Egress maintainers give pilots a sense of security

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alice Moore
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
When he's thousands of feet above ground and it's a matter of life or death, 1.8 seconds is all the time a pilot needs to safely eject himself out of his seat and survive a potentially fatal crash.

Although 1.8 seconds doesn't seem like a lot of time, the members of the 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron egress team here ensure it is all a pilot needs to live to fly another day.

The egress team is responsible for the maintenance, repair and modification of the F-16 Fighting Falcons' egress or escape system. The system includes the Advanced Concept Ejection Seat II and canopy for the F-16s. Within that system, detonation cords, initiators and rockets make up the removal system for the pilots.

"We feel it is our responsibility to provide the men and women who fly our aircraft into battle with the safest, most reliable ejection system possible," said Staff Sgt. Steven Rosenberg, 332nd EMXS aircrew egress systems craftsman who is deployed from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.

Every egress system for the F-16s here is checked every 30 days or when something appears to be tampered with, Sergeant Rosenberg said.

"Some of the things we check for are hoses with cracks or loose parts," he said.
Because missions are constant, the egress shop provides support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"These pilots are going out risking their lives. What I do could help save a life," said Senior Airman Steven Graff, 332nd EMXS aircrew egress systems journeyman also deployed from Cannon AFB.

Sergeant Rosenberg said camaraderie amongst his co-workers is good and the egress shop is also an example of how the total force of active-duty, Reserve and Guard Airmen work together for the war on terrorism.

"I don't get treated any differently because I'm with the Guard," said Senior Airman Mike Fire, 332nd EMXS aircrew egress systems apprentice, deployed from Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, N.Y. "I'm working with a good group of people, and I'm able to learn from them."

Airman Fire said one example of learning from his active-duty counterparts came from a recent canopy inspection. Members of the egress shop discovered a canopy was so defective that a whole new canopy frame assembly had to be ordered.

"Normally we don't have this issue," said Sergeant Rosenberg. "The canopy and the frame are able to bend and twist to form together."

"This was definitely a learning experience for me. I'm able to take this knowledge and know what to look for back at my home station," said Airman Fire.

Sergeant Rosenberg also said the egress shop works closely with life support and survival equipment staff so pilots are well taken care of.

"We really have to rely on each other. We can't do our job without (life support and survival equipment Airmen) and they can't do their job without us, said Sergeant Rosenberg."

When a pilot takes off on a mission, he hopes he doesn't have to use any of his survival equipment, but in the event he does, the egress shop ensures pilots are able to escape safely.