No margin for error at bomber egress shop

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. Armstrong
  • 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Members of the 565th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's bomber egress shop here have just one chance to maintain B-52 Stratofortress and B-1B Lancer egress systems because there are no second chances when it comes to their line of work.

Unit members maintain, replace and repair egress systems for the bombers, and update the B-52 and B-1B's explosive items, which trigger the egress systems.

Ask John Cordon about the mission of the 565th AXMS bomber egress shop and without hesitation, the shop's ordinance system supervisor will say, "We save lives," and "When all else fails, egress prevails," the unit's motto.

The unit members also update engine squibs, which are minature explosive devices that detect fire and then release a fire retardant, for the KC-135 Stratotanker and E-3A Sentry. But, unlike other Tinker Air Force Base organizations, the bomber egress shop has to make sure the egress system does the right job on the first and only try.

"Every person in the bomber egress shop knows their margin for error is zero," said Frank Dolcater, the 565th AMXS director. "These professional men and women provide the means for crewmembers to escape from damaged or disabled aircraft in the event of an emergency."

If an emergency exit proves necessary, an aircrew member pulls an ejection handle. Within seconds, the 150-pound seat with the crewmember thrusts back and the individual is ejected from the aircraft and guided to the ground by parachute.

"The start of ejection happens within the blink of an eye, in about a quarter of a second," Mr. Cordon said. "It's just that quick."

The force that makes an ejection possible is the rocket motor under the seat. An electrical impulse ignites the rockets below the ejection seat, and ultimately thrusts the seat from the aircraft.

The bomber egress shop staff inspects and repairs B-1B egress systems every four to five years and B-52 egress systems approximately every 4.5 years in conjunction with each aircraft's programmed depot maintenance cycle. Aircraft seats are removed and inspected for structural damage and then refurbished. A B-52 has six seats and a B-1B has four seats.

Seats are inspected, cleaned, explosives are changed and repairs are made when needed. After all that, seats are inspected again and reinstalled in the respective aircraft. The process takes approximately three weeks. As a result, the shop services roughly 14 B-1Bs and 17 B-52s each year.

"We produce a quality product for the flight crew," Mr. Cordon said. "The aircrew depends on us to make sure their ejection systems are safe and reliable for a clean ejection."

Mr. Cordon said the most challenging aspect of the job is keeping shop personnel familiar with the four different systems, including all the different explosive items -- initiators, thrusters, rocket motors and catapults -- and also their training requirements.

But, in the past couple of years, the shop has been refurbished, making a better work environment for the employees. As the result of a Lean initiative, the office area has new furniture and more organized storage areas. The actual shop has new floors, more lighting and recently painted walls, all creating a highly-lighted maintenance area.