Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Senior Airman Hayden Harrison, 48th Flying Training Wing Aircrew Flight Equipment technician, reads a T-6A Texan II survival equipment checklist Dec. 5, 2017, on Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. The T-6 and T-38C Talon have survival kits inside of the cockpit with each pilot and are an essential portion of the AFE mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keith Holcomb)Columbus AFE keeps pilot production going
                        
                        
                        Senior Airman Hayden Harrison, 48th Flying Training Wing Aircrew Flight Equipment technician, reads a T-6A Texan II survival equipment checklist Dec. 5, 2017, on Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. The T-6 and T-38C Talon have survival kits inside of the cockpit with each pilot and are an essential portion of the AFE mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keith Holcomb)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Senior Airman Hayden Harrison, 48th Flying Training Wing Aircrew Flight Equipment technician, goes through a T-1A Jayhawk survival equipment checklist Dec. 5, 2017, on Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. Every T-1 scheduled to fly must be checked every day before its first flight to ensure the pilots have all the equipment necessary to potentially survive an emergency situation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keith Holcomb)Columbus AFE keeps pilot production going
                        
                        
                        Senior Airman Hayden Harrison, 48th Flying Training Wing Aircrew Flight Equipment technician, goes through a T-1A Jayhawk survival equipment checklist Dec. 5, 2017, on Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. Every T-1 scheduled to fly must be checked every day before its first flight to ensure the pilots have all the equipment necessary to potentially survive an emergency situation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keith Holcomb)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Staff Sgt. Marcus Tello, 41st and 37th Flying Training Squadron Aircrew Flight Equipment technician, checks the airflow of a helmet’s tube Dec. 5, 2017, on Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. If any equipment needs repaired, the AFE unit will test, evaluate and replace or fix the issue so pilots are ready to encounter any situation during their flights. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keith Holcomb)Columbus AFE keeps pilot production going
                        
                        
                        Staff Sgt. Marcus Tello, 41st and 37th Flying Training Squadron Aircrew Flight Equipment technician, checks the airflow of a helmet’s tube Dec. 5, 2017, on Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. If any equipment needs repaired, the AFE unit will test, evaluate and replace or fix the issue so pilots are ready to encounter any situation during their flights. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keith Holcomb)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Columbus AFB AFE keeps pilot production goingPublished Dec. 12, 2017
                    
                    By Airman 1st Class Keith Holcomb
                    
                    
                    14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
            **COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFNS)  --**The Air Force is known for its air supremacy around the globe, and pilots are recognized for their ability to keep the skies safe from America’s enemies. But who keeps the pilots safe?
Airmen who work in aircrew flight equipment units throughout the Air Force ensure pilots have gear and equipment ready for them to perform their missions. 
At Columbus Air Force Base, the AFE unit is one of the busiest in the Air Force. They’re responsible for instructor pilots and pilots going through Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training.
“I can explain to you how busy it is to take care of 150 instructor pilots’ gear on top of 400 students’ gear to the best of my ability, but it’s 10 times busier than that,” said Staff Sgt. Teddrick Thibodeaux, 37th and 41st Flying Training Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge. “I can’t see any other AFE units being busier than this. At my previous base we would have roughly five sets to work on a day, and here we work with roughly 25 sets a day or more.” 
Each FTS has an AFE unit attached to provide support to that specific squadron’s mission and airframe.
Every 14th Student Squadron student pilot will go through the 37th and 41st FTS to learn how to fly the T-6A Texan II, making their AFE unit responsible for the most gear sets and survival kits of any squadron on the base.
“Our job is to make sure when a pilot goes out the door everything is good to go,” said Senior Airman Hayden Harrison, 48th FTS AFE technician. “If anything goes wrong and they’re at that last line of defense, they can depend on quality equipment so they can stay alive.” 
Much of their daily work involves customer service as well. Pilots bringing in gear they may need assistance with, fixing visors and replacing parts is commonplace during each week.
“It’s a constant building of helmets, masks, suits and every three weeks the new class adds to the workload,” Thibodeaux said. “If I prioritized one thing wrong it could throw off the entire schedule and back everything up.”
One of the more time consuming efforts Airmen work through is the building of custom equipment and fitting every pilot starting pilot training.
“We are responsible for fitting up and training them on how to use their gear properly,” said Staff Sgt. Steven Kern, 50th Flying Training Squadron AFE NCO in charge. “Each piece of equipment is custom fit for every individual and we repeat that process every three weeks for the incoming classes while we take care of the current students’ gear as well.”
A survival kit, maintained by AFE, must be available on every aircraft, and with over 200 aircraft on the base it’s important that each kit is checked and up to date.
“Each aircraft has a survival kit and it’s unique for the T-1’s kits because we have to make sure every aircraft that will be flying that day is checked and is ready for the pilots to use,” Harrison said. “We have to do that while keeping in mind the pilots are trying to take off so we have to prioritize it in a way that doesn’t hinder them.” 
Helmets, masks, harnesses, G-suits and survival kits are all the AFE units’ responsibility to keep the hundreds of pilots in each squadron safe every year.
“As long as guys are getting out of the door and we are putting out the highest quality equipment we can put out, you know you don’t need recognition for it,” Harrison said. “For the most part it’s a thankless job, but knowing what you’re doing is keeping people safe is the reward.”Columbus AFB 



AFE 



Aircrew flight equipment 



Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training 



48th Flying Training Wing 



48th FTW 



37th Flying Training Squadron 



37th FTS 



41st Flying Training Squadron 



41st FTS 



T-6A 



Texan II 



Air Force 



AF 



Air Force Base Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                Kendall, Allvin, Saltzman urge modernization while warning Senate of delayed budgets
                    
                    Readout of Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall’s travel to the Philippines
                    
                    Air Force senior leaders visit Eielson AFB
                    
                    Air Force leaders focus on ACE during Kadena AB visit
                    
                    USAF senior leaders visit Mariana Islands on ACE tripInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Cope Tiger concludes in Thailand
                    
                    Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil