Tac Attack

January 1979

Midair Roulette Pg 14
 TAC ATIACK JANUARY 1979 VOLUME 19 NUMBER 1

READINESS IS OUR PROFESSION

TACTICAL AIR COMMAND

GENERAL W. L. CREECH
COMMANDER

CONTENTS LT GENERAL JAMES A. KNIGHT, JR.

VICE COMMANDER

Angle of Attack 3
Cope Thunder Sar 4
TAC Tips 8
Controlled Agressiveness 10
Aircrew of Distinction 12
Safety Awards 13
Midair Roulette 14
Sky Hazards 16 COL RICHARD K. ELY
What's N2H4 ? 18 CHIEF OF SAFETY
It Appears There Has Been a Violation 20
Weapons Words 22 CAPT PETE ABLER
SPO Corner 24 EDITOR
Chock Talk 26
Down to Earth 28 STAN HARDISON
Letters 30 ART EDITOR
TAC Tally 31
MARY KONOPNICKI
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

SGT DAVID GARCIA

STAFF ARTIST

TACRP127 - 1
Material in this magazine is nondirective in nature . All suggestions and recommendations are intended to remain within
the scope of existing directives . Articles published in this magazine represent the opinions of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect the position of Tactical Air Command or the USAF. Information used to brief accidents and incidents does
not identify the persons. places. or units involved and may not be construed as incriminating under Article 31 of the Uni-
form Code of Mil itary Justice . Written permission must be obtained from HQ TAC before material may be republished by
other than Department of Defense organizations .
Contributions of articles and photos from personnel in the field are encouraged, as are comments and criticism . We
reserve the right to edit all manuscripts for clarity and readability. Direct communication is authorized with the Editor, TAC
ATIACK, HQ TAC/ SEPP, Langley AFB, VA 23665 ; AUTOVON 432 -2937 .
Distribution FX. Controlled by SEPP
Authority to publish this periodical automatically expires on 26 Jan 1980 unless its continuance is authorized by the ap-
proving authority prior to that date .
 Angle
of Angle of Attack

Atta

allow these losses to continue .

What can we do?
First, know that the problem exists . Don 't allow
yourself to be taken in by the " it won't happen to
me " syndrome . There are a lot of people who
believed that same thing . They are now statistics .
Secondly, figure out where you fit into the pic-
ture and do your part to prevent these collisions .
MIDAIR ••• Are you a traffic controller---flight commander---
crewchief---aircrewmember? We all have a stake
in the game and if we fill our role properly, the
it can happen to you chan.ces of a midair will be vastly reduced .
Have you noticed a potential traffic conflict in
your base's departure and arrival routes, but
failed to bring it up to anyone else?---Have you
Since 1974, Tactical Air Command 's active and ignored the subject of midair collisions during
gained units have lost 10 aircrewmembers and your flight briefings?- -- Did you ignore the last
17 aircraft in midair collisions . Seven other air- pilot 's request to clean the windscreen?---Did you
craft have been damaged in these mishaps. press the attack on your last ACM ride even
These losses and the recent disaster over San though you had lost sight of your target? (So you
Diego, California are reminders of the conse- did find him again --this time. What about the
quences of a few moments of inattention in the next?)
air. Numerous improvements have been made in It's time to rededicate ourselves to examining
radar, communications , and air traffic control operations for potential hazards---not only in the
equipment, but a foolproof collision avoidance area of midair collisions, but throughout the
system will probably never be developed . A major entire spectrum of our operations . With a
responsibility for midair collision avoidance still concerted effort on our part, we can reduce
rests with individual aircrewmembers . personnel and aircraft losses from all causes . ->
Midair collisions have occurred in every possi -
ble phase of flight , but are most prevalent during
formation maneuvering, simulated air combat en -

R~:-:~USAF
gagements, traffic patterns, including takeoffs
and landings, and air refueling . The majority of
midair collisions take place during VFR conditions
and are the result of human error . We must not Chief of Safety
TACATIACK 3
 cope thunder

because we tend to believe in the " Big Jo ll y in

By Capt William C. Vasser the Sky" theory. (If I go down . all forces w il l be
6200 TFTG dedicated to my rescue and Jolly will be right
Clark AFB, RP
there to pluck me out of the hands of the forces
of evil.) Do you want to bet your life on it ?
J he mock-combat programs of Cope Thunder Therefore. you must have the confidence and
and Red Flag offer aircrews the best training ability to survive on the ground . Most important.
ever received in peacetime. These programs you must have the will to survive and be capable
provide realistic threat scenarios and give
aircrews the opportunity to gain valuable skill
and knowledge. significantly raising their
chances of combat survival if the real balloon
goes up. Reviewing the odds in some of the
more likely spots where hostilities could break
out. one can see that aircrews are going to need
every bit of simulated combat experience they
can obtain to accomplish the mission. In spite of
this training. losses. particularly during the first
few days of any large scale conflict. could be
significant.
Should an aircrewmember have to get out of
his machine and walk home. he had better be
prepared to make it on his own for days before
being rescued . He may even be required to E&E
all the way back to friendly lines. Coming down
in the chute is not the place to be thinking.
" Now what did I learn in survival school years
ago?" How many of us would want to jump into
a fighter for the first time in several years to
engage the enemy knowing they have been do-
ing it every day? Well. that is just about what to
expect in the ground environment should an air-
crew get shot down . You suddenly have to be-
come an expert in E&E and ground combat
without much premission planning . You are now
in a ground combat situation with no planning
and little current training. matching wits with
people who have been training for ground
combat daily.
Many of us give survival little consideration

4
 sar

... a chance to test your skill

of moving to a less defended location for a SAR helo may be an Army chopper on another
force to get to you. That place may be 20-30 mission. You could be faced with having to
miles away . In order to cover this distance. you figure out what to do with a rope that is tossed
will have to know all about escape and evasion. from an Army Huey chopper . If a Cobra comes
how to survive. and how to use your equipment. to your aid. do you hang on the skid or is there
Once you arrive at a location where rescue is a better option? The gunner sure isn't going to
possible. a Jolly with all his AF gear may not be give you his seat. although that did happen
the helo coming to a hover over you . The rescue once. You need to know the difference between
COPE THUNDER SAR
the Navy method of rescue and ours.
The PACAF Cope Thunder SAR program IS
aimed at making aircrews aware of some of the
many things they must think of should they go
down. We offer a short refresher briefing in
combat survival. a videotape demonstrating
equipment use in a realistic situation. and a
chance to practice skills in E&E up to effecting a
rescue. In short . we provide a survival version of
the " 10 aerial mock combat missions " program.
We attempt to make crewmembers mentally
aware of a survival situation so they may " cope "
(excuse the pun) with that "alone. unarmed .
afraid . and outnumbered " feeling .
It has become apparent from the exercises
that many people do not know what to do when
they are thrust into a survival situation . They
don't know their equipment. how to use it. or
even what they have . They are not aware of the
latest AF rescue procedures or anything about
the Navy rescue devices . In short. some people
do not take life support and survival training
seriously.
Our " survivors" have experienced repeated
problems with the URC-64 (PACAF & USAFE
only) survival radio . It may be the most im-
portant item we have for rescue pickup . Cer-
tainly. getting picked up without one would be
difficult. People are still pointing the antenna at
the rescue vehicle . There is a cone of silence
above the antenna --the same as we find above
navigation aids . This reduces the range of the
radio and hampers the OF steer capability of the
rescue aircraft . especially when close to the sur-
vivor. such as Jolly just prior to pickup . Some
Jollys now have special gear to locate a sur-
vivor; it would be a shame for him to miss your
pickup because you pointed the antenna at him.
For best results . keep the antenna at a 45-
degree angle to the receiving aircraft. event the ear plug holder is broken . the tour -
If the situation requires you to monitor the niquet can be used to hold it in place .
radio. yet not compromise your position with One last comment on the URC-64 radio . The
radio hiss . use the ear plug . It will allow the T.O. states that it's waterproof . True . you can
radio speaker volume to be reduced to low level. submerge it in water and be 90% confident it
A hand over the speaker / mike will muffle any won 't leak. You can also be confident water
remaining sounds. Should the speaker / mike go won't hurt the battery. So . you should be con-
out. the ear plug can be used as a mike . In the fident the rad io will work after you descend into

