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  • An F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter is one of the aircraft that could benefit from the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System, which is designed to prevent aircraft crashes. First USAS Pilot To Fly In AA-1 F-35 - Lt Col James "FLIPPER" Kromberg. (Photo by David Drais, Lockheed Martin)

    No More Aircraft Crashes? - Technology to save pilots' lives ready for take-off

    What began as a chance discovery in aviation research has evolved into a complex technology that helps save pilots' lives by preventing airplane crashes.The Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System, known as Auto-GCAS, is a software-based technology that has demonstrated a 98 percent effectiveness rate at eliminating aircraft crashes into the
  • Leaning back while 40 feet up a pole, Airman Basic Cody Seymour has to trust his harness to pass this acrophobia test at Lackland AFB, Texas. (photo by Tech. Sgt. Matthew Hannen)

    POLE POSITION - Fear of heights tested in 'Acrophobia 101'

    Sitting atop a 50-foot telephone pole, the black hawk fanned its feathers and spread his 5-foot wings in a menacing display. The bird of prey eyed the intruder who had advanced to within 10 feet of the hawk's perch. Reluctantly, the riled raptor relinquished his pole position and went to find another place to sunbathe.Its unwitting antagonist
  • Capt. Joseph Timberlake is seen through a mirror as he collects debris amongst the wreckage of a home Feb. 19 in Prattville, Ala. More than 65 Officer Training School basic officer trainees and 20 other Airmen assigned to Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., volunteered to help organize and clear debris from the city located 15 miles northwest of the base after the town was hit by a tornado. Latest estimates indicate that more than 150 home were destroyed and 760 homes were damaged in a series of storms with 150 mph winds. Of those homes, approximately 25 military homes were destroyed and 170 were damaged. Captain Timberlake is an Officer Training School instructor. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Scott Moorman)

    Lending a Hand - Maxwell Airmen assist city devastated by tornado

    Two days after a devastating tornado severely damaged or completely leveled 150 homes in Prattville, Ala., Feb. 17, more than 20 Maxwell Air Force Base Airmen teamed up with 66 Officer Training School trainees from the base Feb. 19 to help the community recover.The Enhanced Fujita Scale-3 tornado that swept through the city 15 miles northwest of
  • Tornadoes can occur almost anywhere in the world, but the United States is the country with the highest frequency of tornadoes. (Illustration by Sammie W. King)

    Nowhere to Run - Caught in a violent tornado, two Maxwell AFB families share their horrific tales

    A "monster" approached, and nobody could stop it.On Feb. 17, just after 3 p.m., a tornado with winds of more than 150 mph smacked the small town of Prattville, Ala., damaging some 900 homes and businesses, injuring 50 people and leaving a trail of destruction that would make the impact of a runaway freight train look like bumper cars in comparison.
  • A F-22 Rapter takes off at Tyndall AFB, Fla., the next stop for the four new fighter pilots. (Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Matthew Hannen)

    NEW BLOOD - First pilots with no previous fighter experience selected to fly Raptors

    Meet the "chosen ones."The first Air Force pilots selected to fly the F-22 Raptor without previous fighter experience entered the 63rd Fighter Squadron for the Raptor Lead-in Course Jan. 14 at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. The four pilots are 1st Lts. Austin Skelley, Ryan Shelhorse, Marcus McGinn and Dan Dickinson.Prior to arriving at Luke, the four
  • Strapping on his medical pack, independent-duty medical technician Tech Sgt. Jason Oldenburg readies to begin search and rescue training at a remote location. (Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Matthew Hannen)

    MOUNTAIN RESCUE - Helicopter crew recovers stranded Montana climber

    Members of the 36th Rescue Flight here rescued a stranded 20-year-old hiker Nov. 11 about 20 miles south of Missoula, Mont.Local emergency responders were unable to rescue the man because of the hazardous terrain; so a 36th RQF UH-1N Huey flew to the site and lowered an independent-duty medical technician 70 feet via hoist to the stranded hiker.The
  • Air Force independent-duty medical technicians from the 36th Rescue Flight at fairchild AFB, Wash., often get dropped off into austere locations when performing their search and rescue mission. (Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Matthew Hannen)

    AVALANCHE ANGELS - Airmen rescue injured hiker from treacherous mountain snow slide

    Staff Sgt. Jason Weiss smiled as he thought of Holly's long blonde hair, big blue eyes and farm girl charm. A year ago he'd asked her to marry him. He remembered proposing in the traditional fashion - on one knee, begging and pleading. Today, Dec. 4, they were to be wed in a small ceremony in Spokane, Wash.Only one problem. ... He wasn't going to
  • Winter is here and that means it is time to pull out the sweaters... and the sunscreen! Yes sunscreen. Outdoor fun activities such as skiing, ice skating and sledding can be fun, but it is important to protect your skin from the bitter cold, heavy winds and winer sun. (©RF/NOVA)

    WINTER FUN IN THE SUN

    Winter is here and that means it is time to pull out the sweaters ... and the sunscreen!Yes, sunscreen. Outdoor fun activities such as skiing, ice skating and sledding can be fun, but it is important to protect your skin from the bitter cold, heavy winds and winter sun. A 20-year-old Airman recently enjoyed a day of snow skiing. His jacket, hat and
  • After rushing him into surgery, Maj. Dr.) Crystine Lee and her team remove bacterially infected tissue from Staff Sg. Stephen Jones' leg. The sergeant developed necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating bacteria. while deployed to southwest asia. This type of infection is fatal if not treated immediately (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Sara Lanin)

    FLESH EATER

    Deployed to Southwest Asia to support the war on terrorism, Staff Sgt. Stephen Jones went to bed one night not feeling quite right. He felt tingling in his fingers and toes and had a high fever and chills.Two years later, Jones, a fuels journeyman from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., still credits reading his Airman's Manual and paying attention at
  • Aerial photographer Tech. Sgt. Matthew Hannen photographed this single-seat F-15C from Tyndall AFB, Fla., while flying in the back seat of an F-15D, the two-seat version of the aircraft. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Matthew Hannen)

    Fly Like an Eagle - Yankin' and bankin', a photojournalist gets the ride of his life

    My brains felt like they were going to explode inside my helmet as the F-15 Eagle corkscrewed through the atmosphere, dropping about 10,000 feet per minute on a collision course with the deep blue sea. Reaching speeds up to 510 mph, we pulled close to eight Gs - the gravitational forces placed on your body as the fighter aircraft yanks and banks.
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