Group 2 SAREX Planning BEST PRACTICES GUIDE SAREX PLANNING FOR GROUP 2. Latest Update: 18 May 2007 Contacts: Kevin McDowell Dave Baran 7/22/2012 1

Transcription

1 BEST PRACTICES GUIDE SAREX PLANNING FOR GROUP 2 Latest Update: 18 May 2007 Contacts: Kevin McDowell Dave Baran 7/22/2012 1

2 Table of Contents 1 Objective Introduction Stage 1: Develop the Operations Plan Where When What It Will Cover Who Will Run It How Large It Will Be Completing the Ops Plan Stage 2: Plan the SAREX Publicity Crew Assignments Tasking Communication Plan Plan for Paperwork Preparation Prepare the Morning Briefing Base Staff Communication Stage 3: Executing the SAREX Stage 4: After the SAREX Appendix A - Training Summary Appendix B - Training Syllabi Mission Scanner Mission Observer Mission Pilot Mission Radio Operator Appendix C- What to Bring Mission Scanner Mission Observer Mission Pilot Mission Radio Operator Appendix D - Planning Considerations for Group 2 Airports Concord (CCR) Oakland International Airport (OAK) Palo Alto (PAO) Reid Hillview (RHV) /22/2012 2

3 1 Objective To ensure that Group 2 has a trained and effective pool of resources to call on in emergencies, we have decided to adopt a standardized approach to planning and executing regular training Search and Rescue Exercises (SAREXes). This document explains how the process should work and provide guidance as to how to make the exercises safe, effective, and enjoyable for the participants. There are many templates and other documents that are mentioned here. These can be downloaded in editable form from the SAREX website, In terms of timing, it takes about 60 days of lead time to hold an effective SAREX. It is possible to do it with a bit less, but there are some firm requirements for Ops Plan approval: the ops plan must be approved at least 30 days before the SAREX to allow review at the Wing, State Director, and CAP-USAF Region levels. The spreadsheet SAREX Planning Timeline allows you to enter the desired SAREX date and then provides the intermediate milestone dates so you can be sure that you are on track for each of the major tasks leading up to the SAREX. 2 Introduction There are four stages of planning and executing a SAREX. In the first stage, a standard CAWG Operation Plan (OP Plan) is developed. This plan outlines at a high level what the purpose of the exercise is, when and where it will be held, and which individuals will be responsible for ensuring that the training meetings CAP and Air Force requirements. This Ops Plan is then submitted for approval. In the second stage, detailed planning is conducted to ensure that the actual exercise will go smoothly. The objective is to plan in sufficient detail that the actual exercise is executed from the plan, rather than being improvised as the day goes along. With any real world operation, weather and other factors will produce a need for creative thinking on the day of the exercise - but the goal is to minimize the amount of last minute creativity by establishing a solid plan beforehand. In the third stage, the exercise itself is conducted. This can range from a single day up to a week long exercise, depending on the training objectives. 7/22/2012 1

4 The final stage produces the required reports for CAWG and the Air Force, and ensures that expense reimbursements will occur in the most expeditious fashion for the participants. 3 Stage 1: Develop the Operations Plan The first stage of the SAREX planning is to determine: 1. Where it will be held 2. When 3. What it will cover 4. Who will run it 5. How large it will be 3.1 Where Although the airport where a squadron is based is a logical starting point, it can be useful to hold SAREXes at other airports in the Group 2 area to ensure that there is a shared understanding and competence at setting up ad hoc mission bases should the need arise. Some possible locations would include the Livermore, Byron, or South County Airports. In terms of planning, thinking about the weather is critical. During the summer months, airports close to the Pacific Ocean are prone to a fog layer in the morning. This includes Watsonville, Monterey, Marina, and to some extent Oakland. Concord is usually fog free in the summer. Palo Alto and airports to the south in the Santa Clara valley are generally usable during the summer. During the winter, Concord can suffer from valley ground fog for days or weeks at a time, but the other airports are generally fine. In terms of facilities, there needs to be a building near the airplanes. While it is possible to have a mission base that isn t near the flight line, it has a tendency to slow down the pace of operations as crews move between the base and the airplanes. The building needs to have the following: Restrooms Briefing area (large enough to hold all of the SAREX participants at once) Internet access if possible (required for SAREXes that offer SDIS training) Separate rooms or areas for: o IC o Air Ops o Communications 7/22/2012 2

5 3.2 When On a Saturday is a good starting point. SAREXes are traditionally held on Saturdays. In the past, two day SAREXes can provide an opportunity to those who have conflicts with other activities, and funded form 5 s or 91 s are generally done on Sundays when the demand for aircraft is lower. Starting with the current Group calendar is essential to avoid conflicts with other activities. Be sure to find out when the Imperial weekends are. During a Group 2 weekend, two of the three aircraft are sent to Imperial. On a Group 5 weekend, one of the three aircraft will be gone. It is best to avoid these weekends. Another activity to schedule around are planned cadet orientation flight days. The Wing calendar also should be consulted to avoid scheduling conflicts with other activities such as: Wing or Region-wide SAR training activities Check pilot schools Aircraft inspections Holiday weekends tend to pose problems, and should be avoided if possible. When establishing a date, it is a good idea to figure out when the rain date will be. Bad weather generally doesn t run for more than a week in the Bay Area, so setting a date one week later and communicating this up front helps everyone plan their schedule so that they can participate even if the planned weekend has a weather problem. 3.3 What It Will Cover A typical SAREX will offer training in the following areas: Urban Direction Finding Mission Scanner Mission Observer Mission Pilot Mission Radio Operator Base Staff Although these are the most common specialties, it would be very beneficial to CAP to develop operations plans to incorporate other critical but less common specialties. Recently, Information Officer training is appearing more frequently. But there are other underrepresented specialties that could be worked into the overall plan, such as: 7/22/2012 3

