Airmen at Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan, have been employing a trained Lugar falcon named Mustang for about the past year to scare away other birds near the base that pose a danger to aircraft operations. “It’s very effective,” said Capt. Derek Rhinesmith, of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing’s safety division. It is also the first-of-its-kind measure in Southwest Asia, according to base personnel. Mustang is released at daybreak and dusk hours to help clear the airspace around the base for the aircraft launching and returning from missions in support of operations in Afghanistan. He is used in combination with other measures like gas canisters and pyrotechnics to disperse the birds. (Manas report by TSgt. Jerome Baysmore)
Air Force Changes Rules for Pregnant Aircrew—Again
April 3, 2025
The Air Force is changing its policy for pregnant aircrew, generally reverting to rules set in 2019 that barred female aviators from flying during the first trimester—or from flying in aircraft with ejection seats at all—due to potential risks to the pilot and her unborn fetus.