TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Whether you’re airborne support, flight operations or avionics and integrated systems specialists, many hands play an integral role in maintaining aircraft. However, when a pilot must eject, they'll rely on the emergency escape systems, an area where failure is not an option.
Since March 2023, egress specialists from the 325th Maintenance Squadron are responsible for maintaining all necessary exit equipment on the 325th Fighter Wing’s aircraft.
“Not everyone understands the magnitude of how important and strict we have to be with each other when it comes to checks and balances to ensure that every single thing is correct and perfect,” said Senior Airman Cedric Cooper-Laney, 325th MXS egress systems journeyman. “One minor mistake can lead to a world of trouble, not only for us, but our pilots’ lives, which is our ultimate goal when completing our objectives.”
As an egress specialist, Cooper-Laney and his team perform multiple tasks that take time, patience and skill. The egress section handles explosive devices used for blasting the canopy open and launching the pilot's flight seat, maintain and repair escape and survival systems and perform scheduled and unscheduled maintenance on egress systems.
“One of our most strenuous tasks is installing a new Flexible Linear Shaped Charge onto a new or existing canopy, which can take five days [to complete].” said Staff Sgt. Tyler Porter, 325th MXS egress systems craftsman. “There is very little room for errors. Once we are able to get a training canopy up and running, our team will be able to train once a month to gain further proficiency.”
With the 325th FW’s transition to a fully combat capable F-35A Lightning II fighter wing, a new egress shop was built from the ground up. Porter described how subject matter experts from various other F-35 wings offered and continue to assist Tyndall’s Egress section with knowledge, direction and ability to rework programs, training plans and operations with other units.
Whenever news of an aircraft crash occurs, Egress is sure to know. Cooper-Laney recalled an experience of when he arrived at his first base where a pilot was killed in a crash. He noted that this event was a heart-dropping moment for the egress shop. After official investigations were conducted, the report stated that there was no evidence the pilot had attempted to eject from the aircraft. However, this still made the loss difficult for the team.
With these Airmen’s lives in mind, egress aims to maintain their high level of proficiency and accountability. By performing precise maintenance and coordination, these specialists ensure that every component they handle is in perfect working order to continue Tyndall’s ability to provide air superiority, resiliency and adaptability.