News>Loadmaster crashworthy seat intended to increase safety
Photos
An HC-130P Combat King sits on aircraft jacks as engineers and technicians develop the Air Combat Command's first loadmaster crashworthy seat April 7, 2011, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Once the seat is tested and approved, it will be placed into the rest of the HC-130P aircraft fleet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Benjamin Wiseman)
Richard Bradshaw, an aircraft structural technician, smoothes a metal component during installation of a loadmaster crashworthy seat April 7, 2011, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Aircraft engineers and technicians there are currently engineering the first loadmaster crashworthy seat in Air Combat Command to be trial tested in an HC-130P Combat King. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Benjamin Wiseman)
by Airman 1st Class Jarrod Grammel
23rd Wing Public Affairs
4/13/2011 - MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFNS) -- In an effort to provide loadmasters with a safer and more structurally sound seat in cargo aircraft, engineers here recently installed a prototype of a new loadmaster crashworthy seat in an HC-130P Combat King.
"The goal is to provide loadmasters with a more secure seat," said Senior Master Sgt. Patrick Melady, Air Combat Command's HC-130 weapon systems team superintendent.
Civilian and military engineers installed the new seat in one of the Combat Kings here currently docked for routine maintenance.
"What they're doing now is a trial install," said Tim Martin, of 23rd Maintenance Group Air Force Engineer Technical Services. "Once the design has been perfected, and we determine whether it functions the way we want, we plan to install the seat in the rest of the HC-130P fleet."
Even though the C-130 Hercules has been in service since 1965, officials said the loadmaster crashworthy seat is long overdue.
"Loadmasters have been asking for it for years, and now we are finally able to give it to them," Sergeant Melady said. "This will be a huge improvement for them and will increase the safety of their job."
The seat in service now is a sturdy foam pad attached to two metal bars that are connected near the hatch of the plane.
"The new crashworthy seat has a built-in harness support system and is structurally attached to the frame of the plane," Mr. Martin said. "This new design will offer a safer, more secure seat for loadmasters to scan for threats and observe aerial refueling."
When designing this seat, the loadmaster and crew weren't the only people in mind, Mr. Martin said.
"We also wanted to make the seat maintenance-friendly," he said. "When designing something like this, engineers usually just find out what is needed and how to install it in the aircraft. With this project, we wanted to design a seat that can be maintained efficiently."
Moody Air Force Base was selected to be the test base because of its C-130 fleet and its proximity to the contractors and engineers.
Comments
4/18/2011 9:04:36 PM ET The latest recommendation for a crashworthy loadmaster seat was as a result of the crash of an MC-130P in Afghanistan in Feb 2002. Nine plus years to develop a crash worthy seat? So much for the responsiveness of the acquisition community to a combat need. The Credible Sport aircraft was developed built and flying in less than 5 months.
Marvin Schott, Albuquerque NM
4/15/2011 7:14:31 PM ET B Culberson, contractors are specifically exempted from AFOSH by AFI 21-101, and the OSHA standards they follow are different from what you may be used to. Cris and W Surface, that particular airplane is an FY 1965 production model and the first C-130s were delivered in December of 1956.
Ret E-7, CONUS
4/14/2011 4:20:23 PM ET I think the war pig was put into service a little before '65.
W Surface, Barksdale AFB
4/14/2011 12:04:11 PM ET The C-130 has been around since 1957. The first two A models in USAFE Ville de Evreux and Ville de Fauville were exhibited at an air show at Dreux AB France in September of that year. We the 322nd Air Division flew in C-130s long before 1965. Matter of fact we received the Outstanding Unit Award for the Congo airlift.
Cris, Algood TN
4/14/2011 10:24:36 AM ET There will no question who's seat this is. A seat that provides more comfort and back support is long overdue. Why can't these be installed in all C-130's?
SMSgt Robert Arkulary, MplsSt. Paul IAP ARS
4/13/2011 9:46:01 PM ET I guess safety is not a key concern for the workforce at Moody. The gentleman in the second picture should be the poster child of what not to do while working on an airplane. He is not wearing safety glasses or hearing protection, and is wearing a metal watch while working on the hangar floor using air tools. Not cool.
B Culberson, Robins AFB GA
4/13/2011 4:32:09 PM ET 10 years loadmasters have been riding on a makeshift piece of plywood in the doors for takeoff and landing. Amazing how long it has taken for the AF to listen and how many people have been hurt who might not have been had they listened sooner.
