final ap-
proach. TAC recently lost an aircraft during the
bird strike is to climb and analyze the situation turn to final after the pilot had done a controlla-
(Option D). Power setting must be tempered by the bility check. If you have damage which will affect
situation. Over level terrain, mil power may be an the aerodynamics of your aerospace vehicle, con-
acceptable choice (if the good engine also took some sider not only a straight-ahead flight profile, but
birds/debris, using afterburner may aggravate it). also evaluate the handling characteristics for

S In mountainous terrain, you may have no choice.

Be prepared to turn the pitch damper off right
away. Probe damage could result in a SIS pitch-
maneuvers you anticipate using during the re-
covery. Do it at a safe altitude, as the unexpected
results could be surprising. ~
TAC
TAC ANG AFR
Y
TAC Tally

THRU MAR THRU MAR THRU MAR

MAR MAR MAR
1986 1985 1986 1985 1986 1985

CLASS A MISHAPS 10 5 1 2 2 0 0 0
AIRCREW FATALITIES 1 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL EJECTIONS 2 9 5 2 4 2 0 0 0
SUCCESSFUL EJECTIONS 9 5 2 4 2 0 0 0

TAC'S TOP 5 thru MAR 85

TAC FTR/RECCE TAC AIR DEFENSE
class A mishap-free months class A mishap-free months
37 33 TFW (1gli5n)AFB, FL 108 48 FIS Langley AFB, VA
35 366 TFW (1N,tFri/ enAFB, ID 67 318 FIS 165h)ord AFB, WA
(FollomanAFB,NM
-15)
34 49 TFW H 17 49 FIS (L4116s)s AFB, NY

33 67 TRW TeFr-g4s)trom AFB,TX

(A-10) Davis-
19 355 TTW Monthan AFB, AZ

TAC-GAINED FTR/RECCE TAC-GAINED AIR DEFENSE OTHER TAC/-GAINED UNITS

class A mishap-free months class A mishap-free months class A mishap-free months
itn(o,IAL- 3 7 )
159 138 TFG
sGa( A0-71)c
144 177 FIG `itilaGilic-igt)y, NJ 200 182 TASG
136 114 TFG N 'iouGE
x( Falls, SD 107 12 5 FIG jkaNc 2oFn- v1le) , FL 184 110 TASG MI
BA aNt tGl °CAr -e3e

ANG(F-7) grG0( fighters)`

E(
122 180 TFG Toledo, OH 90 119 FIG 180 USAFTAWC
114 124 TFG AN
Bo iG( It) 74 107 FIG AraGga(Fra-4) 'alls, NY 172 84 FITS (T -33)
Ca-s3t31e) AFB, CA
EC-130)
100 108 TFW & 155 TRG 65 147 FIG -nnGg(run4)AFB, TX 114 552 AWACW (E-3,
Tinker AFB, OK

CLASS A MISHAP COMPARISON RATE

(CUM. RATE BASED ON ACCIDENTS PER 100,000 HOURS FLYING TIME)

TA 1986 4.8 6.8 5.5

C 1985 3.2 3.4 2.7

AN 1986 4.8 2.5 3.3
G 1985 4.8 4.8 3.0

NF 1986 0.0 0.0 0.0

R 1985 0.0 0.0 0.0
,-, N

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1985-86 537-009/08

... AIN'T BEEIV
F/LLEP YEI.

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