News>Members from Scott AFB, participate in first KC-135 egress exercise
Photos
Flight crew members and test evaluators set up a KC-135 for a ground egress scenario at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. on June 28, 2011. The Air Mobility Command-directed test was used to determine the quantity of passengers one passenger monitor can safely egress, or evacuate, from an aircraft in 90 seconds. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)
Tech. Sgt. Justine Pescetello-Parr gives evacuation directions to passengers on a KC-135 during an egress scenario at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., on June 28, 2011. Sergeant Pescetello-Parr is the training flight NCO in charge of the 906th Air Refueling Squadron at Scott AFB. The Air Mobility Command-directed test was used to determine the quantity of passengers one passenger monitor can safely egress, or evacuate, from an aircraft in 90 seconds. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)
A test evaluation sheet waits to be used during a KC-135 Stratotanker ground egress scenario Scott Air Force Base, Ill., on June 28, 2011. The Air Mobility Command-directed test was used to determine the quantity of passengers one passenger monitor can safely egress, or evacuate, from an aircraft in 90 seconds. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)
Airman 1st Class Jarrett Crawford gives evacuation directions to passengers on a KC-135 Stratotanker during an egress scenario at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., on June 28, 2011. Airman Crawford is a boom operator apprentice at the 906th Air Refueling Squadron at Scott AFB. The Air Mobility Command-directed test was used to determine the quantity of passengers one passenger monitor can safely egress, or evacuate, from an aircraft in 90 seconds. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)
Airman 1st Class Jarrett Crawford evacuates down an aft slide on a KC-135 Stratotanker during an egress scenario at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., on June 28, 2011. Airman Crawford is a boom operator apprentice at the 906th Air Refueling Squadron at Scott AFB. The Air Mobility Command-directed test was used to determine the quantity of passengers one passenger monitor can safely egress, or evacuate, from an aircraft in 90 seconds. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)
Tech. Sgt Matthew Worcester and Master Sgt. Kevin Valasek fill out an inspection sheet after a KC-135 Stratotanker egress scenario at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., on June 28, 2011. Sergeant Worcester is an evaluator from the Air Mobility Command Test and Evaluations Squadron at Dover AFB, Del., and Sergeant Valasek is an evaluator from the AMC TES at Scott AFB. The AMC-directed test was used to determine the quantity of passengers one passenger monitor can safely egress, or evacuate, from an aircraft in 90 seconds. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)
Tech. Sgt Matthew Worcester and Master Sgt. Kevin Valasek fill out an inspection sheet after a KC-135 Stratotanker egress scenario at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., on June 28, 2011. Sergeant Worcester is an evaluator from the Air Mobility Command Test and Evaluations Squadron at Dover AFB, Del., and Sergeant Valasek is an evaluator from the AMC TES at Scott AFB. The AMC-directed test was used to determine the quantity of passengers one passenger monitor can safely egress, or evacuate, from an aircraft in 90 seconds. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)
Master Sgt. Shane Haney, Air Mobility Command standardization and evaluations, secures an aft slide as passengers evacuate a KC-135, during an egress scenario at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., on June 28, 2011. The Air Mobility Command-directed test was used to determine the quantity of passengers one passenger monitor can safely egress, or evacuate, from an aircraft in 90 seconds. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)
by Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
7/5/2011 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- More than 60 personnel volunteered to slide down a large, air-filled slide, or in this case, an emergency exit June 28, 2011, during a KC-135 Ground Egress test supported by 126th Air Refueling Wing at Scott AFB.
According to Col. Thomas Wolcott, the Air Mobility Command Test and Evaluation (TE) director, the AMC-directed test was used to determine the quantity of passengers one passenger monitor can safely egress, or evacuate, from an aircraft in 90 seconds.
"We've been asked to conduct this test to see if we can increase the amount of passengers that can go space 'A'," said Capt. Doug Steinert, AMC Test and Evaluations Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
According to Captain Steinert, this is the first time AMC has conducted an egress test on a KC-135. It took three months to prepare for the test from the request to the date of text execution.
"We've been preparing for the last couple of months once we received the request," said Master Sgt. Kevin Valasek, AMC TES at Scott and test director. "The volunteers were crucial to the execution of the tests."
In addition to passengers and cargo, a flight team was also onboard.
"We set up the test with the basic operators, two pilots and one boom operator," said Captain Steinert.
The more cargo loaded on the plane, the more challenging an egress is as cargo reduces the number of egress sites available. During the tests, the plane was configured differently each time with cargo along with 27 to 54 passengers. This changed the number of egress sites available.
The test results and completed surveys will provide data to support PAX handling policy changes for the KC-135.
