Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Keeping airmen safe: Squadron upgrades parachutes

AIRMAN 1ST CLASS ISAIAH MILLER/U.S. AIR FORCE

- BY AIRMAN 1ST CLASS MARIAM K. SPRINGS 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE — Airmen assigned to the 19th Operations Support Squadron Aircrew Flight Equipment shop are receiving training on a new parachute, the BA-30, to maximize safety and readiness while accelerati­ng the update needed for mission execution in a rapidly changing environmen­t.

The handful of AFE airmen, chosen based on their parachute-rigging ability and experience, were sent to hands-on training for five days coordinate­d by Air Mobility Command to learn about the fundamenta­ls, build up, inspection and repack of the low-profile parachute.

“In the 19th OSS, we’re all about initiative and meeting the mission head-on,” said Lt. Col. Michael Trimble, 19th OSS commander. “This parachute is so new that there was not an establishe­d Air Force training available for it, so we sent an initial cadre of 19th OSS Aircrew Flight Equipment noncommiss­ioned officers to get training straight from the manufactur­er on packing and maintainin­g this chute.”

According to Tech. Sgt. Mellisa Tolliver, 19th OSS AFE quality-assurance technician, the BA-30 is a low-profile construct, reducing the overall parachute pack size by 25 percent, with a weight reduction of 10 pounds. This makes the pack more comfortabl­e for the wearer — which can reduce wearer fatigue during flight operations.

“The BA-30 parachute canopy is an extended-skirt, tri-conical aerodynami­c design with integrated drive vents to allow the jumper to have forward motion and increased steering capabiliti­es via toggles,” Tolliver said. “The older parachute used, the BA-22, had minimal forward motion capability; therefore, the steering capability was not nearly as effective for the wearer. The new BA-30 parachute also requires considerab­ly less time to train technician­s, inspect and repack.”

The new BA-30 parachute pack is also integrated with a more advanced automatic activation device, compared to the older model.

This upgraded parachute safeguards the well-being of all aircrew members and guarantees mission success. The 19th Airlift Wing is expected to obtain 160 BA30 low-profile parachutes. These will be prepositio­ned aboard C130J Super Hercules for fallout and emergency bailout purposes.

“This is the first upgrade to the emergency parachutes on the C-130J in decades,” Trimble said. “It’s a tangible example of the Air Force’s warfightin­g readiness and modernizat­ion push. The new BA-30 chute is more reliable, simpler to use, and simpler to pack and maintain than the old BA-22. No C-130J aircrew member steps to their aircraft thinking they’re going to use a parachute, but if a Little Rock-based crew ever has to do so, we want them to have the best, most reliable chute available.”

 ??  ?? Senior Airman Brittany Arrasmith, 19th Operation Support Squadron Aircrew Flight Equipment technician, inspects a BA-30 parachute at the Little Rock Air Force Base on Nov. 23. A handful of AFE airmen, chosen based on their parachute-rigging ability and experience, were sent to hands-on training for five days coordinate­d by Air Mobility Command to learn about the fundamenta­ls, build up, inspection and repack of the low-profile parachute.
Senior Airman Brittany Arrasmith, 19th Operation Support Squadron Aircrew Flight Equipment technician, inspects a BA-30 parachute at the Little Rock Air Force Base on Nov. 23. A handful of AFE airmen, chosen based on their parachute-rigging ability and experience, were sent to hands-on training for five days coordinate­d by Air Mobility Command to learn about the fundamenta­ls, build up, inspection and repack of the low-profile parachute.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States