6 JANUARY 1979
the ocean. Wrong! Our practical experience has white helmet may compromise your position. If
shown it only works for 10-15 minutes before you decide to retain the helmet, it can be at-
becoming inoperative. The reason has been tached to the vest by simply slipping the chin
traced to the battery radio contacts. Once wet strap through the laces in the back of the vest.
with salt water, these battery contacts corrode In this fashion, it is out of the way, and your
very quickly which causes the battery to stop hands are free for use. When it is needed, it can
working. The manufacturer says there is me- be quickly donned. don't want to give the im-
I

tallurgy technology available to prevent this, but pression it's not still a bother, just not as big a
that doesn't do a person much good once he is one when attached in this fashion.
in a survival situation. Should you have to take a These are some of the many helpful hints
dip in the ocean, try to keep the radio dry. When people have learned and passed on in Cope
it gets wet, take the battery out, dry the top off, Thunder SAR exercises. When down on the
and try to shake any water out of the battery ground in unfriendly territory, every helpful hint
compartment. In short, try to keep those that can be recalled may aid in your return to
contacts dry. We have had one radio start work- friendly hands.
ing again once it dried out.
When in a survival situation, a person has to
be at his creative best, improvising to fill his
every need. We would like to pass on some ways
of improvising from suggestions given to us by
Cope Thunder "survivors." Many people have
expressed the need for a hat while in survival
situations and that a floppy bush hat should be
included in the vest. Most units in PACAF have
camouflage helmet covers in their vests. It is pri-
marily for covering the white helmet, but it does
make a usable hat. Just take two flaps and fold
them under, making a front. Some long grass
folded in half placed inside can be used as an
air cushion to keep the hot canvas off the ole
head. The tourniquet is used to hold the cover
on. In an E&E situation, place some foliage in
the tourniquet band to break the round outline
of the head. The other flaps provide camouflage
for the ears and neck and cover for sunburn. It
also gives the crews that "Lawrence of the
Jungle" feeling.
Keeping the helmet may not sound like a very 1 -31
1131V nH
desirable idea in an E&E situation, but it is was
wv- .ii 4,1
recommended that it be retained for pickup. It
offers head protection should an HH-53 Super
Jolly come to a hover over you and you are in
the trees. Its typhoon-rated downwash can bring
limbs down on you and blind you with dust. If Following pilot training, Captain Vasser com-
the rescue helo starts taking heavy ground fire, pleted an F-4 tour in SEA. He was then stationed
it may be forced to depart the area quickly, at Clark AB, AP from '69-'71. Following that, he
perhaps dragging you through the trees. There flew the 0-2A at Bergstrom and DaNang. This
is also the possiblity of you striking the helo was followed by another tour in the F-4 at Eglin
while being hoisted. after which he returned to Clark where he cur-
There are disadvantages in retaining the rently serves on the Cope Thunder staff.
helmet. You cannot hear someone moving in Captain Vasser has a BA in Aerospace
your area. It is also difficult to tell how loud the Engineering from Texas A&M and a Masters
speaker is, should you have the radio plugged Degree in Administration and Management from
into the helmet via the earphone adapter. A the University of the Philippines.

TAC ATTACK 7
r
111WTIPS Tac tips

morinterest items, mishaps

Common Sense is very uncommon.
with morals, for the
Horace Greeley TAC aircrewman

inadvertent release of tanks or other stores

COCKPIT FOD loaded on those stations.
FOD doesn't occur just to engines. Foreign Conversely, the lack of a plastic guard allows
objects can cause problems in other areas too. the pilot to select any or all stations. Not too
Case in point ... long ago, the centerline station was
An F-4 completed a formation low-approach inadvertently selected along with the left in-
and during the go-around, the pilot could not board. At the release point, the bomb dropped
move the stick to the left. By moving the stick and so did the centerline tank. Another tank lost
slightly forward, he could then move it to the because someone didn't want to take the time to
left. The pilot declared an emergency and set up get the guard installed. Take care not to let your
for recovery. During the controllability check efforts to hurry up catch up with you.
and subsequent maneuvering, two abrupt rolls
to the left were experienced. The crew accom-
plished the hard-over rudder procedures as a
precaution and completed a safe BAK-12 en-
gagement.
During maintenance inspections, an instru-
ment lens cover and a mechanical pencil were
found under the rear cockpit control stick boot
at the base of the stick. No way of identifying
who was responsible for the FOD. This is just a
reminder to define your own procedures for in-
suring that you leave the aircraft with all your
possessions. If you can't find something, write it-
up. Don't take it for granted you lost it
somewhere else.

WHAT'S A DCU-94
PLASTIC GUARD?
Its a piece of plastic which fits over the
switches on the DCU-94 control panel to allow
use of F-4 nuclear release circuitry for practice
bombs. The guard prevents the selection of cen-
terline or outboard positions and thus,
8 JANUARY 1979
 PHLAMEOUT
The F-4 was returning from a gunnery m1ssion
and flying a hung bomb mission . When the pilot
attempted to slow to gear lowering speed . the
left engine remained at 90%. The throttle moved
freely . but' there was no engine response . The
crew discovered that the rear cockpit throttle
was still working . so the pilot had the backseater
match the throttles for the remainder of the pat-
tern . (Good idea .}
After touchdown. when the pilot brought the
throttles to idle . the backseater matched the
throttles . (Not such a good idea 'cause the left
engine flamed out .} I'll bet you forgot that the
backseat throttles have no idle stop feature. so
when the GIB retarded the throttles to idle -- he
went straight to the cutoff position .
The malfunction in the throttles occurred
What more could a guy ask for -- nice day. when the left throttle cable became discon-
wingman aborted . and here I am. single-ship to nected from the F/ C/ P throttles . If this situation
the range . Dropped some good bombs. hit the ever happens to you. be very careful when
rag with a group of bullets. and time to go matching the throttles.
home .
Here we are in the break-- nice -- base. gear
down . and 20 minutes away from a cool one.
Nice touchdown -- chute out --wait a minute!!!
That was the gear handle . not the chute handle'
Oh h- -- ! That scraping noise sure is loud --
wonder if this thing will ever stop . Well . that's it;
shutdown the engine and get out of this thing .
What a way to end the perfect mission!!!

