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How the Air Force makes sure U-2 spy plane pilots are ready to eject if something goes wrong
How the Air Force makes sure U-2 spy plane pilots are ready to eject if something goes wrong
Jan 27, 2020, 21:39 IST
"We inspect and maintain around 40 egress systems from U-2s, TU-2s, and T-38s," said Staff Sgt. Cody Clark, 9th Maintenance Squadron aircrew egress craftsman.
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"We try to schedule anywhere from two to three seats in a typical week," said Staff Sgt. Clark, "and that's not including unscheduled maintenance that could pop up and that could be anywhere from zero to five."
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"It's important that I do my job right because if I don't do my job properly and a pilot does eject he could die and that's on me, then I'd have to live knowing that there's a guy who lost his life because I didn't do my job right," said Senior Airmen Steven Phelps, 9th Maintenance Squadron aircrew egress journeyman.
"It's a bit scary knowing that a pilot's life is at stake," said Staff Sgt. Clark. "But I feel overall confident knowing that our crew executed everything perfectly because we do not settle for anything less than perfection."