173rd Aircrew Flight Equipment hosts water survival training for two units
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U.S. Air Force Col. James P. Blaisdell, an F-15 pilot from 144th Fighter Wing out of Fresno, Calif., readies himself for the water dragging portion of water survival training hosted by the 173rd Fighter Wing Aircrew Flight Equipment shop at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Ore., July 16, 2022. They prepare exercises like this so pilots can practice releasing their parachute risers while being dragged through the water behind an inflated canopy following an over-water ejection. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Jefferson Thompson)
Article by Master Sgt. Jefferson Thompson, 173rd Fighter Wing Public Affairs.
CULTUS LAKE, Ore. - U.S. Air Force F-15C pilots from the 173rd Fighter Wing, Oregon Air National Guard, and the 144th Fighter Wing, California Air National Guard, spent a day preparing for an emergency ejection over water during water survival skills training at Cultus Lake in Central Oregon, July 16, 2022.
In the day-use campground overlooking the crystal-clear lake pilots donned dry suits, referred to as “poopy” suits, and prepared to practice releasing from a parachute while being dragged through the water, extracting themselves from under a water-logged chute, and entering and exiting a life raft.
“It's a lot of work; we actually start planning about a year out,” said Master Sgt. Brian Vaughan, the flight chief for 173rd FW Aircrew Flight Equipment shop. “There are a lot of permits that we need to obtain from the Forest Service, coordination with the sheriff's department to book the dive rescue team for safety purposes—then just getting the gear ready and transported to the training site can be a daunting task.”
The list of equipment is long: flight suits, helmets, life preservers, inflatable rafts, harnesses, survival kits, recovery devices, a parachute and anchor system, and the gear to simulate a parachute drag. Last but not least, someone had to coordinate a Jet Ski rental for said parachute drag.
This amount of preparation limits the number of events available for pilots to attend so the AFE shop extends the invitation to other F-15C units who may want to participate. This year two pilots from the 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno, Calif., joined them for the three-year certification.
“It went great, good training,” said Lt. Col. Ryan McLain, who is an instructor pilot for the 173rd FW. “It’s always a good refresher and it’s good to get some new perspectives and some of these guys that came out have done different things than we have; they were able to teach us some new things.”
This training will ensure all of the pilots in attendance are certified to fly and train over water for the next three years when AFE will plan another training at one of the lakes surrounding the Klamath Basin.