CONDITIONAL
CLEARANCES
If you said there is no su c h thing . you 're right!
" Cond itional clearan ces " or "conditional sub-
sequent clearan ces" are prohibited by FAA-- but
that's not to say it's not possible . What is a con-
ditional c learance. you say? Well . it's a clearance
based on another or subsequent action -- such
as "cleared for takeoff after the F-4 is clear of
the runway" or "cleared on to hold after the
F-1 5 lands ."
If the last part of those transmissions was
blocked out . it's obvious what could happen . Be
aware of clearances of this type and the
potential for error or misunderstanding . If you
ever hear one . remind the folks involveq (nicely.
of course} of the hazards .

TAC ATIACK 9
 Conirolle~

controlled aggressiveness

By Brig Gen Robert E. Kelley

Comdr. TT, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ

I n the past 70 years. the spirit and dedication

of military aviators have changed very little.
while at the same time. the men. their machines.
and their responsibilities have changed dra-
matically. Tactical aviators today are better edu-
cated. more knowledgeable of weapons and
tactics. and better trained than their
predecessors of World War II. Korea. or
Vietnam . Aircraft have improved significantly in
performance and capability and in systems that
have increased their effectiveness. But perhaps
the greatest change has been in the scope of
responsibility which has grown in importance as
we have come to appreciate that. should deter-
rence fail. tactical air power is our only resource
capable of effectively countering the ever-grow-
ing Soviet threat.

10 JANUARY 1979
Ill
In an era when we have come to understand the performing limit. He knew exactly where he
W change as a constant. there is one characteristic was and what he was doing . Everything he did
/ which appears to be unchanged . It can be was planned and practiced. He was skilled and
traced from our early aviation pioneers to to- self-confident. He was disciplined -- not a dare
~ day's breed -- that characteristic is aggressive- devil. not a gambler. he didn 't take unnecessary
R ness . It has been said that aggressiveness may risks. he got the job done-- the glamour he left
~ very well be the absolute prerequisite in the for others .
~· military aviator. It has always been stressed but I would suggest that the thinking fighter pilot.
seldom well-defined and its misuse and misap- the "best of breed " of every generation has
plication continue to plague us. exercised " controlled aggressiveness." While
Sterling Moss. the great British race car over time the environment has changed. the
driver. believed the key to his success in com- fighter pilot's job remains the same -- destroy
petitive auto racing was "controlled aggressive- the enemy using delivery parameters and tactics
ness. " In a turn where the less experienced but which optimize weapon effects and minimize ex-
aggressive driver would attempt max perfor- posure of himself and his equipment to enemy
mance from himself and his machine. often defenses . He must recognize that there is a very
spinning out. Moss would take the turn at near fine balance between target destruction and
force survivability and both are important! Only
the man in the machine can eliminate the
mental errors that result in extra passes with ad-
ditional exposure to enemy defenses. the low
pull-outs which place his aircraft in the frag en-
velope or cause dud ordnance . or pressing
which may result in his aircraft unscorable at 1 2
o'clock .
Our nation and our Air Force will always need
men of audacity. but uncontrolled aggressive-
ness is certainly not a key to success. Dedica-
tion. discipline. study of the Dash One. the Dash
34. the tactics manuals. emergency and instru-
ment procedures. and practice. practice.
practice are the means to mastering your
chosen profession The professional fighter pilot
of today. like yesterday. will apply controlled ag-
gressiveness -- this marks the difference
between the amateur and the professional. both
in degree and in kind. __..::;;-

TAC ATIACK 11
 AIRCREW of DISTINCTION
Aircrew of Distinction

24COMPW
Howard AFB, Canal Zone

Major Robert Powell

Captain Dale Kissinger SSgt Jose A Tavarez SSgt Michael Reed

Powell and Captain Kissinger flew to an area

0n the morning of 4 September 1978, Major which permitted a circling descent and proceeded
Robert Powell, Captain Dale Kissinger, Staff up the canyon.
Sergeant Jose A. Tavarez and SSgt Michael Reed When over the pickup point, the helicopter had
departed Howard AFB, Canal Zone in their UH-1 N to remain at 125 feet above the ground. If they
for San Jose, Costa Rica in hopes of locating and had descended any lower, the rotor blades would
recovering a seriously injured accident victim. have been too close to the canyon walls. These
After arriving at San Jose, the crew was directed circumstances necessitated utilizing the hoist to
to the small town of Amurbi, 100 NM southeast lower SSgt Tavarez to determine the victim's
of San Jose to commence the search. condition. Major Powell maintained a stable
The search was extremely difficult due to the hover while SSgt Reed operated the hoist, lower-
weather, mountains, and lack of navigational ing SSgt Tavarez.
aids. The crew was constantly required to navi- The crew's professional skill, airmanship and
gate around thundershowers and through high knowledge while carrying out this humanitarian
mountain passes. Upon reaching the accident mission reflect great credit upon themselves and
site, the crew noted that the victim was at the qualifies them for the Aircrew of Distinction
bottom of rock slide in a narrow canyon. Major Award. _....::,..

12 JANUARY 1979
 TAC
SAFETY AWARDS
INDIVIDUAL SAFETY AWARD
Airman First Class Bruce D. Plourde, 363rd
Component Repair Squadron, Shaw Air Force
Base, South Carolina, is the winner of the Indi-
vidual Safety Award . for January 1979. Airman
Plourde was working in the shop with a co-
worker who accidently drilled through his index
finger. Airman Plourde immediately went to his
aid, removed the drill bit and administered first
aid. After stopping the bleeding, he cleansed and
dressed the wound. His quick, knowledgeable
reaction prevented infection and further damage
to the individual's finger.

CREW CHIEF SAFETY AWARD

Airman First Class Greg A. Wlodkowski, 33rd
Aircraft Generation Squadron, Eglin Air Force
Base, Florida, is the winner of the Crew Chief
Safety Award for January 1979. While perform-
ing an inspection of his assigned F-4, Airman
Wlodkowski noticed the parachute lanyards on
the ejection seat were misrouted and would not
have deployed if an ejection had been initiated.
His thoroughness and attention to detail were
instrumental in identifying and correcting this
serious discrepancy.

A 1 C Greg A. Wlodkowski
33rd AGS/ 33rd TFW
Eglin AFB, FL

TAC ATIACK 13
 midair roulette

By Capt Gary· V. Earl

35 TFW/ DOTSF
George AFB, CA

complying with ATC directed altitudes and air-

space; and giving in to that secure feeling under
radar control -- Colonel George M . Sauls. former
Chief of Safety. HO TAC. wrote. " ... constantly
~
remind yourself that radar contact does not
M ost pilots have experienced the heart stop- relieve you of the responsibility to look around
pers : The bugsmasher that appears out of (see and avoid) .. , Realize that air traffic con-
nowhere. the glider that suddenly fills up the t rollers today are tasked to the limit.
wind screen. etc. Important Factors to Remember: (Stats from
Loss of aircrew coordination starts the game other midairs)2
of " Midair Roulette ." It's the "little things" that The majority of midairs are caused by a faster
stack the odds against you. like : ignoring sub- aircraft overtaking a slower aircraft. at or below
jects such as scanning procedures or the im- 3.000 feet. in the traffic pattern and most likely
portance of keeping your head out of the on final approach (an easy place for attention to
cockpit in crew briefings; not keeping a good be diverted) . It doesn 't matter how experienced
constructive dialogue going during flight (also you are either. a "midair" is no respecter of age.
keeps the crew awake and alert); not strictly experience . or whatever.

