AF T-6s to resume flying

ENID, Okla. - T-6 training aircraft will resume flight operations Feb. 28 at three Air Force training bases in Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas following a month-long probe into hypoxia-like incidents in the aircraft, according to an AF media release. The aircraft had been placed on an "operational pause" since Feb. 1 after several unexplained physiological events (UPEs) in late January at Columbus AFB, Miss.; Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma; and Sheppard AFB in Texas. The pause was directed by Maj. Gen. Patrick J. Doherty, commander of the 19th Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, to "examine the root causes” of the incidents and develop solutions. During the “pause”, the AF was required to provide an intrusive look at every component on each aircraft connected to the On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS), according to Doherty. The pause was being lifted after the investigative team determined the airplanes' OBOGS had deteriorated, affecting performance. “(It) became apparent the T-6 fleet was exhibiting symptoms indicative of a compromise of the integrity of the OBOGS, leading to degradations in performance, which then likely led to the pilots’ physiological events," Doherty said. While the final root cause of degradation hasn’t been determined, Doherty was confident the cause of the physiological incidents has been identified. (Source: Enid News & Eagle 02/27/18)