MART Vol. II MO/MP - NESA - Civil Air Patrol

9.1 Mission Pilot duties and responsibilitiesThe first and foremost duty of a mission pilot is to fly the aircraft in a safe andproficient manner, following all applicable FAA and CAP rules and regulations. Allother duties are secondary to those of the aircraft commander.The second most important duty of a mission pilot is to remember that he orshe is the pilot -- not a scanner. You are the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) and youmust never forget that.The mission pilot is responsible for incorporating Operational RiskManagement and Crew Resource Management principles and practices into eachmission. The pilot flight time and crew duty limitations of CAPR 60-1 must befollowed.In addition to the normal duties of PIC, CAP mission pilots must also performall the duties of the Observer if no qualified observer is on board (refer to 1.1).The mission pilot is responsible for getting proper briefings and for planningthe sortie. A good mission pilot always includes the observer during theseactivities. Remember, you may be the aircraft commander but you are not alwaysthe mission commander; an experienced observer should serve as missioncommander whenever possible.In addition to PIC duties, the mission pilot must:• Adhere to CAPR 60-1 requirements and restrictions.• Thoroughly brief the crew before the flight.• Thoroughly brief the crew on their responsibilities during all phases of theflight.• Obtain a flight release per CAPR 60-1.• Enforce sterile cockpit rules.• Fly search patterns as completely and precisely as possible. Report anydeviations from the prescribed patterns during debriefing.• Monitor the observer and ensure all events, sightings and reports arerecorded and reported.• Fill out all forms accurately, completely and legibly.NOTE: Mission Pilots are required to complete the CAP Aircraft Ground Handlingvideo and quiz as part of their Advanced Training. The link is located on the CAPSafety homepage (http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/safety); select the "AircraftGround Handling (video)" link.9.2 SafetyCAP flying involves several unique aspects and practices that may impactsafety.154