1. "Midair Avoidance," by Col George M . Sauls, TAC Attack, Jun 77.

2 . "How to Avoid a Mida ir Coll ision," AOPA Air Safety Foundation . For more information on AOPA
Scanning Training Program, contact : AOPA Air Safety Foundation, P.O. Box 5800, Washington, DC
20014.
 Capt Gary V. Earl
is this month's
Fleagle T-shirt winner

The FAA, through their studies, figures that it reporting and vice versa. Example: While we
takes 10 seconds for you to spot other traffic, were flying over a populated area, a light aircraft
identify, compute the collision possibility, and was reported by my copilot at two o'clock.
take appropriate evasive action. Fancy equip- Checking, found, sure enough, that he was low
I

ment has been invented to warn us of our and no factor. continued on, looking for other
I

proximity to the ground and other aircraft, but possible bogies. Suddenly an aircraft appeared
none can replace the computer system between big and menacing on the right side (another
our ears. Too often, however, we short circuit it one of those heart stoppers). quickly made a
I

through inattention, fatigue, emotion, etc. diving left turn and exited the area. When I

Another critical factor is that aircraft on a regained some composure jumped on my co-
I

collision course appear almost motionless, thus pilot, asking why he hadn't reported that aircraft.
avoiding early detection. The aircraft color may He informed me, "That was the one called at I

blend into the background making it almost im- two o'clock!" had made the mistake!
I had I

possible to see. An eye has a field vision of only assumed the first one I saw was the one he had
10 to 15 degrees in which it can focus and reported; and he should have been more
identify. Movement can be detected in the peri- specific.
phery, but the eye must be moved to verify. Keep your windshield clean! A bug killed on a
Avoid "tunnel vision" by keeping your eyes scan- previous flight could reciprocate, obscuring on-
ning! coming traffic until it is too late for an evasive
When reporting other aircraft, use terminology maneuver or diverting your attention away from
which includes left/right, clock position, high, the real bogey.
low, level, no factor, closing, etc. Make sure you It's not going to get any better. There will be
are seeing the traffic your crew and ATC are no fewer aircraft in the air anytime soon, and it's
a pretty safe bet that the numbers will multiply
substantially. The odds are increasing that you
and someone else will try to possess the same
airspace at the same time. SEE AND AVOID!!!!
TEN "KEEPS" OF MIDAIR AVOIDANCE
1. Keep briefing scanning duties! (START
NOW IF YOU DON'T!!)
2. Keep your eyes moving!
3. Keep in mind "Lost Wingman
Procedures!"
4. Keep good aircrew discipline!
5. Keep your windshield clean!
6. Keep alert!
7. Keep yourself in proper condition
mentally and physically!
x 11 8. Keep checking your safety equipment!
I 9. Keep listening to local traffic ad-
-41r
t

visories!
10. Keep yourself and crew safe!

Captain Gary V. Earl received his BS in English and Educe-

on from Utah State University in 1968, and an MA from
hapman College in 1976. His military experience inlcudes:
titanII Combat Crewmember at Little Rock AFB, AR; UHT
UH-1F) Missile Site Support at F. E. Warren AFB, WY; and
CH-53) 21 SOS NKP, Thailand. He presently is Chief of Sup-
ort Flight Operations at George AFB, CA.

TAC ATTACK 15
Even in the vastness of airspace You are not alone. Here a variety of flyers, vying for your ozone.
Sky Hazards

Photos courtesy of the 460th RTS

 WHATS YOUR AWARENESS LEVEL?
::> d!H B 6?:-l 17
Lv-1 L Jeas £
pOJWIN 9 0 L-"1 l
apJO::>UO:) 9 l8UJOH B L-j l
 0

What is N2H4?

the bad things it can do to your bod if it's mis-

handled .
First. don 't treat the F-16 as a potential time
By Capt Pete Abler bomb because of hydrazine . If the potential were
too high. the Air Force wouldn 't be using th e
stuff at all . Many of the precautions taken when
handling hydrazine are similar to ones used
when working with liquid oxygen (LOX); and the
H ydrazine that's what . You say you've never risk factors are somewhat comparable. Now
heard of hydrazine? Sorry. perhaps I got a bit about hydrazine itself ....
ahead of the story . If you haven't heard of hydra- Hydrazine is a clear . oily. water-like liquid with
zine. or are only vaguely familiar with the term. an odor similar to ammonia (NH for those
you probably aren't alone. chemists in the audience); is a strong reducing
The 388th TFW at Hill AFB is converting to the agent (combines readily with hydrogen) and
F-16 and they're getting their first airplane this hygroscopic (absorbs moisture) Hydrazine
month . One of the features of the F- 16 is an mixes with water in all proportions and is stable
emergency power unit which runs on---hydra - under extremes of heat and cold . Basic hydra-
zine . Not that an F-16 is going to drop in to your zine boils at 236 degrees F and freeze s at 35
field tomorrow on cross-country or stati c dis- degrees F. When it freezes . it contra cts so
play . But by the end of the year . a number will there 's no danger of rupturing its container . Th e
be flying around and the chances of one visiting flash point in an open container is 125 degree s
your field will be gett ing greater every day . So F which is very close to JP-4 under th e same
what do you do with one when it gets there ? conditions ; so the fire hazard is much th e same .
We 'll cover the specific hazards of the F- 16 and But let's talk about the spe c ifi c hazards and th e
its EPU in a separate article next month . This conditions ne cessary to create the hazard .
month we 'll talk about hydrazine and some of Hydrazine exhibits three general types of

18 JANUARY 1979
hazards: Health hazards resulting from direct ex- large surface area. This material will probably
posure to the liquid or its vapors, fire hazards, ignite spontaneously under these conditions. A
and explosion hazards. Let's talk about the most film of hydrazine in contact with metallic oxides
prevalent hazards---those which are likely to (rust for instance) may also ignite. Vapors of
directly affect you. hydrazine can be exploded by an electric spark
First off, the hydrazine compound used by the or an open flame, but as stated, the liquid is not
F-16 is designated H-70 which means that the sensitive to impact or friction. In most cases
liquid is a mixture of 70% basic hydrazine and there is very little chance of an explosion around
30% water. However, the 30% water does not the aircraft. Also,a spill of hydrazine on
significantly reduce the toxicity and does not concrete under the aircraft creates little fire
alter the hazards of exposure. Hydrazine can af- hazard.
fect the eyes, skin, respiratory tract and internal Just a few words on how hydrazine is neu-
organs. tralized. Notice said neutralized. Plain water will
I

