Photo By Tech. Sgt. Efrain Sanchez | TOA BAJA, Puerto Rico-- Fifteen aircrew members from the Operations Support Group,...... read more read more
TOA BAJA, Puerto Rico – Fifteen aircrew members from the Operations Support Group, 156th Airlift Wing trained in a mandatory water survival course at the Punta Salinas Radar Site, Nov. 13, 2015.
Pilots, Navigators, Flight Engineers and Loadmasters attended an all-day annual training. The training was given in two segments, the class room academics portion and the hands on equipment portion.
Course Instructor Master Sgt. Victor J. Colon, Aircrew Flight Equipment, Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, 156th Operations Support Squadron, emphasized the importance to train crew members on survival procedures and techniques in over water ditching or bail out emergencies during peacetime or combat missions.
“I have been teaching this training for the past 18 years,” said Colon, “water survival is one of the most difficult situations aircrew members can find themselves in.”
The chances to survive will exclusively depend on the equipment they have with them, their training and their ability to incorporate both.
First Lt. Manuel Lopez a WC-130 pilot with the 198th Airlift Squadron believes the water survival training is extremely important and applies to all the members, because right after take-off they are immediately over water. “I find this training to be very interesting because of this beach location, the set up and the survival gear all contributed in creating an actual survival scenario,” said Lopez.
Crew members performed several tasks in and out of the water, like swimming under a parachute canopy, boarding different types of rafts and igniting flares upon reaching the shore.
| Date Taken: | 11.13.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 12.21.2015 09:55 |
| Story ID: | 183874 |
| Location: | CAROLINA, PR |
| Web Views: | 45 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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