Safety Texas style

Flying Safety, Dec, 2003 by Mike Folkerts

On 2 May 2003, the 136th Airlift Wing NAS Fort Worth JRB, Carswell Field, Texas, reached a safety milestone that few other units have achieved. 150,000 flying hours without a Class A mishap! Their last Class A was on June 5, 1965. (See side bar, page 8.) Since that accident, they have changed from KC-97s to C-130Bs to their current C-130H2 aircraft. They have gone through a move from Hensley Field to Carswell Field and 10 wing commanders. How does a unit that has changed aircraft three times, location once and 10 wing commanders go 38 years without a Class A aircraft mishap? We hope in the next few pages to give you some insight on how the 136 AW created a wing safety culture.

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The "Guard Family"

"This unit is like a family" was the consistent and most common remark heard from 136 AW members. Although families have their share of squabbles, and the Texas Flying Family is no different, treating each other as family has produced a dynamic and positive safety culture within the 136 AW.

This positive unit culture recognizes that people are its first priority. While members of active-duty and many ARC units measure their length of stay in years, most 136 AW members remain in the unit for decades. This dynamic results in an extremely strong incentive to think and plan long-term. Fortunately, the 136 AW is in the enviable position of being able to handpick quality members for the long term.

Free-Flowing Communication

The first benefit that flows from being a "Guard Family" involves effective communication. Up and down the chain, unit members are willing and able to speak freely. All ranks are willing to "call a spade a spade," and discussion of proposed actions is robust and maybe even a little lively. Full bird colonels are easier to approach than in typical active-duty units. Readily apparent is the 136 AW leadership habit of keeping their listening skills sharp, as well as fully communicating their intended plans with all ranks.

A hallmark of a strong safety culture is openly discussing incidents and mistakes. Leadership seeks to ensure that honest mistakes are learned from, rather than punished. Unit members are often "requested" to discuss an incident and the lessons they took away from it at the next squadron safety meeting.

Leadership Support For Safety

Leadership at the 136 AW shows an active support for its safety program. Placing high-quality personnel in full-time flight safety positions has been its long-term habit pattern. The current airlift squadron CC is a prior flight safety officer. Also, rather than settle for quarterly flight safety meetings, the 136 AW typically has a monthly meeting.

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Looking back through its history, 136 AW leadership has proven a willingness to address reckless and/or inappropriate attitudes. By dealing appropriately with these individuals, regardless of their rank, the 136 AW has been able to protect its members and keep them out of harm's way. The Fairchild B-52 mishap is the unfortunate result when poor attitudes are either not recognized or dealt with inappropriately by senior leadership.

The wing believes that to succeed they must create a culture where the lowest guy doesn't fear retribution for an honest mistake. When people know they won't be "killed" for an honest mistake they are more likely to own up to the problem, instead of trying to hide it. The 136 AW says they can fix what they find, but finding the root causes is the hardest part of the equation. They strive to fix the problem, not the symptom. The balance is to create an atmosphere of non-retribution, but still have discipline.

Airline Influence

Saying that the 136 AW has an airline influence would be an understatement. Southwest, American and Delta Airlines each have a hub in DFW, which contributes to 70 percent of the 136 AW pilots being current or former airline pilots. This airline influence results in extraordinary experience levels, as the average pilot has racked up over 3000 total flight hours. Perhaps more important is the airline influence on the wing's safety culture. By melding together CRM lessons and operating practices from several different airlines, the 136 AW is able to pick out the best parts of each airline's high-quality aviation safety programs.

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Training "The Best of Texas"

The 136 AW recognizes high-quality safety, training, and standardization/evaluation programs are joined at the hip. Its impressive training programs go "above and beyond" the minimums, to include a three-day instrument refresher course. With its enviable experience levels, the 136 AW is able to demand a high level of performance of its members, who make an extra effort to deliver.

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As missions have morphed during its four-decade history, the 136 AW has taken the initiative and trained its members to adapt. This initiative was never more evident than the unit's efforts to achieve an NVG airland capability prior to deploying for Operation Iraqi Freedom in February 2003. Maintainers and crews alike worked tirelessly through the 2002 Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays to arrive in the AOR fully qualified. Their efforts set the standard, as the 136 AW was one of only two ARC units to arrive in the AOR with a full-up NVG airland capability.