Vapors of hydrazine will cause itching, burn- simply dilute he hydrazine, it will not change
ing, and swelling of the eyes and may not oc cha' cter of the compound or reduce
until 10 hours after exposure. If the vapors are the rs volved. Depending on the size of
inhaled, the nose, throat and respiratory tract the spill, prqcedures usually call for the hydra-
may become irritated. Prolonged inhalation can zine to be p rtially diluted and then neutralized
cause dizziness, nausea, and loss of voice. The with solutio such as sodium hypochlonte
real problem with detecting tfig'Vispors is- tnat (household each) and then washed away.
exposure to concentrations below the threshold Specific pro res for the neutralization vary
lear-14141111*11 (3-5 parts per million) can result with the amount of chemical spine nd the lo-
in toxic effectSant to rely on your cation. Consult the Disaster Prepare s Office
sense of smell to keep you o and Bioenvironmental Personnel for s cific in-
it. If you can detect the smel . '..ady formation.
been exposed to a toxic level. Whenever hand- Finally, a word a t first aid individual
ling hydrazine, or neutralizing a suspected spil'l, becomes expos o hydrazi following
ventilation and proper breathing equipment are procedures are '.'commended:
mandatory. -14.140rawave ttt tim from the scene, remove
Skin contact of hydrazine in liquid form can all contaminated othes and flush skin using
cause severe local damage and burns. In addi- large amounts of water and follow with
tion, it can penetrate skin to cause effects thorough washing with soap and water.
similar to those produced when the chemical is 2. If eyes are exposed, flush with water for at
swallowed or inhaled. If hydrazine is taken least 15 minutes.
internally, nausea, dizziness, headache and 3. Soak contaminated clothing in water and
possibly death could result. The potential for bleach or incinerate.
permanent blindness exists if the eyes are 4. Although it is unlikely--if H-70 is ingested
damaged from the liquid. Repeated exposure to administer large quantities of water and induce
hydrazine can also cause irreversible damage to vomiting.
the liver and kidney. One other point, the long 5. Transfer the victim to professional medical
term effects are still under investigation so there care as soon as possible.
may be other adverse effects which may result
'16111W.
from repeated exposure. That should give you
an idea of the toxic effects of the chemical if it This initial article is not meant to be a "time to
is spilled or mishandled. Now for the fire and ex- panic" approach to hydrazine. My sole reason
plosion hazards. for writing it is to introduce you to the hazards
Hydrazine is a compound which is hypergolic. nvolved with this new substance--and what can
That's a 75C word which means that if hydrazine appen if it is mishandled. More than ever, the
comes in contact with a strong oxidizing agent, adage "If you don't know what it is, don't mess
the chemical reaction may produce sufficient ith it," is paramount. The article next month
heat for the material to ignite without any other hould answer many of your questions concern-
source of ignition. It will react with carbon ng hydrazine and the F-16.
dioxide and oxygen in the air if it is absorbed by
rags, cotton, sawdust, or other materials with a Editor

TAC ATTACK 19
 IT APPEARS
THERE HAS
BEEN
A
VIOLATION

By Major E. E. " GENE " McVay

l[188TFG / Chief of Safety
Arkansas Air National Guard

ltl\ll\11"' 111 11 \llll

I j Jhe threat of an FAA violation will send chills
up a fighter pilot's spine about as quick as a
surface-to-air missile smoke trail . As planes go
faster. training space grows smaller and rules
get stricter. we are becoming big ducks in small
ponds . The desire to accomplish the mission
without regard for airspace and other limitations
has resulted in more than one accident.
My own career became highly suspect a
couple of years ago when I was advised that the
FAA would file a violation against me and my
flight members . There were the initial feelings of
guilt because I knew that I had deviated from my
clearance by climbing seventeen hundred feet
above my assigned altitude of eight thousand
feet . Then the re was the message to call the FAA
when I landed. The FAA advised me that Mem-
phis Center had observed a computer conflict
alert indication between my flight. Atlas 61. and
N699S. a civilian BE55 . The FAA had no choice
but to file the deviation report . Next came the

20 JANUARY 1979
 letter from the Little Rock General Aviation Dis- was increase the climb angle as we did . After
trict Office (GADO) advising me that they were pass~ng the traffic and red1rect1ng my attention
investigating the incident. The letter went on to inside the cockpit I saw that we had passed our
say that three F-1 00s were observed flying assigned altitude and when queried about that
above nine thousand feet when the final by Fort Smith Departure I gave them the actual
clearance was eight thousand . Furthermore. altitude and began a descent back to eight thou-
operation of this type is contrary to Section sand .
91 .75(a)(b) of the Federal Aviation Regulations . I concluded by saying that I felt the only error
It concluded by stating that if the facts as was our perception of the traffic's altitude . FAR
presented are correct. it appears that there has 91 .123(b) permits maneuvering your aircraft to
been a violation . I was given ten days to respond pass well clear of other air traffic. Because of
to the letter with any discussion or written state- the lateral spread of the F- 100 three ship forma-
ments I wished to make . tion a lateral maneuver would not have provided
As I began collecting my thoughts as to what the separation that the vertical maneuver did . In
had actually happened I realized that several im- VFR conditions under the see and avoid concept
portant factors were involved. My response to I believe we did the safe thing by d irecting most
the letter was to be the simple truth-- What had of our attention toward the traffic rather than
happened and why. flying instruments.
The flight was to be a training flight in the The FAA GADO chief is a reasonable man and
Rivers Training area. 65 miles away in upon reviewing all the evidence concluded that
Oklahoma . However. shortly after takeoff Fort a violation had not occurred . The whole thing
Smith Departure passed the message from Fort was dropped and I continued my flying career a
Worth Center that there were extensive little more mindful of the turmo il an alleged
thunderstorms in the Rivers area making it FAA violation can cause an eager av1ator . ~
doubtful that the flight could work there. Our
clearance was to six thousand with an expected
altitude of sixteen thousand. ten minutes after
departure . Shortly after join up the flight was
••••
cleared to eight thousand and vectored on a
southwesterly heading toward the Rivers Train- Not to mention the turmoil that a midair could
ing area and a line of thunderstorms just cause to a lot of other individuals. The lessons
Southwest of Fort Smith . Shortly after the climb from MaJ McVay's experience appear obvious --
from six to eight thousand was initiated there but bear repeating anyway.
were three traffic calls . All traffic was sighted vi- 1. Keep your head out of the cockpit and look
sually and the only traffic that was a factor was around . Remember. you're not alone .
at eleven o'clock to the flight . Because the 2 . If you have a potential conflict with another
thunderstorms obscured the horizon it appeared aircraft. don't allow yourself to become so
that the traffic was at approximately our same absorbed with that situation that you ignore
altitude . The traffic was not identified as IFR so bas1c control and adherence to clearances.
it could have been VFR at seven thousand five when appropriate.
hundred . Without taking my eyes off the traffic I 3 . If you feel you must deviate. tell the con--
increased my climb angle to maneuver well clear trolling agency what you're doing and why.
of the approaching airplane. It was during this 4 . The folks at FAA and the control cente~s
climb that the flight passed the assigned have a difficult JOb. Above all . they are reasona-
altitude . Because of the closure rate I did not ble and not standing ready to rip your wings off
take my eyes off the traffi c to check my altimeter . (even if they are put on with velcro) . Help them
In most cases one of the other flight members do the1r JOb and if something goes wrong. tess
would have caught the altitude deviation. In this up. Half truths may get you out of a jam. but
case. however. they too were watching the traf- won't help the next guy who might have learned
fic and the geometry of the climb angle . the ap- from your experience.
proaching traffic. and the lack of a visual ho- ED
rizon made it appear that the right thing to do

