QUICK STOPPERS

Mobility Forum, Jul/Aug 2005 by Spindler, Scott, Clark, Dennis

Check It Out!

Air Mobility Command delivers the fight to the enemy "anywhere, anytime." Obviously, we in this mobility organization deliver the "fight" predominately through the air, using manned aerial vehicles (airplanes); after all, we are AlR Mobility Command. These statements capture an impeccable sense of the obvious.

Air Mobility professionals have refined the ability to fly, service, and maintain large transport aircraft. Checklist discipline and technical order compliance have proven invaluable elements in the process-another impeccably obvious statement.

It is inexcusable at this point in our AMC history that aircrews and maintainers find it acceptable to operate and maintain complex aircraft without reference to checklists or technical order guidance. Last year, a maintainer was killed because the maintenance team failed to reference and follow established T.O. guidance. More recently, but less dramatic, a team of maintenance professionals damaged nose landing gear doors while troubleshooting a hydraulic malfunction. The investigating officer determined the team's failure to reference T.O. guidance led to the damage.

It is true our nation is at war and the mobility network is being stretched to sustain the fight. AMC personnel and aircraft are essential elements in the war effort. As PROFESSIONAL operators and maintainers, it is critical to apply the fundamentals: reference and comply with T.O. guidance. AMC's ability to deliver the fight is dramatically reduced when personnel break equipment or team members are injured or killed. Be safe and use the T.O.'s.

Threat Avoidance Arrival and Departure Challenges

Looking back at UPT, I often wonder how we jammed so many jets with young pilots into the traffic pattern while avoiding daily mishaps. I concluded that: 1) Pattern procedures were rigidly standard and predictable; 2) Close eye from the Runway Supervisory Unit (yes, I found you can hook a solo ride); and 3) Sterile airspace (civilians avoided that "beehive"). So why am I bringing you back down memory lane? My point is that the environment we fly in today is nothing like the controlled environment of UPT. We rely on experience, CRM and good mission planning to handle the challenges we face.

One new challenge facing AMC crews is the introduction of Threat Avoidance Arrival and Departure (TAAD) procedures. During our recent Program Evaluation Visit at McGuire AFB, we saw first-hand the challenges of adding this profile into a congested airspace intermixed with other local and operational missions. The 305AMW/514 AMW safety offices did an outstanding job working with Stan Eval, RAPCON, and local civilian airports to mitigate the risk of adding this profile to the local pattern.

The complexity of this profile and the hazardous environment they are designed for require exceptional CRM and crew planning. We pointed out in last quarter's Mobility Forum that the transition phase from the steep tactical approach to a stabilized final approach can be challenging. AMC has had several hard landings due to unstable final approaches resulting in Class A mishaps. Just last month, two commercial aircraft in the AOR completed a spiral down approach for a landing on the right runway (both acknowledged cleared for right runway) but landed on the left runway. The runway was NOTAM'd closed, and had large X's on both ends. Both crews mistakenly lined up with the first runway visible from the spiral approach. Again last month, a highly experienced C-5 crew on a Home Base Local TAAD training mission, completed a touch-and-go on a closed runway. The crew acknowledged they were cleared for the option on the right runway but lined up on the left due to channelized attention on the TAAD procedure.

While we can't go back to the controlled environment of UPT, we must use our experience, CRM and planning to mitigate the daily threats we face. Fly Safe!

By Maj Scott Spindler, AMC/SEF

By Maj Dennis Clark, AMC/SEF