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WPAFB PARACHUTE TOUR

Updated: Jan 26, 2020

Parachute Museum Committee Members Tour 445th Parachute Fab Shop at WPAFB:


• Aviation Trail Parachute Museum Curator Randy Zuercher, along with museum committee members Ann Armstrong, Paul Woodruff, and Andrew Kididis, were treated to an enlightening tour of the 445th Parachute Fab Shop at Wright Patterson Air Force Base on Friday, January 17. They were hosted by Seth G. Ravert, TSgt, USAF, 445th OSS Aircrew Flight Equipment, Aircraft Support NCOIC.


• Sgt. Ravert introduced them to the newest B30 rigs soon to replace the B22s, along with the 200lb. floatation devices (holding 46 men each) that go in the C-17s on the base. The group also learned how all this equipment is serviced and repaired, from Automatic Activation Device to Beacon locator to Oxygen canister and even G-suits for the pilots.


• In the words of curator Zuercher, “ Wow, fastest 1-1/2 hours ever. Can't wait to come

back and do some rigging and to get on a C-17”. He expressed thanks on behalf of the Parachute Museum to Paul Woodruff and Sgt. Ravert for arranging the tour.

Photo captions:

Main photo at top – left to right: TSgt. Seth Ravert, Randy Zuercher, Andrew Kididis, Paul Woodruff

Lower three photos

• display of flotation equipment

• Paul Woodruff watches Sgt. Ravert explain the B22 training rig.

• Tsgt. Seth Ravert


Photos courtesy of Ann Armstrong


see the Aviation Trail Parachute Museum page: CLICK HERE

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Location

Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park 

16 S. Williams St., Dayton, OH 45402

Visitor Center:

For details and seasonal date schedules see https://www.nps.gov/daav/planyourvisit/hours.htm

or please call (937) 225-7705 for the current park schedule.

Parking:

From W. Third St., turn south on Williams St and then turn left on Fourth St. Go 1/2 block and turn left into the Visitor Center parking area.

CLICK HERE for a parking map.

See the Visitor Center page for details on hours and for a map.

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*The Parachute Museum archives were considered as perhaps the world's largest  private parachute collection when assessed by experts from WPFB and the Smithsonian Institute.  

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