Monthly Award winners - air and ground safety awards

Combat Edge, Feb, 2003

Pilot Safety Award of Distinction

On 2 Oct 2002, Capt Rayman was leading a night, A-10 2-ship, air-strike control mission at Ft Irwin during an AIR WARRIOR I exercise. Approximately 1.5 hours into the mission and at Flight Level (FL) 230, he noticed that his left engine oil pressure was abnormal and decreasing. He made a knock-it-off call and directed his flight to proceed directly to Indian Springs Auxiliary Airfield. Ten minutes later, the left engine oil pressure indication fell below emergency limits, with an accompanying left engine oil pressure light. Capt Rayman shut down the left engine per the checklist and continued towards Indian Springs, approximately 60 miles away. Unable to maintain altitude with one engine shut down, Capt Rayman started a slow descent and entered the weather at FL 220. He coordinated a separate clearance for his wingman and then accomplished an intermediate level-off while still in the weather at 14,400 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL), the minimum vectoring altitude for terrain. The maximum airspeed he could maintain at 14,400 feet MSL was 160 knots, 5 knots above the dash 1 minimum single-engine airspeed.

He was dangerously close to stall. While en route and after conferring with the Supervisor of Flying, Capt Rayman ruled out a recovery at Indian Springs due to a wet runway, night weather conditions, and the lack of a precision approach. He then proceeded to Nellis AFB. Once Nellis radar cleared him of the surrounding terrain, Capt Rayman continued his recovery into Nellis while accomplishing the single-engine landing checklist and reviewing the single-engine go-around procedure. He exited the weather at 3,800 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) and accomplished alternate gear extension and emergency brake activation while on Instrument Landing System (ILS) final. Elapsed time from the first low oil pressure indication to landing was 50 minutes. Capt Rayman's strict adherence to T.O. procedures and informed decision making prevented what could clearly have been a catastrophe!

Flightline Safety Award of Distinction

While performing End-of-Runway duties, A1C Wilkerson was observing an A-10 aircraft, tail number 80-0208, on landing roll when he noticed an explosion in the nose wheel area and subsequent loss of the nose wheel. He immediately took action and notified the End-of-Runway supervisor that a ground emergency was in progress, expediting the response time for emergency vehicles and the Crash Response Team. A1C Wilkerson was the first one on the scene of the mishap; he expertly assessed the situation and safed the aircraft, thereby reducing the possibility of collateral damage. After safing the aircraft, A1C Wilkerson assisted the pilot in safely egressing from the disabled jet. He continued to aid Crash Recovery by helping to jack the aircraft and tow it off the active runway. His decision to jack the aircraft under the wings enabled tow equipment to safely connect without further damaging the aircraft. He continued helping by conducting a Foreign Object Damage sweep on the runway. His thorough actions facilitated the prompt recovery of other holding aircraft which were low on fuel. A1C Wilkerson's attention to detail ensured that all tools were secured and accounted for, to include the missing nose wheel, which had trundled off the runway and was hidden in the infield grass.

Ground Safety Award of Distinction

As 366th Equipment Maintenance Squadron Unit Safety Representative, TSgt Brown has taken every opportunity to increase safety compliance of 575 personnel within a diverse squadron consisting of five flights. TSgt Brown completed over 100 safety spot inspections in 27 different sections. He implemented a verbal safety quiz for newly assigned personnel which is administered in their duty sections. He aggressively orientated 140 newly assigned squadron personnel with recurring in-processing safety briefings ranging in topics from DUI to sports injuries to home and on-the-job safety. He rejuvenated the squadron anti-DUI program with an outstanding 100% face-to-face contact of all squadron personnel. As a direct result of his leadership and motivation, the squadron safety program received the highest possible rating of "Exceeds Standards" during the 2002 annual wing safety inspection. His work also closed out 21 of 22 safety findings, thus clinching an outstanding 98.9% compliance rate within 30 days of the inspec tion. TSgt Brown's program was handpicked as the number one program over 28 wing squadrons. Additionally, TSgt Brown worked diligently with wing safety to standardize the squadron's five existing lock out/tag out programs and ensured compliance for training and implementation. He produced and distributed weekly safety briefings electronically to all squadron sections to supplement section weekly safety briefings. Distributed over 100 safety-related e-mails to all section safety representatives and squadron supervision to ensure the widest dissemination of safety information. TSgt David Brown is a safety professional.