Naval Aviation News Article on Fleet Support: 'Supporting the Fleet'

摘要

You're ready to taxi for an afternoon 1v1 ACM training mission when your oxygen mask malfunctions. A troubleshooter double times to the flight equipment shop to get a spare so the mission can continue. You get back from your flight, find the parachute rigger, and tell him what went wrong with your mask. It's the combination inhalation/exhalation valve. It seems to be sticking in a position that prevents oxygen from entering the mask. This is not a problem you want to have in an intensive ACM environment under high Gs. It's definitely a safety-of-flight issue requiring that a Hazardous Material Report (HMR) engineering Investigation (EI) be initiated. The EI is done and it turns up an inherent design flaw which caused the valve to chatter and stick. As a result, a fleet support project receives funding and a redesigned valve is on the way.