6 Flight line marshallers and supervisors Mission Chaplains Ground team 3.4 Who Will Run It One of the requirements to get an operations plan approved is for Wing to understand that qualified people will be conducting the training. Specifically, the operations plan will need to include information as to who will be filling the following positions: IC Safety Officer Standards for the individual specialty areas Past experience suggests that it is best to list specific individuals in the ops plan instead of To Be Determined. If there are TBDs, the plan will be held at the Wing level until the people have been identified. The best practice here is to determine who can and will be available, and include these names in the initial ops plan. If the people need to be replaced later due to scheduling conflicts, it is not a big problem to do so. Another critical position is that of Project Officer. This person will be responsible for ensuring that everything is set up, and that the SAREX goes well. 3.5 How Large It Will Be For small SAREXes (one airplane), consider using an approach that does not involve staffing a full mission base. For example, remote launched sorties can be done where the IC is at a remote location (home) and can monitor the progress of the aircraft via a local repeater. With more than two airplanes involved, it becomes necessary to open a mission base. Concord s SAREX had 6 airplanes, one IC, one air ops trainee, and a safety/communications unit leader. This is about the maximum that a small group of people can handle. Some guidelines to think about: 7/22/2012 4

7 1. Do you have sufficient aircraft parking? At several points during the day, you ll have all of the aircraft back on the ground, and it is best if they are all close together and close to the mission base. 2. Do you have sufficient standards to do the training? Think about how many standards you have for each specialty. If you ve only got one ground team leader, you ll have a maximum of one ground team and probably 3-4 trainees. 3. How many people are you expecting? If your SAREX is the first one in a long time, you will wind up with a lot more people. 4. What will be the mix of airplanes available? The tasking and scheduling of trainees will depend on seats available in the aircraft Cessna 182: 3 people i. Mission Pilot + observer/scanner + scanner ii. Mission Pilot Trainee + mission pilot + scanner Cessna 206: 4 people i. Mission Pilot + observer/scanner + scanner + scanner ii. Mission Pilot Trainee + mission pilot + scanner + scanner If you are using a glass cockpit airplane (C182 Nav III), you will need to ensure that you have mentors that understand that airplane. While the pilot has proven his competence on the PFD side of the plane during his form 5, most mentors will not be used to the Garmin 1000 system and can have a lot of trouble figuring out where things are. Your best bet is to pair the trainee in the Nav III airplane with a mentor pilot with a Nav III rating, or someone with Garmin 430/530 experience. As an alternative, the G1000 manuals are available on Garmin s web site, and these should be reviewed beforehand by people who aren t familiar with it. For planning, assume that you can get one inbound (from as far as Redding), two sorties, and one outbound flight per airplane. Three sorties sounds good, but has not been achievable. If it is winter, you may have to make the sorties short (1.5 hours) to ensure that the crews can get home before dark - there aren t as many night current pilots as one would expect. (As a general rule, if there is an observer trainee, they should be in the front seat where they can work the radios and GPS) For UDF teams, figure 3-4 trainees per UDF standard (and vehicle) as the maximum. 7/22/2012 5

8 Once you have determined the number and type of aircraft, vehicles, and people involved, you can work up the estimated budget for the SAREX. The worksheet SAREX Cost Estimate can be used as a guideline. Don t forget to check the fuel price at the airport you are using and that you are using the correct hourly rate for the aircraft as specified in CAPR One question that comes up is the use of member-owned aircraft. This is possible, but ONLY if (a) there is an appropriate hold harmless agreement on file with the State Director AND (b) the aircraft tail number is listed in the ops plan. It is possible to get member owned aircraft added at the last minute (for example, if a planned corporate aircraft becomes unavailable), but it is not something that you should do unless critically necessary. A secondary complication with member-owned aircraft is that they generally lack CAP radios. If you have them up, the base needs to be able to monitor the appropriate ARINC frequency, or other aircrews need to monitor the frequency and relay the information back to the base on the CAP radio. 3.6 Completing the Ops Plan The California Wing Ops Plan Template can be downloaded from Although the document is largely self-explanatory, there are several areas where the following guidance may be useful. The summary should clearly describe the objectives and a high-level description of the scope. An example of an acceptable Exercise Summary is: Group 2 and Squadron are requesting funding to host a medium-scale SAREX. The purpose of this SAREX is to increase cadet involvement in UDF and MRO functions and to qualify additional mission pilots and scanners. We plan on utilizing up to 5 aircraft (corporate aircraft only) and 2 UDF teams. Operations will be based out of the X Airport. Backup date (for weather) will be one week later For the training objective, it is often a good idea to include a more detailed document explaining what will be taught and how (Appendix A contains an example) Examples of documents can be found on the SAREX web site at which includes the following three files: 7/22/2012 6

