Survival equipment - Recent Audits - Brief Article

TIG Brief: The Inspector General, July-August, 2003

At a fighter wing, management of egress and survival equipment installed on aircraft could be improved.

Specifically, egress and survival parts on 54 percent of the aircraft reviewed had incorrect replacement dates.

Egress personnel immediately grounded two aircraft with overdue replacements. However, had remaining errors not been detected, 60 aircraft would have flown an average of 21 months after parts exceeded their safe life.

Any egress part malfunction greatly reduces the chances of aircrews surviving an aircraft ejection.

Additionally, CAMS data for 98 egress and survival parts on 46 of 178 aircraft was not complete or correct.

During the audit, management corrected the erroneous data to include replacement dates.

Further, a comprehensive policy to conduct annual review of all aircraft folders was issued and training was provided to personnel. Report of Audit

F2003-0001-FBS000