YOUR SURVIVAL GEAR IS IMPORTANT By Aircrew Survival Equipmentman Senior Chief Randi M. Zetterlund, Naval Safety Command
Marine Corps Capt. Ryan M. Perez prepares for takeoff in a CH-53E Super Stallion at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, June 15, 2021. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Rachaelanne Woodward
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Aircrew survival equipmentmen (PRs) and Flight E technicians schedule maintenance on your survival gear, but those inspections are not daily. You are the one depending on the correct fit and performance of all your gear, not only in the event of a mishap but also during normal flight operations. It should not be a challenge for PRs and Flight E technicians to schedule survival gear fittings with aviators. Often, pre- and post-flight procedures are not performed
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roperly fitted and maintained survival gear will help save your life. So why aren’t aviators dedicating more time to ensuring their survival gear is fitted correctly and ready for use before and after each flight as required by the Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) manual and Naval Air Systems Command series manuals?
or performed incorrectly. Is this due to a lack of training or lack of caring? How many aviators know how to conduct proper pre- and post-flight procedures? How many aviators have noticed an issue with their gear, but they are too busy to address it before the flight and will “get it fixed later”? Not following required procedures can lead to a host of issues that can severely affect the mission, potentially causing the loss of an aircraft, or worse – a loss of life.
