Pull in case of emergency: Airmen pack parachutes to save lives

Staff Sgt Christopher Cotnoir, a 19th Operations Support Squadron member, retrieves a parachute backpack to inspect Feb. 18. Technicians inspect parachutes every 180 days to ensure they are within safety compliance standards. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ethan Morgan)

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Pull in case of emergency: Airmen pack parachutes to save lives

Airman 1st Class Daniel Reaves, a 19th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment apprentice, stows suspension lines which are attached to the canopy and allow it to deploy smoothly, into a quarter deployment bag used to store the parachute lines and canopy. The bag helps to keep the parachute lines untangled during deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ethan Morgan)

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Pull in case of emergency: Airmen pack parachutes to save lives

Senior Airman Joshua Peninger, a 19th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment journeyman, inspects a parachute canopy for holes, rips, tears, dirt and other hazards. When inspected on a regular basis, a parachute has about a 13-year lifespan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ethan Morgan)

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Pull in case of emergency: Airmen pack parachutes to save lives

Airman 1st Class Daniel Reaves, a 19th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment apprentice, stows suspension lines which are attached to the canopy, allowing it to deploy smoothly into a quarter deployment bag used to store the parachute lines and canopy. The bag is one of many pieces of equipment that ensure the safety of the individual during the deployment of a parachute. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ethan Morgan)

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Pull in case of emergency: Airmen pack parachutes to save lives

Airman 1st Class Ryan Hruska, a 19th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment apprentice, attaches release springs which control the locking mechanism and hold the parachute pack tight onto a locking loop attached to the parachute pack. Each parachute takes roughly three hours to pack. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ethan Morgan)

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Pull in case of emergency: Airmen pack parachutes to save lives

Airman 1st Class Daniel Reaves, a 19th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment apprentice, uses a Scot Tester to quality control check a Scot Release, used to deploy a parachute automatically between 15,000 and 13,000 feet in case of emergency. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ethan Morgan)

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Pull in case of emergency: Airmen pack parachutes to save lives

Senior Airman Joshua Peninger, a 19th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment journeyman, tests the suspension lines of a parachute for any tangles before stowing it into a quarter deployment bag. The bag is one of many pieces of equipment that ensure the safety of the individual during the deployment of a parachute. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ethan Morgan)

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Pull in case of emergency: Airmen pack parachutes to save lives

Airman 1st Class Daniel Reaves, a 19th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment apprentice, secures connecter links to the parachute harness for the canopy lines. This is one of the 150 necessary steps that are required while properly inspecting and packing a parachute. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ethan Morgan)

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Pull in case of emergency: Airmen pack parachutes to save lives

Published Feb. 23, 2010