9 YYYY-MM-DD Training Summary details the training objectives for each areas (UDF, MP, MS, Obs, etc) YYYY-MM-DD Sarex Cost Estimate estimated budget for the SAREX. In the budget, there should be a tab for the individual routes to ensure that planned routes would meet the training objectives. YYYY-MM-DD <loc> SAREX Ops Plan as submitted to Group and Wing for approval. Be sure to identify the CAP goals of the exercise Once the Ops Plan has been prepared and approved by the hosting Squadron, it needs to be reviewed and approved at the Group level. The plan should be sent to the Group Operations Officer, Group ES officer, and the IC that will be running the exercise. After approval, Group enters it into WMIRS for CAWG approval. The Ops Plan can be put into WMIRS 60 days before the event, but MUST be in the system at least 30 days before the event. 4 Stage 2: Plan the SAREX The best practice is to have the entire SAREX figured out long before it occurs. 4.1 Publicity The first task to get started on is publicizing the SAREX. Set a registration deadline at least a week before the activity date. Send out a signup form that requests at least the following information: CAPID Name Contact phone number (cell phone is best - some way to contact the people if something goes astray the morning of the SAREX like bad weather) What specialty they want to be trained for What specific SQTR objectives they need to cover Which corporate aircraft they will bring For aircrew - get a gross weight number for each participant. You don t want to pair a 270 pound pilot with a pair of 350 pound scanners in a 182. It is absolutely critical to specify the minimum qualifications that the trainees need to have, as well as what they are expected to bring. Although it may be obvious to experienced CAP members, there are far too many occurrences of trainees showing up at SAREXes with problems of this nature: 7/22/2012 7

10 No current GES rating (the test was changed, and they haven t taken the new one) Not meeting the prerequisites (i.e., observer trainee who is not a scanner) Familiarization and preparatory requirements not completed, and no arrangements made before the SAREX to get these taken care of. Having to go through the UDF basics (that could be accomplished via the CAWG online test) has the potential to delay a UDF training team from departing for at least an hour. Appendix C includes lists for each of the common ES specialties as to what trainees are expected to bring with them. It is a very good idea to communicate this information to them when they sign up, and about a week before the exercise. Also, encourage everyone to bring a digital camera - photo recon is a big part of CAP s activities these days, so it is very useful to get people used to doing it, even if they are not specifically tasked to do it. Collecting the information over works well, but an automated signup system makes it even easier. 4.2 Crew Assignments As the training requests come in, start working on crew assignments. You aren t necessarily trying to figure out exactly who will be in each plane, but it very helpful to know that you ve got 2 mission pilot standards and 40 scanner trainees signed up early so you can work on fixing the problem. If you wind up with a great excess of scanners, the 206 is your best friend for getting them through the process. Observer training can be a challenge, as the observer needs to be in the right front seat. This precludes training a mission pilot on the same flight (MP-T in the left, MP-S in the right seat). The YYYY-MM-DD Sarex Participation spreadsheet can be used to track who has signed up, and where they are assigned. A good rule to remember is that everything is a draft subject to change until the plane leaves the ground. 4.3 Tasking Another important planning component is to figure out the tasking. If there are a lot of crews needing ELT training, you ll want to have multiple training ELTs set out. Although the traditional pattern involves miles between the practice 7/22/2012 8

11 ELTs, it can be very useful to put them closer together. This provides a more challenging training environment for crews - if they are too high, they ll wind up with a confused signal. This is a real world situation that has occurred, and the best way to get crews proficient in it is by training. Think about the airspace over the potential site in placing ELTs - one in Foster City may be fine for a ground team, but is not going to work if an airplane is involved due to the proximity of SFO. Try to come up with AT LEAST one route per aircraft planned for the SAREX. For example, if you have six aircraft, you ll need to have six tasks to send them on as they will all wind up in the air at some point. The targets/search areas should be widely enough spaced out so that the airplanes aren t crossing close-in areas occupied by other CAP airplanes on their way to their assigned area. Having more alternatives to choose from makes things easier on the day of the SAREX. A particular area may become unusable due to weather or something unforeseen such as a brush fire. If this possibility has been considered beforehand and you are prepared, the actual day will go much more smoothly. Finding search areas with known wreckage is particularly useful. In addition to the element of surprise for a crew that finds something, it provides a good indication of how well the scanners are actually doing their job. When establishing aircrew tasks, they tend to fall into one of three categories: ELT (electronic search) Area search (grid or contour) Photo recon of a route or specific sites A good way to challenge the crew is to include non-standard or non-briefed elements as part of the task. One example is multiple practice ELTs deliberately placed to conflict with each other. A second example is combining an area search or photo recon activity but ensuring that the crew flies over an unbriefed practice ELT. If ground personnel are available, it can be very educational to position them near a practice ELT armed with a signal mirror (or CD). The aircrew may be able to localize the transmitter, but did they notice that there were people trying to signal to them? When placing practice ELTs, here are some ideas that have worked well: Locked car at a site near an airport. The scenario should read something like The aircrew flew over the airport, heard the ELT, but couldn t land because the airport was below IFR minimums. Crews often go nuts running all over the airport while neglecting the possibility that there could 7/22/2012 9

