WEBVTT

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- [Travis] I am Staff Sgt. Travis Alton.

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I am an Aerial Delivery Rigger

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at Little Rock Air Force Base.

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I'd like to address a problem

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in our aerial delivery community.

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A problem that is widely
known and may seem minor

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but is still yet to be fixed.

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For years we've had to settle
for a 98% reliability rate

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of heavy equipment air drops.

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This may still sound like an
extremely reliable system,

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which it is.

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However, that 2% still accounts
for millions of dollars

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annually in destroyed assets.

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The problem is a mid-air release

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of the cargo parachutes

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once the aerial delivery assets
have exited the air craft.

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So I'm requesting the
ability and top down support

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to extensively test this idea

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to at the end of the day,

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totally eliminate these
catastrophic failures.

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The solution, The Alton Block.

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A simple piece of plastic

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that prevents the release mechanism

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from prematurely dropping
in the critical window

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of extraction and parachute deployment.

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After the completion of these phases,

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the Alton Block breaks away
and allows the release function

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to operate as it was designed.

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It simply functions as a fail safe.

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Currently, it costs $31.59 each drop

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to utilize this M1
parachute release system.

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Let's say we add the
Alton Block to every drop.

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That only increases the cost $5 to $10

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depending on the manufacturer,

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while eliminating malfunctions

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caused by this faulty timing mechanism.

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The Alton Block has been designed

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for the M1 device used for loads

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ranging from 200 to 15000 pounds.

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But there is also an M2 device

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that utilizes this very same
faulty timing mechanism.

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The M2 is used in the
high value, heavy loads

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ranging from 6000 to 42000 pounds.

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The Alton Block fits,

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and has been function tested with the M2.

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However, testing will not be started

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until the Alton Block has
been perfected with the M1.

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By implementing this fail-safe

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we can retain our current
inventory of M1 devices

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and continue the affordable
way of aerial delivery training

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while completely removing
the cost of destroyed assets.

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The Alton Block is a win-win.

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It has the capability of
saving millions in damages

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and millions over time

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by utilizing a tried-and-true
method of aerial delivery.

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More importantly, it will prove

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to be a vital piece of the puzzle

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in the sustainment and forward momentum

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on the battle field that
directly affects the war fighter.