TAC ATTACK 21
The Real Cause
By MSgt John Mann
HQ TAC/ SEW weapons words

" RRing . RRing . RRRRing!" On the 6th ring. a tions a mile a minute about who forgot the cap-
groggy. sleepy voice answers the phone. It's tive adapter and when exactly was aircraft 087
1330 hours and after only two hours of sleep. loaded . Where were you when the AIM-9 was
Sgt Nightrider isn't exactly rested or fully awake. loaded? What happened out on the line last
SSgt Produce is on the other end firing ques- night? The Commander wants the answers and
he wants them now.
"Hold it Produce . I don 't know what you're
talking about. How about giving me a chance to
wake up and get on the same wave length ."
·so after Sgt Produce explains that a captive
AIM -9 came back with a Guidance and Control
unit fired and that everyone is after him for
answers. Sgt Nightrider begins to mentally recap
yesterday's events ....
Now let's see--bh yes. yesterday was when I
took my end-of-course exam after working mid-
shift and Julie . my daughter.was sick and when I
got home I had to take her to the hospital. Julie
was still sick last night and I didn't get much
rest even though my wife tried to keep her quiet
I went to work a little early because the rain was
really coming down and I didn't want to take a
chance on being late . I arrived at the shop a few
minutes before roll call and found out my
regular #2 man wouldn't be in---he had an ac-
cident

22 JANUARY 1979
 We were already short of people on mid-shift We sti II had the other aircraft to get armed
and with the workload shaping up the way it and everyone was rushing us. so I must have
was. we could use at least another full load completely forgotten to check the umbilical
crew. Swing shift had passed on some extra hookup for the captive adapter. My regular #2
maintenance that they couldn't get finished due man· always remembered that so I never had to
to last minute schedule changes and the check him close and I guess I just assumed it
weather didn't help to speed things up any. The was taken care of ...
night wasn't much different than many other Sgt Produce listened to it all and said. "Well. I
mid-shifts I had worked. The dark. wet. tired. guess it's pretty obvious what really happened .
graveyard shift. I used to wonder why it was We can talk some more when you come in.
called the graveyard shift---but I guess the You'll have to go to the load training barn for
reasons are endless . It sure is a dreary time and additional training tomorrow afternoon. Be there
out of cycle with the rest of the world . During at 1300 and we'll discuss it further . Take tonight
roll call we were briefed on the workload and off and get your rest. Oh. by the way. how's your
about somebody making a careless mistake or daughter feeling?" I told him she was fine and
something. Nobody was really listening . we were he sounded glad to hear that . He did say he was
all wondering how we were supposed to get all grateful for my being honest about what hap-
the work done tonight. pened last night .
About 0300 we had completed the I sure didn't get much rest before showing up
maintenance portion of our work and started th e for load training the next day. I just lay there
uploads for today's missions . We had just awake wondering what the Commander was go-
finished the last upload and started back in for a ing to say The strangest part about the whole
break before doing the arming and weapons story is that I knew better.
preflights for the 0600 launch . Sgt Rightnow. From day one I've heard that it doesn't pay to
the line expediter. told us he couldn't find a take shortcuts-- the only way to do the job is
Weapons· Supervisor and the aircraft 013 didn't right all the way down the line . Heck. I can re-
pass the preflight inspection . He wanted us to member preaching that to the new guys we w ere
cross-load an AIM-7 and AIM-9 from aircraft checking out. I'd even point to the mistakes of
013 to 087. I looked for Amn Loademup. but others as examples of what to avoid . I guess I
time was running out. Sgt Priority. the produc- learned another lesson---probably no one is im-
tion superintendent. came by and said that he mune to the pressures to get the job done now.
needed the missiles ASAP. I sent Amn Driveit for Being tired. cold. wet can all rub just enough on
the jammer. With this much push. I figured it your judgement to skip that one step you know
must be really urgent. needs to be done but at th e moment would just
I knew it took 30 minutes or more to get a take too much time . --->-
trailer from the storage area. And by the time I
ca lled and they came all that distance just for
one missile. it seemed like a waste of time . I
figured we could speed things up and get every-
body off our backs if w e just went ahead and
got the job done the best we cou ld . I decided to
carry the AIM-9 over to the other aircraft.
Joe disconnected the umbilical and we un-
locked the launcher and wrestled the missile
over to 087. We had enough light. Two aircraft
down. th ey had a light-all and it was shining
enough so we co uld make out th e rail and all.
Amn Driveit showed up with th e jammer and we
go t the AIM - 7 moved a nd comp let ed th e
checkout.

TAC ATTACK 23
SPO
CORNER
air c raft at 11 o'clock . slightly high . A quick
D/V£1(1 I bogey call enabled number two to get an im-
mediate tally-ho . Lead passed well clear. and
By Maj Gerry Felix
two initiated a slight pushover and passed
HQ TAC / SEF
underneath the Cessna with 200-300 foot spac -
Two incidents. one of which resulted in a ing .
destroyed aircraft. could have been avoided had Several weeks earlier. another formation was
the right decision been made. In the first. an RF- letting down into a strange field when a "bug
4C hit the ground on short final during the smasher" (I ight aircraft) popped up in front of
second attempt of a night weather landing on the fighters . They avoided the bug smasher but
the wing . The weather: partial obscuration. one- one fighter clipped the other causing minor
half mile visibility in fog . The question: why even damage . Fortunately. both aircraft recovered
attempt the landing . in formation no less. when safely
you've got a perfectly good alternate? Both these incidents involved "another guy"
The second could have been as bad . The A-7 who may not have seen the fighters involved.
driver landed on a wet 6.500-foot runway-- the The civilian pilots continued on their way.
normal runway was down for maintenance . perhaps safe in their own mind . After all . igno-
Passing the departure-end barrier. tail hook up. rance is bliss . Well . it's time we did something
he thought he had it made . He thought wrong -- to eliminate some of this ignorance. And there is
off the end. into the toolies . A quick check into a way we can get to "the other guy" involved in
the Dash One charts shows that successful ly a near midair collision- --report it!
stopping on the runway was a shaky proposition Most aircrews are aware of the mandatory 24
to begin with . hour reporting requirements of AFR 127-3 .
You gotta wonder what the SOFs were doing . However. by then it's usually too late to locate
In each of these incidents. diverting the aircraft tf;le "other guy." An airborne report to the
was the correct call. If the SOF doesn't make nearest available air traffic agency will init iate
that call . take it upon yourself to RON immediate efforts to locate and identify the
somewhere else if things aren't right at home. other guy . Be sure to tell them you will be filing
an official written near midair collision report
THE OTHEI( GUY (NMAC) upon landing . Then. remember to file it.
By Major Skip Weyrauch This verbal report of a NMAC may insure that
HQ TAC/SEF at least one light plane driver learns about his
c lose call with a fighter . If he is well informed
Both single engine jets maneuvered easily about the circumstances surrounding his own
through the crisp desert air as they practiced NMAC mishap. it is highly probable that he will
tactical formation entering the MOA (Military keep his eyes open and avoid those high density
Operating Area). Suddenly. lead observed a light military operating areas and probably will spread