12 be a crash just off the end of the runway. In a marina with lots of sailboat masts. On a moving boat - if you have a friend who goes out on the Bay in an area outside of the SFO airspace, this can be a great challenge. In a metal hangar - in a row of hangars. Have the UDF team figure out which hangar. In a parked airplane, with practice ELT concealed inside of the airplane and connected to the airplane s standard ELT antenna. Crews often look for the practice ELT rather than checking the actual signal (needs the cooperation of an aircraft owner) Another concept which has been used successfully is a mid-sortie landing at an alternate airport to allow the scanner and observer to swap positions. This helps ensure that the scanner gets experience using the radios to become proficient as required by the scanner SQTR. For sorties to more distant locations, have a closer airplane tasked to act as a radio relay - a practice highbird. Ground team activities will ideally be coordinated with aircrew sorties so that the aircrew can experience the challenge of steering a ground crew. The AFRCC list provides a good starting point - it can be downloaded from Send crews to grids with recent wrecks and see if they find them - if the wreckage is still visible, that is a good grid for future crews to use. Crews learn best if there is a story behind the exercise. The document YYYY- MM-DD <loc> Sarex Scenarios.doc - lays out example scenarios, and provides information that the crews should use in planning how they will search the assigned area. The way it is written, it is very easy to pull out specific pages and provide them to the aircrews as the "tasking". They can then take the information with them in the plane. The teacher's answer key is also included - we knew exactly where the ELTs were, which makes it very easy during the debrief to be able to tell the crew just how good they were. As a guideline, all of the aircrews - including trainees - were within 0.25 mile of the actual target with their air reported coordinates. At the same time, think about what you can do if the weather does not cooperate on the SAREX day. If it is fog from the ocean, can you send the crews east to a 7/22/

13 fog free area? Do you have some backup grids that are near where the airplanes are coming from? If the SAREX airport is the problem, be ready to remote launch crews to the sorties if the search areas are clear. Remote launching can work very well, but some words of advice: Get the cell phone number of at least one member of each crew beforehand. Call the crews at least once an hour to give them an update until you launch them. Otherwise, they wander off and can take a long time to get airborne. Consider changing the Air Ops function to have individuals manage one or more airplanes rather than having tasks assigned by function. One person briefs the crew, tracks the crew, debriefs the crew while another person works with a different crew. Make sure that the crew completes a debrief - at a remote base, there is a tendency for them to not complete the debrief. 4.4 Communication Plan Recent SAREXes have had trouble with communications. As part of the tasking preparation, give some thought to how crews will be able to communicate: Which repeater should be used for each route? Can the crew find the appropriate channel in their plane s radio? Is the chosen repeater functional? Is the chosen repeater on the same frequency as the base radio? Communications at the base are often an issue, particularly if the base is not regularly used for SAR activities. Be sure to get the fly-away kit and ensure it is working beforehand. Also, some units tend to have more communications personnel than others - be sure to encourage their active participation. Internet communications can work well within the base, or between bases. Use of Skype or any instant messenger (Yahoo is common among CAP members) can be a very effective way to communicate. In an emergency, an SDIS airplane can send messages back and forth if unable to communicate in any other way. However, be aware that this incurs a cost of about $0.60/minute, so it shouldn t be used for routine situations. 4.5 Plan for Paperwork Preparation 7/22/

14 As you go through the actual exercise, you will most likely be amazed by the amount of paperwork that is generated. In the interest of avoiding last minute surprises, it is best to ensure that you have the following items on hand: CAPF 71 - Aircraft Inspection Checklist (at least one per aircraft) All aircraft used for a SAREX must be inspected once they arrive at the mission base. This can take minutes per aircraft. As performing an aircraft inspection is a Mission Pilot training requirement, figure out which mission pilot trainees will be available, and assign them to inspect a different aircraft than the one that they arrived in. CAPF 73 - Vehicle Inspection Guide (at least one per corporate vehicle) UDF trainees have a vehicle inspection requirement on their SQTR - be sure that they are assigned to complete the vehicle inspection CAPF Mission Flight Plan/Briefing Form You will need one form per sortie per aircraft. For aircraft which fly in from somewhere else, you will need an additional 2 forms (one for the inbound flight, and one for the outbound flight). The standard National form lacks much of the information necessary to effectively conduct air operations, but the Air Operations Branch Director (AOBD) should have either the old CAWG form (which is better) or a different, more effective supplemental form. CAPF Flight Operations Log One or two copies are fine; this is a rarely used paper backup. ICS Incident Check-In List ICS Unit Log These are standard ICS forms which are generally not used because the IMU software is capable of generating them itself. However, it is a good idea to have blank forms available as a backup should IMU cease to function at a critical time. Seven Folders The standard Air/Ground Operations method for managing paperwork is to have seven file folders labeled as follows. There should be a place for these folders to reside where both aircrews/ground teams and Operations can access them easily. The AOBD will generally have a set of folders with him. 1 - INBOUND 2 - READY FOR ASSIGNMENT 7/22/

