AIR CREW FLIGHT EQUIPMENT CAREER FIELD U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet AIR CREW FLIGHT EQUIPMENT CAREER FIELD The Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFE) field encompasses functions that enhance aircrew performance through the proper equipment integration of the human and the aircraft. Aircrew Flight Equipment personnel issue, fit, repair, and maintain human-side flight equipment such as parachutes, helmets, oxygen equipment, anti-gravity garments, anti-exposure suits, aircrew ocular devices, survival kits, life preservers, rafts, electronic communications, helmet mounted weapons integration devices, and aircrew Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) equipment. Personnel also instruct aircrew on the proper use and care of aircrew flight equipment under normal, contingency, and CBRN operations. Additionally, this career field maintains, and sets up aircrew contamination control areas (ACCA), and processes aircrew through the ACCA. 1. Specialty Summary. Manages, performs, and schedules inspections, maintenance, and adjustments of assigned aircrew flight equipment (AFE), aircrew chemical defense equipment (ACDE), and associated supplies, and inventories assets. Prepares, maintains, and monitors AFE operations. Disassembles, assembles, inspects, fabricates, cleans, repairs, and packs aerospace weapon system components such as protective clothing, flotation equipment, emergency evacuation systems, and parachutes. Schedules, supervises, and conducts aircrew chemical defense and aircrew continuation training. Prepares for response to use of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons contamination and supervises and conducts contamination control area processing. Related DoD Occupational Subgroup: 186000. 2. Duties and Responsibilities: 2.1. Inspects, maintains, packs and adjusts aircrew flight equipment such as flight helmets, oxygen masks, parachutes, flotation devices, survival kits, helmet mounted devices, aircrew night vision and other ocular systems, anti-G garments, aircrew eye and respiratory protective equipment, chemical biological protective oxygen masks and coveralls, and other types of AFE and aircrew chemical defense systems. Repairs fabric and rubber components, including protective clothing, thermal radiation barriers, flotation equipment, and various parachutes. Evaluates problems and determines feasibility of repair or replacement related to inspecting and repairing fabric, rubber equipment, and parachutes. Evaluates work orders for fabrication of authorized items. 2.2. Installs and removes aircraft-installed AFE. Uses various types of test equipment such as altimeters, oxygen testers, leakage testers, radio testers, and other types of testers to conduct reliability testing on AFE and ACDE. Maintains inspection and accountability documentation on AFE issued to aircrews or prepositioned on aircraft. 2.3. Operates, maintains, and inspects AFE machinery, test equipment, and tools. Performs operator maintenance and service inspections on shop equipment. Stores, handles, uses, and disposes of hazardous waste and materials based on environmental standards. 2.4. Controls, issues, and safeguards aircrew side arms, and ammunition. Maintains applicable weapons qualification. Operates aircrew armories and inspects aircrew side arms as required. Ensures proper safety procedures are followed. 2.5. Requisitions, stores, forecasts, handles, and transports ammunition, aircrew survival pyrotechnic devices, and other explosives such as releases, cutters, and signaling devices. 2.6. Conducts aircrew continuation training; instructs aircrews on equipment use, operation, and capabilities. Conducts aircrew chemical defense equipment training; instructs aircrew on ACDE donning, doffing, and decontaminating procedures. Provides or assists in training aircrew techniques such as evasion procedures, emergency egress, post ejection/bailout descent procedures, combat survival procedures, environmental hazards, and other survival actions. 2.7. Plans, directs, organizes, and evaluates AFE operational aspects such as equipment accountability, personnel reliability, mobility readiness, and other activities necessary to meet operational readiness. Maintains associated databases to ensure equipment accountability. Establishes performance standards, improves work methods, and advises on inspection, repair, and repack of aircrew flight equipment. Ensures serviceability based on required specifications and technical publications. Evaluates problems and determines feasibility of repair or replacement related to inspecting and repairing fabric, rubber equipment, and parachutes. 