51st OSS Airmen prepare for the worst

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Stefanie Torres
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  It's the actual difference between life and death when it comes to Airmen who work at the 51st Operations Support Squadron; something they know all to well.

Aircrew Flight Equipment Airmen at Osan Air Base saw their work pay off as one pilot was forced to eject from an F-16 Fighting Falcon during a routine training mission March 21, 2012, near Kunsan Air Base.

"Getting a save is a huge honor," said Staff Sgt. Anthony Sportsman, the aircrew flight equipment journeyman who put together the parachute for the pilot who ejected. "It just means I did my job."

Life support Airmen here inspect, replace and pack parachutes for pilots and provide them with survival equipment they would need in case of emergency.

However, more often than not, they would prefer their work not to be used, explained Tech. Sgt. Filmon Yosief, NCO in charge of the aircrew flight equipment section. The intricate details taken to pack a parachute and prepare equipment are only used for emergencies, which makes for a less than ideal situation.

"We put a great amount of detail in our work, but we don't want the equipment to be used because it's the last resort," he said. "We don't usually get confirmation of how well we do until something happens. But the fact that you can see how the team came together for this pilot speaks volumes of their expertise."

Sportsman put together the parachute just days before it was used, not even thinking about the possibility the chute would be used.

"I actually hadn't packed a parachute in months before this, and we usually never see our work being used, but I'm glad we did a good job," he said.

Packing and inspecting chutes can take anywhere from five hours to an entire work day, explained Yosief. Every piece, ranging from the lanyards to the strings attaching parts together, goes through an intricate inspection process. Unused chutes also require a new inspection once a year.

But the work doesn't stop with U.S. Air Force aircraft. A bilateral agreement between the U.S. and Republic of Korea allows these Airmen to put together drogue chutes for Korean planes that need to be slowed down when landing.

"Some aircraft require chutes because they come in fast," Yosief said. "This saves their brakes, and we are glad to help."