15 3 - READY FOR BRIEFING 4 - ON SORTIE 5 - READY FOR DEBRIEFING 6 - OUTBOUND 7 - CLOSED SQTRs (Specialty Qualification Training Records) SQTRs are the sheets that are used to record completed training. Each participant is responsible for bringing their SQTR with them. However, it is very often forgotten, particularly for the entry level specialties where new members are involved. It is a good idea to keep a stack of blank forms (which can be printed from As a minimum, you should have a bunch of them available for the common specialties (Scanner, Observer, Mission Pilot, UDF, Mission Radio Operator) and probably one or two copies of the other ones in the event that someone gets tasked to work in Planning and hadn t thought to print out a SQTR for it. If possible, it would be useful to have a copy of the Task Guide for Aircrew and UDF teams. This can be used as a reference if there are any questions as to what is included in the tasks. These can be found at: (UDF) 11Apr05.pdf (Aircrew) CAPF 108 This is the standard CAP expense reimbursement form. It is best to download this right before the SAREX as it is a frequently revised form. The current link to the National form is: Prepare the Morning Briefing It is never too early to start preparing the briefing that will kick off the SAREX. This briefing needs to cover at least the following 1. Sign in (where and how) 2. Schedule for the SAREX 3. Airport Information (frequencies and phone numbers for AWOS/ASOS/ATIS weather) 4. Fuel arrangements, including fuel discounts available if any 7/22/

16 5. Food situation ( Taco Bell at the airport entrance or There s a bag of Purina Pilot Chow outside ) 6. Introductions of who the key people are (so participants know who to ask questions of) 7. Mission number 8. Mission base contact info (phone #s, cell phone #s, and radio information) 9. Practice ELT frequency in use 10. Location of restrooms 11. Form 108 information - deadline and where they need to be sent 12. OPSEC considerations (do not name repeaters or frequencies on the air) 13. Expectations on radio calls (engine start, when ops normals are, what to do if you can t get through with your ops normal) 14. Recall instructions and Real World retasking 15. Air Ops Briefing - how Air Ops will be working to get everyone through 16. Safety 17. Requirement for Standards/Mentors to validate 101T cards, etc. of participants before departing An example of a morning SAREX briefing is available from: 27%20SAREX%20Brief%20rev%201.ppt Additional info can also be found at: Guide1.pdf 4.7 Base Staff One challenge for every SAREX is IMU. As of early 2007, it is best to keep track of everything on paper, and enter it into IMU later. For an Air Ops challenge, see if the F104 can be done using IMU. Try to ensure that all positions are briefed well before the SAREX as to their duties, and who will be the assistants for each role. Consider having a professional development type person available that can help coordinate with individuals regarding specific training requirements and goals. Last, be sure that each base staff person brings the appropriate forms for the position that they are filling. 4.8 Communication 7/22/

17 In the weeks leading up to the SAREX, the Project Officer should be sending out the participant list to the IC and Group ES officer at least once a week. This is a good time to summarize the preparations for the SAREX and to highlight unresolved issues. By communicating the current state of the list, the exercise leadership can catch problems before they occur (e.g., We have no mission pilot standards signed up, etc. ). Examples of typical issues that should be raised are We have 5 mission pilots that want ELT training - what can we do to get more practice ELTs to set out? At least a week before the actual exercise, there should be a conference call for the base staff to talk about the overall organization of the exercise. On this first call, the following topics should be covered by the IC: Clarification of roles and responsibilities Discuss logistics of the base Identify critical capabilities that need to be verified before the exercise o Communication capabilities o Internet access Ensure staff is clear on SAREX goals and objectives Define the necessary coordination with external agencies (i.e., airport operations, etc.) and determine who will be responsible Review personnel assignments At least two days before the actual exercise, a second conference call should be held that includes both the base staff and the training mentors. In addition to the topics discussed above, the specific tasking should be explained to the mentors so that they are prepared to provide appropriate assistance to the trainees. This should include explaining unusual situations such as practice ELT location in valleys, etc. By briefing the mentors beforehand, it also reduces the time required to dispatch crews on the day of the SAREX. If the conference technology permits, it would be a good idea to go through the mission briefing with them. Other topics that should be discussed include: Airplane and vehicle parking Whether crews should refuel when they land (knowing the assignments and weight & balance makes this easy to determine) Flight release details (who to call for the release, and when) Expected schedule 5 Stage 3: Executing the SAREX 7/22/

