B-52 Crew Members Train for Water Survival

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Andre Menard
  • 917th Operations Support Squadron
BARKSDALE AFB LA - --  On Saturday August 2, the 93rd Bomb Squadron aircrew assembled in mass at Black Bayou Reservoir to complete required Water Survival training. While Aircrew Flight Equipment technicians always work hard to provide the aircrew with the most realistic and up-to-date training as possible, this year's event had a noticeably serious tone. 

Just 13 days prior to the training, one of Barksdale's very own B-52 crashed 30 miles northeast of Guam in open water. "You could feel it among the crowd that it was definitely on everyone's mind," says Lt. Col. Steve Smith, 93 BS. 

"Of course we're taking water survival more seriously; we all lost friends and brothers in the B-52 community. It hits home when you go out there and think what it would be like to be on the open ocean. It makes you a little bit more focused when you're going through what used to be a routine procedure," says Capt. Jesse Hildebrand, a 93 BS B-52 pilot. 

The technicians used the actual B-4 parachute canopy packed in the B-52's backstyle parachute, actual harnesses and life preservers, several different life rafts, and a Coast Guard basket to recreate the many situations that a downed aircrew could possibly face in the event of an ejection over water. 

Each aircrew maneuvered through six different stations to complete the course. The first station instructed to aircrew on the proper techniques in order to successfully release themselves from the parachute canopy to avoid being pulled under the water. The aircrew is strapped into a harness and pulled behind a boat to simulate the canopy being pulled by a gust of wind as the individual enters the water. 

The second station is set up to teach proper techniques used if the aircrew lands in the water with the canopy on top of them. 

While the last four stations simulate the many different life rafts that could possibly be used during an actual rescue. The instructors demonstrate how to enter the rafts, give general information about each of them, and tell what, if any, survival kits may be attached. 

This type of water survival training is required every three years for the bomber aircrew.