24 JANUARY 1979
the word about his experience . midair collision problem . Some flight safety of-
Meanwhile---keep it loose and alert. See and fices have " localized " the basic package and use
be seen ; and if it's a "c lose call " give a "verbal it during midair orientation briefings at civilian
call " immediately. airports . The second package. "Lessons Learned
-- Habit Pattern Interference." addresses the pro-
ADD II LITTLE SPICE TO YOUR LIFE blems of procedural carryover from one
weapons system to another. Several squadrons
By Capt Roger Parks in the RTU bus iness are using this package to
HQ TAC / SEF complement the ir unit flight safety efforts for
Tired of drab. unexciting safety programs that student crewmembers .
just "fill the square " and put the ops officer to If you decide these packages might fit your
sleep? Sound-on -slide packages produced by needs . use the follow i ng nomenclature for
AFISC and available through your local film li - ordering :
brary might be just what you need. Two of their " Lessons Learned -- M i-dair Co llisions" -- #TS-
newest ones are timely and interesting. The first 749
package. entitled "Lessons Learned -- Midair " Lessons Learned -- Hab it Patt e rn In-
Collisions." makes an excellent supplement to a terference" -- #TS- 7 50
midair collision avoidance program. The If you want to incorporate the packages into an
presentation includes 80 slides. runs about 1 5 on-going program. ask your film library to order
minutes. and provides a basic overview of the them on a permanent loan bas is.

In a mid-air collision .... NO ONE WINS

TAC ATIACK 25
 ... iltcidutu rutd Utudutalt
w~ a ~~tailtttMttU dattt.

chock talk

BLIND MAN'S BLUFF TIGER LOSES PAW

After takeoff. the F-5 experienced smoke in The F- 5 was motoring down the runway on
the coc kpit. The pilot selected ram dump. 100% initial takeoff. Shortly after liftoff. the right wheel
oxygen . and made an emergency landing . The fell off the aircraft . unknown to the pilot. Once
smoke c ame from an ov e rheated cool i ng the tower got hold of the pilot and informed him
turbine . of the problem . he burned down fuel . had the
" How did it overheat. " you ask ? Glad you runway foamed. and made an uneventful land-
brought that up . The ram air inlet cover was still ing .
on the airplane. The " remove before flight" red Investigation revea led that the outer spacer
streamer was missing from the cover. So. on was missing and had not been installed when
preflight. the crew chief failed to remove the the wheel was changed just prior to the in-
cover ; the pilot didn 't note that the cover was cident . The missing spacer allowed the wheel to
st ill in pla ce; and the end -of-runway crew over- work loose on takeoff roll. The wheel bearings
looked it. What's a mother to do? subsequently failed. and the wheel fell off . Had
the wheel fallen off before the aircraft be came
airborne . we could easily have had an F-5 cart-
wheeling down the runway at 1 50 kts. Not a
pretty sight .

/
26 JANUARY 1979
FOOOEO THUNDERBOLT SHEARED FINGER
The A-1 0 was at an en route stop on a cross Three airmen were cutting strips of metal into
country when FOD damage to the right engine small pieces for turn-in to salvage . Twice during
was discovered . Evidence indicated a hard ob- their work. they were interrupted by another
ject. so the investigation centered on the portion airman who needed to use the metal shear ma-
of the aircraft directly forward of the engine. A chine .
screw was found missing from the ng ht wind On the third occasion. without alerting the
fence. Two other screws. although flush with the shear operator. the airman approached the
surface. could be turned by finger pressure only. shear machine from the side and inserted a
In fact. one of the screws could be lifted out by piece of metal from the front with his right hand .
hand.The three nut plates were found stripped. He was adjusting it with his left hand when the
If you know that fasteners have stripped. don't shear came down and cut his left index finger
go away thinking no one will find out. An engine off .
is a pretty high price to pay for the lack of a few To help prevent th1s type of acc1dent trom re -
minutes of extra effort . curring. the shop has posted a sign warning that
only one person is to operate the machine at
any one time . A steel wire mesh safety guard
has also been installed to prevent access to the
machine from the side .
Both of these corrective actions are good . but
a little late. No matter who you are. if you see a
hazard. let someone know -- submit an AF Form
457 (Hazard Report). or an AFTO Form22 .
Have a tough time remembering form numbers?
Call or visit your unit safety officer he'll get
the ball rolling. Don 't tolerate unsafe conditions
--they result in intolerable losses .

LET'S PLAY CATCH

During the preflight of the Phantom. the pilot
asked the crew chief to remove the drop tank
pins once electrical power was on the aircraft
and give the pins to the backseater. When the
pilot couldn 't get any indications of electrical
power. he elected to make a battery start. After
the number two engine was started and the right
generator turned on. the crew chief pulled the
pins and threw them to the backseater despite
the pilot's frantic waving .
The pins sailed over the backseater's head and
entered the right engine . Although the pilot im-
mediately shut the engine down. the pins still
caused extensive damage to the compres·sor
section . This is a classic example of what a lack
of communication and carelessness can cause .
Leave the toss-and-catch to the guys with the
funny uniforms and long stockings . They get
paid for it .

TAC ATIACK 27
 Down to Earth

Automobile. " by writing to the General Services

Division / Distribution . National Highway Traffic
Safety Adm inistration . 400 Seventh St SW.
Washington DC 20590 .

Snowmobiling
Snowmobiling has been a steadily growing
winter sport for the last 10 years . The
phenominal rise in part icipation in the snowy
areas of our country has also contributed to
increasing mishaps and injuries. The following
suggestions are offered to allow you to enjoy
this sport .
Know your ma c hine study the owner's
manual. When you 're thoroughly familiar with
the information it contains. then try your ma-
chine out on some flat. easy terrain . Don't try to
be the Evil Kneivel of the sno-cat set the first
day out .
When snowmobiling . wear sensible winter
clothing . A helmet is good protection in case
you take a spill. Shatterproof goggles or sun-
glasses are a good addition to protect your eyes
How's your Hatchback? from wind. obje cts. and glare .
Join a snowmobile club . Clubs have many ad-
Owners of "hatchback" vehicles are warned by vantages including organized activities and
the US Department of Transportation to avoid training programs for the novice rider . They can
driving with children riding in the luggage com- be an excellent source of information on good
partment and to keep the hatchback closed and bad locations for riding .
whenever the engine is running . If you want to get away from it all . use the
Joan Clayb rook. NHTSA administrator. says buddy system . Snowmobiles can quit running .
that during the warm summer months the stranding the rider in the toolies . When riding in
agency received reports of motorists driving unfamiliar terrain . be extra careful. Objects such
with the hatchback in the up position . often with as stumps. roc ks. fen ces. holes. and other ma-
young children riding in the rear of the vehicle . chines can be present . Remember. the snow
Th is is exceedingly dangerous and creates a risk tends to camouflage any obstacles .
of serious injury even in relatively minor ac- Don 't attempt night operations until you 're
cidents. The NHTSA accident data files contain completely comfortable on your machine during
reports of at least 12 accidents in whi c h the daytime. Che c k your lights before starting
passengers were ejected through the rear hatch - out. go with a companion . and stay on known
back. resulting in 5 fatalities and 13 injuries . trai Is .
Also. operating the vehic le with the hatchback Jumps are tempting . but be careful. On the
open may expose all occupants to concentra- other side of that snowbank there could be a
tions of exhaust fumes containing deadly carbon person . c liff. immovable object or another 'mo-
monoxide . bile coming your way.
For maximum safety. all vechicle occupants When not in use . loc k your machine so a cu-
should ride in vehicle seats and safety belts rious child can 't accidentally start or operate it.
should be used . If child passengers are too If your children are riders . supervise their opera-
srnall to use safety belts. adequate c hild tions closely .
restraint systems should be used . Common sense and respect for the hazards of
Parent s who want more information on child winter and snowmobiling should keep you from
restraint systems can obtain a copy of NHTSA's overextending yourself and ruining what can be
new booklet. "Child Restraint Systems for Your an otherwise enjoyable outing .