2.8. Prepares checklists and operating instructions for AFE activities. Develops lesson plan for aircrew training, safety, and other required programs. Assigns, trains, and prepares AFE personnel for deployment. Procures, maintains, stores, and prepares equipment for deployment. Inputs, maintains, and reviews data for status of resources and training system (SORTS). Determines facilities, funding, and mobility of AFE assets to support unit taskings. Develops and submits budget requirements. Requisitions AFE and supplies. Maintains custodial files for accounts such as supply and equipment, munitions, and test, measurement and diagnostic equipment. Obtains assistance from other agencies to support AFE. 2.9. Manages unit and staff agency AFE programs. Provides unit and staff agency assistance to subordinate units to ensure AFE planning and training have been accomplished, and AFE directives are being followed. Analyzes training and deficiencies preventing accomplishment of wartime tasks. Conducts quality assurance inspections to ensure compliance with policies and directives. Identifies and documents equipment and personnel training discrepancies and recommends corrective action. Evaluates and critiques AFE instructors' effectiveness, and ensures presentations are accurate and current. Advises and assists agencies whose functions affect AFE activities. Evaluates data involving equipment development and sustainment and resolves AFE problems. Conducts aircraft mishap safety investigations and analysis where AFE involved. 2.10. Establishes, coordinates, and distributes exposure and contamination control procedures. Monitors associated requirements and procedures. Ensures assigned personnel take safety precautions. Prepares wartime and contingency response plans. Coordinates actions to ensure prompt response to enable and sustain operations in a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear environment with minimal degradation of combat capability. Coordinates actions to continue or restore vital functions and operations. Prepares AFE annexes, appendices, supplements, and other supporting documents to support operations plans. Serves in survival recovery center; advises leadership on mission impact and recovery activities following an attack; coordinates aircrew contamination control area requirements. Supervises contamination control operations teams. 3. Specialty Qualifications: 3.1. Knowledge. Knowledge is mandatory of: AFE inspection and maintenance procedures; parachute construction; temperature and humidity affects on parachutes and other fabrics; characteristics of rubberized items; solvent, heat, and pressure affects on rubber; proper handling, use, and disposal of hazardous waste, materials, and pyrotechnics; aircrew flight and chemical defense equipment inspections, fitting, and maintenance procedures; supply procedures; principles of contamination control; related technical information, policies, procedures, techniques, and equipment; contingency planning, training, operations, equipment supply procedures, directives and policy; and conducting aircrew continuation and aircrew chemical defense training. 3.2. Education. For entry into this specialty, completion of high school with courses in speech, general science, shop mechanics, and basic computer applications is desirable. 3.3. Training. Completion of a basic AFE apprentice course is mandatory for award of AFSC 1P031. 3.4. Experience. The following experience is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated: 3.4.1. 1P051. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 1P031 as well as experience in equipment inspections, and instructing aircrews in continuation training and aircrew chemical defense procedures. 3.4.2. 1P071. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 1P051. Also, experience supervising and performing functions such as inspections, quality assurance, specialist training programs, and aircrew instruction. 3.4.3. 1P091. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 1P071. Also, experience managing and directing AFE operations and training functions as well as evaluating, planning, and organizing AFE readiness activities 3.5. Other. The following qualifications are mandatory as indicated. 3.5.1. For entry into this specialty: 3.5.1.1. Qualification to operate a government vehicle according to AFI 24-301, Vehicle Operations. 3.5.1.3. Normal color vision as defined in AFI 48-123, Medical Examinations, and Standards. 3.5.2. For entry, award, and retention of this specialty: 3.5.2.1. Ability to speak clearly and distinctly. 3.5.2.2. Visual acuity correctable to 20/20. 3.5.2.3. No record of claustrophobia or claustrophobic tendencies. 3.5.2.4. Specialty requires routine access to Secret material or similar environment. For award and retention of AFSCs 1P0XX, completion of a current National Agency Check, Local Agency Checks and Credit (NACLC) according to AFI 31 501, Personnel Security Program Management. NOTE: Award of the 3-skill level without a completed NACLC is authorized provided an interim security clearance has been granted according to AFI 31-501.