JB MDL Airmen contribute to AMC's aircrew safety; test new mask

Published Jan. 19, 2012
By Airman 1st Class Dennis L. Sloan
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Flight crews have fewer than 10 seconds during a rapid decompression to don an oxygen mask before losing consciousness at 35,000 feet.

Airmen at the Air Mobility Test and Evaluation Squadron here completed the fourth and final phase of testing on the new Aviation Oxygen and Respiratory Systems Quick-Don Mask Jan. 13.

The new mask is designed to be donned in five seconds.

"Our goal is to test the mask for suitability and operational effectiveness for future use in all AMC aircraft," said Tech. Sgt. Josh Mullen, AMC TES command test director.

Pilots, loadmasters and crew chiefs from the 305th Air Mobility Wing tested the new mask in a C-17 Globemaster III flight simulator at AMC TES here.

The test group included personnel who wore either eyeglasses or contacts, as well as those who required neither. People selected tested the mask to ensure it was functional and operational for all users.

"The mask is very comfortable and does not impede me while wearing my glasses," said Capt. Russ Williams, 6th Airlift Squadron C-17 pilot from Hagerstown, Md. "This was the first time I've worn a mask and forgot it was on."

Airman 1st Class Ryan Cross, 6th AS loadmaster from Tucson, Ariz., said he felt the mask provided a better seal around his eyes than the current one.

The mask is designed to fit anyone and is quicker to don because it requires only one step. The previous mask required aircrew members to don both a mask and a set of goggles, which limited the time they had to address the emergency at hand.

"Five seconds seems like a very reasonable amount of time to don the mask," said Williams. "The mask is on in one step rather than two, leaving one fewer thing to think about during an emergency situation."

The aircrew donned the mask in two emergency situations: loss of pressurization and smoke or fumes filling the aircraft, to test its feasibility.

"We went through two emergency situations multiple times and completed the testing in about an hour," said Cross. "The test and evaluation squadron really had a handle on this program - I'm confident they will send very accurate results back to AMC command."

Aircrew maintainers were also part of the testing cycle. These personnel simulated mid-flight maintenance on the masks which rounded out the evaluation here. The maintainers broke down and re-assembled the new mask with the same tools used on the current mask. This process established a need for new tools since some pre-existing ones were not compatible.

"The mask is much simpler and more durable than the current one, making it very easy to work on," said Staff Sgt. Katie Roberts, 305th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment oxygen section from Pittsfield, Penn. "The current tools used to perform maintenance on the existing masks do not work on the new mask, so new tools will have to be ordered."

Various aircrew members from several squadrons here volunteered to assist in testing the quick-don mask over the course of three days.

"We completed the final phase today and are now gathering all the data to send to AMC," said Mullen. "We have 60 days to report our findings, but the final decision to switch from our current mask to the new one is up to AMC."

The mask was tested at three separate bases: Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; Little Rock AFB, Ark.; and McConnell AFB, Kan., comprising various AMC aircraft including the C-130E/H Hercules, the C-130J Hercules and the KC-135 Stratotanker.

(Karen Dooney contributed to this article)

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