18 If you have done the necessary planning, the actual SAREX will go very smoothly. The base staff should arrive about an hour before the participants do to get everything set up. The participants should arrive at least 15 minutes before the general briefing so that they can be signed in before it starts. If there is a potential for having to do a weather hold, have the aircrews call BEFORE they depart and obtain a specific release from the mission base. Air Ops needs to know the specific situation for each inbound pilot - if they are VFR only, do not launch them until the base is VFR. As a general guideline, crews should not be arriving on IFR approaches for a SAREX - if the weather is that bad, the visibility will be insufficient for training, and the air portion of the SAREX should be postponed or cancelled. As aircraft and vehicles arrive, assign the appropriate individuals to complete the inspections. Ideally, these should be done before the briefing so that crews can be tasked after the general briefing. After the morning briefing is complete, the SAREX leadership should be focused on getting the participants out of the base and into the field. This involves assigning the tasking and getting the crews started on their individual planning. Try to get people briefed and out the door as quickly as is reasonable - it is your best hope to keeping things on track for the rest of the day. In addition to the traditional briefing items, there are several additional ones that we have found to be very helpful: Get the cell phone numbers for at least one member of the crew and make sure that the person has their cell phone turned on until engine start. When you find that the crew has left the base, but not reported engine start, it is a simple matter to find out that they have retired to the local restaurant for a seven course meal before the flight. Get the Hobbs and tach times for the airplane - for the day, and after each flight. These are necessary for WMIRS, and trying to get them from the crew while it is in flight is a useful test, but often frustrating. Once the crews are out working, the next thing to focus on is the mid day wave. When the planes return from the first sortie, the first debrief needs to be completed and the crew is then sent to lunch with an agreed upon time to be back for the tasking for the second sortie. Where four flights are involved, it is critical to make this a fast lunch and get the crew out again quickly! The debrief after the afternoon sortie should be kept very focused as well. Before crews are released to return to their base, ensure that all of the SQTRs 7/22/

19 have been signed off by the mentor. If the training isn t documented, it did not occur! The afternoon debriefing should include a review of the Form 108. Even though the processes were discussed during the general briefing, corrections were needed to 40% of the submitted Form 108s at a recent SAREX. When releasing the crew to return to base, ensure that there is an explicit understanding about what time the crew will be back on the ground at the base, who they will call to say they arrived safely, and what time this call is expected by. If the base doesn t hear that the airplane made it home when it was supposed to, they have to gear up to deal with a lost airplane, and this generally happens about the time that the base staff wants to pack up and go home - not a good way for the errant pilot to make friends! 6 Stage 4: After the SAREX In the days after the SAREX, the poor IC is stuck with entering all of the paperwork into IMU and closing out the mission reimbursement process. The project officer should start working on the required After Action Report. The after action report should include a summary of what we well and what did not go well during the SAREX. Input should come from as many of the participants as possible: Base Staff Function input on Logistics, Operations, etc ES role input on how well Mission Pilots, UDF teams, etc performed Planning how well the actual mission met the plans and objectives originally set forth An example of an After Action Report can be found at: %20Afterwards/Concord%20Sarex%2007T3789AAR%20rev%202.pdf 7/22/

20 7 Appendix A - Training Summary The overall objective of the SAREX is to advance trainees towards becoming qualified as Scanners and Mission Pilots. Due to the need for Mission Pilots, we will focus on getting them and the scanners qualified first, and will then work on advancing the scanners to observers. As it takes a minimum of four missions to become qualified as a scanner and mission pilot (assuming other training activities are conducted between the SAREXes), it is critical that we hold frequent formal training activities to ensure aircrew development. In addition, we would like to offer more training opportunities for cadets. Specifically, we would like to encourage cadets to become qualified as Mission Radio Operators and as qualified UDF team members. Aircrew Training The objectives for aircrew training are the following: Determining the appropriate route of flight to and from the assigned grid Proper search pattern to use for the assigned grid Proper radio communications procedures Coordination of actions with ground teams Determining fuel usage Emergency egress from the grid CRM How to fill out the required paperwork for each sortie (Form 104 and Form 108) How to brief and debrief a sortie For crews tasked with ELT direction finding, they will accomplish the above items as well as: Proper use of the DF gear (both traditional little Elper and Wing null Build/fade procedures. Urban DF Teams Training objectives for UDF teams will include the following: How to properly use the electronic DF gear (triangulation, tuning off frequency) Mapping skills (determining bearings, plotting azimuths, using maps for navigation) Road safety 7/22/

21 How to assess/secure a crash scene Proper radio communication procedures Coordination with aircrews Mission base staff personnel will be trained in the following areas: Paperwork needs How to manage air operations Proper utilization of air and ground assets How to brief and debrief aircrews and ground teams Schedule of Events All aircraft and personnel are required to arrive at the mission base and have aircraft refueled, and ready for safety inspections by 0800 Saturday. SATURDAY 07:30 Base open 08:00 Aircraft inspections as needed 08:30 General briefing begins Crew briefings (per mission assignment) Sorties begin 16:00 Aircraft RTB 17:30 Mission base close Qualifications In order to be allowed onto the mission base, you must have a current membership card, have completed the OPSEC training, and hold at least a GES qualification. In order to participate in any duty assignment, you must have Mission Standard or Trainee qualifications for that duty on your 101 card AND in MIMS. Sorties will be limited to one and a half hours in duration so that we can maximize the number flown. 7/22/

