First Lieutenant Matthew Babcock, USMC, a flight student with VT-86 at NAS Pensacola, Fla., was standing watch as the squadron duty officer. A severe thunderstorm threatened the airfield, driving high winds across the flightline. While checking the security of the squadron's aircraft, 1 stLt. Babcock saw the rudder of a parked T-39G Sabreliner flapping in the wind. He recognized the aircraft's gustlock, a mechanism designed to protect the flight controls against damaging winds, was disengaged. Knowing the unrestrained deflection could damage the rudder, he immediately notified maintenance personnel. A mechanic was quickly dispatched to engage the lock.
展开▼
