Airmen complete 25,000-foot jump

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Mary McHale
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. (AFPN) --  An icy blast fills the cabin as the C-17 Globemaster III crew opens the rear hatch in midair. The C-17 provided the platform recently for nine survival, escape, resistance and evasion specialists and one combat controller to perform a high-altitude, low-opening parachute jump training over the flightline here.

Staff Sgt. James Hangsleben, parachute training noncommissioned officer in charge for the 336th Training Group, said survival specialists, who are parachute-qualified, usually train doing weekly military free falls from 10,000 feet. This was the first time a 25,000-foot HALO jump occurred here.

These types of jumps occur from 25,000 feet above sea level or 23,000 feet above ground level. This one included five local survival specialists from the 336th TRG and Air Combat Command, and a combat controller from 19th Air Force, who also served as an evaluator.

Hangsleben said the training opportunity arose when C-17 aircrews from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., offered it to fulfill some of their own aircrew training requirements.

"All our jumps afford (survival) specialists the opportunity to expose themselves to the same elements aircrews might experience at that altitude," Hangsleben said.

Aircrews learn emergency egress via parachute from books, but Hangsleben said he believes actual experience is best so they know the conditions and problems an aircrew can run into upon ejection or bailout.

He said one of the most significant differences between a HALO jump at this altitude and their weekly military free falls is they have to wear an oxygen tank.

"For this kind of training, all jumpers involved must maintain an uninterrupted half hour of pre-breathing 100-percent oxygen to lower nitrogen levels in the blood and avoid decompression sickness," he said.

If that half hour is broken at any time or any other issues occur affecting the oxygen supply, the jumper will remain on the aircraft. But oxygen is just one critical element of concern with this sort of jump, Hangsleben said.

Weather and temperature are also critical factors. For example, the parachutists cannot jump through clouds if it is a training jump, or if the winds exceed 20 mph.

As it is, when the door opens, Hangsleben said the temperature is close to zero degrees Fahrenheit. Then, jumpers free fall at speeds up to 120 mph and open their chutes at 4,000 feet. They wear layered clothing to ward off the initial chill.

"It's going to be cold at first, but since the jumpers fall 1,000 feet every six seconds, after a minute they're down to about 12,000 feet where it's a little warmer," Hangsleben said.

On the ground, drop-zone controllers ensure the area is clear of nonessential people. This drop occurred from a two-ship formation of C-17s. They remained about two minutes apart for the safety of the jumpers.

"Once a month, we try and get a fixed-wing aircraft because of its large capacity and our proficiency training requirements," Hangsleben said.

It is such ongoing training that makes jumping from an aircraft "a very safe practice" and ensures aircrews have the knowledge and skills to successfully bailout or eject from an aircraft, he said. (Courtesy of Air Mobility Command News Service)