22 8 Appendix B - Training Syllabi These syllabi include only the advanced tasks. All of the other tasks need to be completed and signed off before the SAREX. 8.1 Mission Scanner (See Aircrew & Flightline Task Guide for details) TASK 1. Locate a point on a map using Lat/Long. Ref: Task O Locate a point on a map using CAP Grid system. Ref: Task O Demonstrate knowledge of Safety practices while taxiing. Ref: Task O METHOD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT and STANDARDS FOR COMPLETION Mission pilot hands applicant a Longitude/Latitude coordinate of a known point and applicant finds the point on a map or sectional. Mission pilot assigns applicant a point on a map or sectional and applicant determines the Lat/Long. STANDARDS: Applicant can accurately accomplish both tasks indicated above within 5 minutes each. Lat/Longs determined by applicant are within 0.5 minute of true location. Mission pilot announces to applicant a known location on a non-gridded map or sectional chart. Applicant then finds location on a gridded chart and determines the grid and sub-grid in which the location is located. STANDARDS: Applicant can determine and announce the correct grid and sub-grid within 1 minute. Mission pilot will demonstrate procedure when encountering obstacles within 10. Pilot will quiz applicant for meaning of airport signage. Applicant will assist pilot in following taxiways as assigned by ATC. STANDARDS: Applicant will correctly identify 100% of airport signage quizzed. Applicant correctly explains CAP requirement for taxing near obstructions including use of a EQUIPMENT Map with Lat/Long, or Sectional chart. Ruler Pencil Scratch paper Gridded sectional chart or map. Pencil Aircraft ATC instructions Airport runway and taxiway signage. TIME Total of 15 minutes for assignment and accomplishment of this task. 10 minutes for this task accomplishment to include a minimum of two correct determinations. Minimum of two sorties. Task to be conducted during taxiing out to runway and while returning to parking. No time minimum. 7/22/

23 TASK METHOD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT and STANDARDS FOR COMPLETION marshaller if available. EQUIPMENT TIME 4. Demonstrate use of Aircraft radios Ref: Task O Mission pilot will explain how to enter frequencies in VHF and proper language for transmitting. Mission pilot demonstrates use of audio panel. Mission pilot explains and demonstrates use of CAP FM radio equipment. STANDARDS: Applicant properly operates VHF and CAP radio equipment including setup and oral communicating. Aircraft. VHF and FM radios ACUT or BCUT certificate Minimum of two sorties. Task to be demonstrated in aircraft. No time minimum. 8.2 Mission Observer (See Aircrew & Flightline Task Guide for details) TASK 1. Operation of the Aircraft radios. Ref: Task O-2002 METHOD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT and STANDARDS FOR COMPLETION Observer candidate demonstrates how to enter frequencies in VHF radio and how and when to use it for ATC and mission-related communications including proper language for transmitting. Candidate demonstrates use of audio panel. Candidate explains and demonstrates use of CAP FM radio equipment including proper mission-related communications. STANDARDS: Applicant properly operates VHF and CAP radio equipment including setup and appropriate oral communicating. EQUIPMENT Aircraft. VHF and FM radios ACUT or BCUT certificate TIME Minimum of two sorties. Task to be demonstrated in aircraft. No time minimum. 7/22/

24 2. Operation of VOR & DME. Ref: Task O Operation of GPS. Ref: Task O-2012 Mission pilot demonstrates use of VOR, including from radials and to courses. Mission pilot demonstrates use of DME equipment including frequency direct entry and slaving from Nav 1 and Nav 2 positions. STANDARDS: Applicant can enter a VOR frequency, identify the morse code identifier, and determine from radial within 30 seconds. Applicant can then determine to course to station within another 15 seconds. Applicant can, within 1 minute, post a from radial in pencil to an aeronautical chart and, similarly, a to course. Mission pilot demonstrates setup and operation of destination features and Lat/Long display and use. Applicant demonstrates entry of Airport, VOR and waypoint destinations and can setup for moving map display or Lat/Long display STANDARDS: Applicant can, within 5 minutes, enter a Lat/Long coordinate as a waypoint and set up GPS to navigate to that waypoint. Applicant can, within 1 minute, enter any one of a(n) airport, VOR or existing waypoint and set up GPS to navigate to that point via moving map display. Aircraft. VOR receiver DME receiver Aeronautical chart Ruler Pencil Aircraft or GPS simulator GPS operating handbook Aeronautical chart Minimum of two sorties. This task to be conducted concurrent with other sortie tasks. Sorties consist of time enroute to/from grid plus a minimum of 45 minutes in grid. 30 minutes if conducted on a simulator. If in an aircraft, task to be conducted concurrent with other tasks while on the ground and while airborne. 8.3 Mission Pilot (See Aircrew & Flightline Task Guide for details) TASK Operate the Aircraft Audio Panel Ref: Task O-2001 Operate the Aircraft DF Ref: TaskO-2005 Perform ELT Searches Task: O-2006 Locate and Silence and ELT on the Ground Task: O-2007 Complete a Mission Sortie Task: O-2008 Demonstrate Planning and Flying a METHOD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT and STANDARDS FOR COMPLETION EQUIPMENT TIME 7/22/