28 JANUARY 1979
Deceased Insect ticide sprays and fire have a strange reaction to
each other. His first real clue to this fact was
By TSgt E. Mann that flames were shooting up the wall behind
HQ TAC / SEG the stove.
Recently. one more of our industrious NCOs His quick wit and fast reac ti on prevented
observed a roach in the kitchen. Having noted injury or major damage . He simply took the
the problem at hand. the SSgt trotted over to sprayer off the can of insect icide and used the
the commissary and purchased a supply of ant sprayer to spray water from the sink onto the
and roach K1ller . He selected a one-half gallon stove: putting out the fire. Sure am glad there
can equipped with a length of hose connecting weren't any electrical wires in there !!11!1
it to a hand sprayer . Much safer than those Having completed his assault on the roaches
aerosal spray cans. don't you know? and the fire. he decided to read the instructions
Having armed himself with the proper equip- on the insecticide can. Sure enough. on the bot-
ment. he was ready to assault the roach prob- tom of the can there was a wa rn ing stating that
lem. He sprayed along the base board. the contents we re flammable . What's that old
dishwasher. and finally he reached the good old saying. "a day late and a gas stove short"?
gas cook stove . That's correct. the gas stove. We should be able to extract one valuable
You know. the type of stove with a pilot light. lesson from this mishap. That is. treat all insec-
When the spray seeped into the stove. he ticides as flammable regardless of the method of
reached the astonishing realization that insec- application.

A Safe Haven A "no vacancy" sign is not the answer. Base

Disaster Preparedness folks had best be pre-
Yes. a safe haven is what we all need. But did pared to take care of or coordinate the follow-
you know that every Air Force base is a "safe ing:
haven" for Department of Energy (DOE) couriers Parking of courier vehicles
and the material/components which they are Proper security measures
escorting? If you didn't. pick up AFR 355-3. Appropriate services
"Temporary Storage of Atomic Energy Com- Reporting
mission Shipments at Air Force Installations." If you know your responsibilities. good on ya·.
and feast your eyes on how you host DOE If the base isn 't ready to perform this support --
guests. you could end up in an embar rass ing situa tion .

TAC ATIACK 29
 of the bureaucracy, a contributor to the suggestion
program, and a definitive spokesman for Junior Of-
ficer Councils world-wide. The T AC ATTACK, we
are sure, will particularly miss his prolific articles al-
ways printed under pseudonyms. His passing, after
having survived so many fatal accidents and changes
of command, is particularly tragic. In addition to his
immediate family, he leaves behind a family of every
Air Force fighter squadron. That's if you don't
believe in reincarnation .

FREDERICK F. WITTENBERG, Major, USAF

Det 3, 57 TTW
Letters to the editor

Editor Dear Major Wittenberg,

Detachment 3 of the 57th Tactical Training Wing Man y !hanks for y our kind Iefier . Lt Col
joins the entire fighter community in mourning the Humphrey Glocko sent us a fitting tribute to Capt
passing of perhaps the best known, post Korean Baldachi which was published in last months
Conflict U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, Capt Nino magazine. We are deeply concerned thai the number
Baldachi. As reported in the November 6, 1978, of articles submitted 10 the magazine may indeed
obituaries of the Air Force Tl M ES, Capt Baldachi drop drastically because of Nino's absence. We
died (as he had lived) in an elevator accident in Ke- earnesl~y hope that you and our other readers will
flavik , Iceland . As most of our readers know, this .fill in the breach. The best tribute you can give
much decorated pilot has served in every theater of would be to write an article for the magazine in his
operation, probably on every base where a fighter memory.
could land. He is best known as an outspoken critic ED

TAC Flight Safety

Trophy Winners
347 TFW 116 TFW (ANG)
MOODY AFB. GA DOB&ms AFB, GA
7 Dec 77 - 6 Dec 78 10 oee n a
~ Dee 78

366 TFW 106 TASW(ANG)

MOUNTAIN HOME AFB. ID WESTCHESTER CO ARPT, NV
1 Dec 77 - 31 Nov 78 12 Nov 77 -11 Nov 78
 TAC
TALLY NOV
TAC
thru NOV
NOV
ANG
thru NOV
NOV
AFR
thru NOV

1918 1918 1911 1918 1911

CLASS A MISHAPS 28 25 13 12

AIRCREW FATALITIES 0 17 28 0 9 6 0

TOTAL EJECTIONS 31 21 2 9 11_ 0 2

SUCCESSFUL EJECTIONS 25 16 7 0 2

TAC'S TOP "5" thru NOVEMBER

TAC FTR/RECCE TAC GAINED FTR/RECCE IF TAC/GAINED Other Units
class A mishap free months class mishap free months class A mishap free months
23 347 TFW 46 156 TFG (ANG) 136 182 TASG (ANG)

20 49 TFW 27 184 TFTG (AFR) 105 193 TEWG (ANG)

18 363 TRW 26 (ANG) 97 110 TASG (ANG)
12 366 TFW 11 116 TFW (ANG) 92 USAFTAWC (TAC)
10 479 TTW 11 121 TFW (ANG) 88 919 SOG (AFR)

CLASS A MISHAP COMPARISON RATE 71/ 78

(BASED ON ACCIDENTS PER 100,000 HOURS FLYING TIME)
_
77 0.0 5.3 5.8 5.4 5.1 5.0 5.6 5.1 5.9 5.6 5.3
TAC 6.7 6.5 6.3 5.9
78 16.0 12.4 8.3 7.5 5.8 6.3 6.1

77 0.0 3.1 1.9 5.7 4.4 5,4 5.4 5.4 5.3 4.8 5.9
,
ANG 7.4 6.5
78 0.0 3.4 4.0 5.8 8.1 7.9 6.9 6.7 6.6

7 0.0 0.0 10.1 7.4 5.8 47 40 3.5 3.0 2.7 2.5

AFR 5.7 7.8
78 0.0 0.0 10.9 7.8 6.0 4.8 8.1 7.1 6.3

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

* U.S. Government Printing Office 1979 635-037/8