Need an article from the Airforce Journal COMBAT EDGE?

[M.D. Holloway]

I was hoping someone could help me. Maybe one of you packrats saves old issues of the the Airforce Journal COMBAT EDGE?

I'm trying to get a copy of an article from Combat Edge, the title is Flight Line Safety, the date is November 1, 2004, Volume: 13 Issue: 6 Page: 19(1).

I could get it on Amazon but was hoping to get info on the author as well as a copy of the article. Any help would be great. Thanks.

[oldE]

Mike,

Is this the one you're looking for?

Publication: Combat Edge
Publication Date: 01-NOV-04
Delivery: Immediate Online Access
Author: Holloway, Michael D. ; Beames, Bradley T.

Article Excerpt
While performing duties required to launch a $74M B-52 bomber on a local training sortie, SSgt Holloway and A1C Beames prevented the loss of life and a valuable combat aircraft. SSgt Holloway and A1C Beames were assigned as crew chiefs to launch Skull 29 on a Functional Check Flight...

I got a couple of hits when I searched.

Les

[oldE]

Mike,

Here is a paragraph from another site.

Combat Edge, Nov, 2004 by Michael D. Holloway, Bradley T. Beames

While performing duties required to launch a $74M B-52 bomber on a local training sortie, SSgt Holloway and A1C Beames prevented the loss of life and a valuable combat aircraft. SSgt Holloway and A1C Beames were assigned as crew chiefs to launch Skull 29 on a Functional Check Flight (FCF). The launch was plagued by multiple minor maintenance issues, and Red Ball maintenance was expertly and quickly coordinated. Problems included failure of the Hobart AC power cart, the pilot's Attitude Directional Indicator gyros, autopilot, and TACAN/VOR navigation set. After starting the number 4 engine in accordance with Technical Order procedures, engine number 5 would not start after applying fuel to the engine. Maintenance was coordinated to work on the problem. After motoring the engine to clear unburned fuel from the engine, and waiting the prescribed time for starter limitations, a restart of engine #5 was attempted. Shortly after the attempted restart, fuel vapors ignited around and below the engine. The crew chiefs took immediate action to warn the crew and used the nearby HALON bottle to quickly extinguish the flames. Their timely response prevented any damage to the aircraft. Finally, just prior to taxi, the team of crew chiefs noticed that one of the aircraft's air refueling doors on top of the jet was partially open. SSgt Holloway notified the crew, and a recycle of the system corrected the problem, preventing any damage to the system on departure and climb out. SSgt Holloways and A1C Beames' attention to detail yet again protected America's tip of the spear. The expert workmanship of the ground crew team allowed for an on-time takeoff despite all the encountered setbacks and delays. Working together, their quick action saved the lives of the five-member crew, two onboard maintenance Airmen, and an irreplaceable national resource.

This is from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0JCA/is_6_13/ai_n9770099

Les

[M.D. Holloway]

That be the one! Thanks. I just have to contact the pub for permission to reprint now. Thanks.

[fintstone]

Luby...send me an email that I can send an attachment to.

[surflvr911sc]

Originally Posted by oldE

Shortly after the attempted restart, fuel vapors ignited around and below the engine. The crew chiefs took immediate action to warn the crew and used the nearby HALON bottle to quickly extinguish the flames. Their timely response prevented any damage to the aircraft. Finally, just prior to taxi, the team of crew chiefs noticed that one of the aircraft's air refueling doors on top of the jet was partially open. SSgt Holloway notified the crew, and a recycle of the system corrected the problem, preventing any damage to the system on departure and climb out.

They had a enough fire to throw down the HALON and they launched on a local training sortie?

That sounds like either very bad story telling or a very dumb crew. Good job to the Crew Chiefs though.

[fintstone]

You have to launch them eventually. They would have had to have had it inspected and signed off...but that would have happened in just a few minutes if there was no damage. It was an FCF, not exactly a training mission...and they needed to get it back on fully mission capable status.

[fintstone]

Check your email Lubby.

[surflvr911sc]

An FCF is even more reason to be conservative. And the FMC numbers should be the last thing that the crew is worried about. Leave that to the bean counters (especially a BUFF squadron in ’04).

True that it doesn't say how long between the fire and the launch, but the article implies that the events happened fairly quickly. A crew duty day is only so long.

I add it up to the guy writing the story not knowing a thing about flightline ops, but I'm sure the real story is a another great example of skill and professionalism.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by surflvr911sc

An FCF is even more reason to be conservative. And the FMC numbers should be the last thing that the crew is worried about. Leave that to the bean counters (especially a BUFF squadron in ’04).

True that it doesn't say how long between the fire and the launch, but the article implies that the events happened fairly quickly. A crew duty day is only so long.

I add it up to the guy writing the story not knowing a thing about flightline ops, but I'm sure the real story is a another great example of skill and professionalism.

The maintenance guys are beancounters...and live and die by FMC numbers...especially for weapon systems that can deliver nuclear weapons like B-52s. If only fuel vapor ignited under and around the engine. They would have just cleaned up, inspected the plane, and turned it so it would go FMC. Done it many times. Obviously, as you point out...they did not screw around too long or the crew would have busted crew rest.

[surflvr911sc]

Well, it sounds like you know the -52s, and having worked on old PWs (pretty sure the -52s are still running them & not the J57s) I can understand that it may be pretty standard, but nowadays, very few airframes operate that [seemingly] casual when it comes to fire. Probably b/c start fires just aren't very common on modern engines; and I've seen my share.

And I do believe that if you are calling maintenance guys bean counters, then you have spent too much time off the line, either in management or MOC, no disrespect.

[fintstone]

LOL..I worked on the flightline for many years on several airframes, mostly F-4s and Spec Ops C-130s (but was not APG)...I was a Maintenance Superintendent for the last few years (mid to late 80's- before moving to the ICBM world as a Missile Ops officer)...and it seemed that all our leadership really cared about was statistics...so we were all beancounters...but you are right...it was a long time ago...More recently did nuclear surety work with the B-52s as a civil servant (engineer)...and was actually the lead engineer in charge of AF B-52 Nuclear Surety when this article was published...and remembered it well...but have no real insight to the actual incident.

No disrespect taken...or meant. You are probably right...the story could have been better told...but I looked it up in the actual magazine...and they were limited to a small box for those awards...so it is a bit condensed I imagine. The hero is a likely a relative of Lubby...so I just wanted to ensure that we did not wrongly besmirch the guy in our zeal for debate here in OT.

[surflvr911sc]

Originally Posted by fintstone

LOL..I worked on the flightline for many years on several airframes, mostly F-4s and Spec Ops C-130s (but was not APG)...

...so I just wanted to ensure that we did not wrongly besmirch the guy in our zeal for debate here in OT.

F-4s were the first planes I crewed; F-4E & RF-4C. I spent many years as a Crew Chief on differnt airframes, but now I'm on the OPS side of things. Crewing the F-4 is still the most fun I have had in my career; great planes, even when they make you cuss.

I definitely wanted to point out the bad story and didn't mean to imply anything negative about the guys that were in the story. Combat Edge is a much better and controlled pub then say, Air Force Times, which is an independent pub that does more harm than good, imo. I probably have terrorist looking for me today, thanks to AFT.

Cheers!