25 Route Search Task: O-2102 Demonstrate Planning and Flying a Parallel Track Search Task: O-2103 Demonstrate Planning and Flying a Creeping Line Search Task: O-2104 Demonstrate Planning and Flying a Point Based Search Task: O-2105 Plan and Command a CAP Flight Task: O-2106 Prepare for a Trip to a Remote Mission Base Task: O-2107 Demonstrate How to Complete a CAP Aircraft Inspection Task: P Mission Radio Operator TASK Perform Radio Operating Procedures Task: L-0002 Employ Appropriate Radio Frequencies/Repeaters Task: L-0003 Message Handling Procedures Task: L-0004 Choose a Good Communications Site Task: L-0005 Take Steps to Regain Communications Task: L-0006 Conduct Scheduled Checks Task: L-0007 Send a position report Task: L-0008 Report a Clue or Find Task: L-0009 Communications Safety Procedures Task: L-0010 Demonstrate the ability to keep a log Task: P-0101 METHOD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT and STANDARDS FOR COMPLETION EQUIPMENT TIME 7/22/

26 9 Appendix C- What to Bring 9.1 Mission Scanner 1. Gridded San Francisco sectional 2. Road map of the area or equivalent atlas 3. DeLorme Maps are also highly recommended. Some bases may have copies available on loan T card showing *MS 5. CAP aircrew uniform in compliance with PCR and CAWG supplements: Nomex flight suit, lace up boots (over the ankle) 6. Pencil or pen 7. Kneeboard or clipboard 8. Log form 9.2 Mission Observer 1. Gridded San Francisco sectional 2. Road map of the area or equivalent atlas T card showing *MO 4. CAP aircrew uniform in compliance with PCR and CAWG supplements: Nomex flight suit, lace up boots (over the ankle) 5. Pencil or pen 6. Kneeboard or clipboard 7. Log form 8. Calculator (for weight and balance) 9. CAP Mission Aircrew Reference Text 10. ACUT or BCUT 9.3 Mission Pilot 1. Gridded San Francisco sectional T card showing *MP 3. Pilot documents - license, medical 4. Ensure that they are on the current State Director pilot list (issued monthly via ) 7/22/

27 5. CAP aircrew uniform in compliance with PCR and CAWG supplements: Nomex flight suit, lace up boots (over the ankle) 6. Pencil or pen 7. Kneeboard or clipboard 8. Log form 9. Calculator (for weight and balance) 10. Copy of 60-1, including appropriate supplements 11. CAP Mission Aircrew Reference Text 12. ACUT or BCUT 9.4 Mission Radio Operator 7/22/

28 10 Appendix D - Planning Considerations for Group 2 Airports 10.1 Concord (CCR) The CAP building at Concord is not well suited as a mission base due to its location and poor condition. The former airline terminal building - located at the base of the control tower - is much better. It has heat, restroom facilities, plenty of parking, is walking distance to food, and has no requirement to enter the secured airport area. The building is located on the opposite side of the main runways from the terminal building - inbound crews should tell Ground that they want to go to transient parking and not to CAP. There is no aircraft parking near either the CAP building or the terminal building. Transient aircraft parking is available at the hotel, which is about a five minute walk from the terminal building. Ensure there is clear communication for arriving aircrews on how to access the terminal building and secured ramp areas - in other words, PAY ATTENTION TO THE GATE CODE ON THE SIGN AS YOU GO THROUGH! A corporate vehicle works well to transport crews, if you have a volunteer with a valid CAP driver s license. Otherwise, member owned vehicles can be used to transport crews back and forth. Ensure there are adequate Planning Tables and chairs for aircrews. A day or two before the event, contact the Airport Manager s office and ask that they unlock the chain that ties the tables together the night before the SAREX. Food is available within walking distance, but it is about a 5 minute walk. Taco Bell is the closest to the airport, and there is a full service restaurant in the hotel near transient parking. It is best not to let the crews go there unless there is plenty of time for lunch. The airport is prone to ground fog in the winter; it is best to have crews call the morning of the SAREX to be sure that Concord is VFR before they depart. The ASOS is extremely optimistic when it comes to flight visibility. A rule of 3000 ceiling and 3 miles visibility is a good minimum - no flying if the weather is below that. Because of the distance between the flight line and terminal building, having several flight line qualified personnel with a radio would be very useful for future SAREXes. 7/22/

29 10.2 Oakland International Airport (OAK) 10.3 Palo Alto (PAO) 10.4 Reid Hillview (RHV) Transient parking is located very close to CAP. Despite the massive fence, airport ramp access is quite easy from the CAP building. There is a soft drink vending machine in the adjacent terminal building. Nearest food is about a quarter mile away - not really possible to walk there due to the traffic. Starbucks, Togos, and Panda Express. Ordering big Togos sandwiches (6 /person) has worked in the past. There is a large supermarket in the mall which is the most cost effective place to purchase soft drinks. There is a satellite weather terminal in the main building (to the left as you enter the terminal). The CAP building has excellent WiFi network access. Brief Airport staff if o significant number of Aircraft coming in for the Sarex o if practice ELT will be used near the airport 7/22/