News

No going under: Aircrew members learn water-survival skills

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amanda Currier
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  People get a briefing about what to do in the event of a plane crash every time they fly on a commercial airline. But, hopefully, they never have to put what they learn to the test.
On the other hand, putting people’s plane crash survival skills to the test is the whole idea behind survival, evasion, resistance and escape water–survival training. 

“We want our students to come away from this class with confidence in themselves, in their equipment and in the training,” said Tech. Sgt. Rob Graham, a 100th Operations Support Squadron SERE specialist. “We hope they never have to use this information but will remember what they’ve learned if they do have to use it. That’s why we do hands-on training –– so they remember it.” 

SERE specialists from RAFs Mildenhall and Lakenheath conduct water-survival training once a month at Lowestoft College in Lowestoft. The most recent class was June 8. Water survival is a refresher course designed to teach aircrew members how to survive in the event of an aquatic aircraft crash. 

During the class, students review how to put on an exposure suit –– a waterproof garment that fits over a person’s uniform –– in 60 seconds or less. They also go over what to do if they jump from an aircraft before it crashes and are dragged by or land under their parachute. In addition, they practice boarding, and using the survival kit that comes with, either a one-man or a 20-man life raft — depending on which airframe they work. They also practice being lifted out of the water by a hoist, as they would be from a helicopter rescue, and climbing a cargo net, as they might if they were rescued by a boat. 

The class is conducted between two pools at the college, which is about an hour-and-a-half bus ride from RAF Mildenhall. The parachute drag and the hoist training take place in a regular pool. The rest of the course takes place in a 16-feet-deep wave pool, which can simulate up to 5-foot wave swells. The room the wave pool is in also has a ceiling-mounted, rain generator and six high-power, wind fans. SERE specialists have students practice boarding life rafts and surviving in simulated turbulent weather conditions and rough water to prepare them for the worst. 

“All of our students have done water-survival training before, so we want to give them a challenge,” Sergeant Graham said. “If they can do it in the dark, in waves with 5-foot swells and in wind and pouring rain, they can certainly do it on a calm day. Again, it’s about confidence.” 

So, when it’s time for the students to hop in the pool fully dressed with all their gear on as if they have just crash landed, the SERE specialists turn off the lights, turn on the wave pool and the rain, and turn up the wind machines. The students then must find and board their respective life raft, find the raft’s survival kit and care for any wounded aircrew members while they do so — all in stormy conditions. 

“When things can go wrong, they seem to go wrong all at once. That’s why it’s very important to have confidence in your ability to survive and your equipment,” said Maj. Ben Wyborney, 100th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 pilot who attended the class in Lowestoft June 8 and has been through water-survival training four times. “It’s good to practice in the worst of conditions –– a crash landing in a storm at night. The wave pool was outstanding.” 

Aircrew members are required to attend water survival training once every two-to-three years depending on the aircraft on which they work. The degree of training varies slightly from base to base, depending on what facilities are available for water survival classes, but generally covers the same material. However, not every base has the ability to create inclement weather conditions during the training, Sergeant Graham said. 

“It was great training –– very comprehensive. The instructors did a fabulous job,” said Capt. Shawn Timpson, a 351st Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 pilot who also attended the June 8 class. “It seemed very realistic.”