Airmen receive KC-46 egress training

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alan Ricker
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Fifteen minutes into a flight and a strange aroma begins to fill the cabin. A black, cloudy substance seeps under the door. What is your initial reaction? What if there’s no flight attendant near to ask?


"On commercial flights, the majority of passengers have their headphones in or are dozed off while the flight attendants brief on safety features," said Staff Sgt. Brannon Burch, 22nd AMXS KC-46A Pegasus maintenance craftsman. "So many people don't realize how important that information really is. We've trained hundreds of people throughout the wing on egress.”



McConnell is responsible for training its Airmen on their knowledge of egress and how to react when the time comes to take action during an emergency.

Staff Sgt. Kyle Schultz, 22nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, explained that egress is the action of leaving an aircraft during a life-endangering emergency. Crash landings, aborting the aircraft and in-flight emergencies are a few examples of what could cause an Airman to egress.

Both, Schultz and Burch have been responsible for training multiple units about egress on the KC-46.

After receiving Type-1 training with Boeing in Seattle, Schultz and Burch created an in-house curriculum designed around the egress training they received.

Multiple squadrons around the base have participated in the class.

“SSgt Schultz and I teach these classes on a daily basis, and we take pride in it because we understand how important it can be,” said Burch. “We like to make sure the people we are training are engaged and actively participating. If can't be similar to the reactions on commercial flights."

During the classes, both instructors tour the entire aircraft and allow the class to get visual and tactile training. The different door operations are visually shown at first, then Airmen are allowed to repeat the action to receive hands-on experience.

The new aircraft has a total of 8 egress points, while the KC-135 provides 6 exit and entry points.

“For the KC-135, you have two over-wing hatches that you could exit on the wings,” said Schultz. “You also have the cargo door, the two windows up-front with ropes, and the emergency escape, which is the crew entry door.”

One addition that is not available on the KC-135 is the emergency decent device, which assists aircrew with their descent out of the aircrew member compartment.

“The emergency descent device is like a reel that you grab onto and has a cable that is connected to the aircraft structure,” said Schultz.

The addition of new egress points and different equipment locations on the KC-46 calls for each class to be conformed to the distinct needs of each squadron.

“The fire department needs to know where the oxygen bottles and batteries are and any points of contact that could allow them entry into the aircraft,” said Schultz. “Medical needs to know where the oxygen is located when they put litters up in the aircraft and how they are able to take care of the patients.”

Each squadron has a separate mission to complete during an emergency, but it is also important that the Airmen performing during an emergency are able to prevent losing their own lives.

"Hopefully we never have to evacuate for emergency reasons, but if we do, we'll all be prepared,” said Burch.