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

10.1 Leaving Home Base for Mission BaseWhat's the Rush?Why do we go to so much trouble to train mission aircrew members andencourage members to spend the time it takes to stay proficient? The primaryreason is that time is such a critical factor in missing person or aircraft crashsearches. You must treat every minute after you been alerted as critical to thesurvival chances of the victims.Some statistics concerning aircraft crashes are informative (all percentagesare approximate and times are average). Of the 29% who survive a crash, 81%will die if not located within 24 hours after the crash (94% within 48 hours). Of the40% uninjured, 50% will die if not located within 24 hours after the crash; survivalchances diminish rapidly after 72 hours. So, the time factor is a critical element inSAR.The average time it takes for family, friends or authorities to notify AFRCC ofa missing or overdue aircraft varies widely. If the pilot did not file any flight plan itaverages 15.6 hours until AFRCC notification; if a VFR flight plan was filed thetime goes down to 3.9 hours; its 1.1 hours if an IFR flight plan was filed. NextAFRCC has to notify CAP and CAP has to activate its resources and begin thesearch.The average time from the aircraft's being reported missing to actuallylocating and recovering the victims are 62.6 hours if no flight plan was filed; 18.2hours with a VFR flight plan; and 11.5 hours with an IFR flight plan. [Rememberthese are average times, so 50% of the response times are faster while the otherhalf is slower.]What do all these statistics tell us? They tell us to take each missionseriously, and that we should strive to do everything better, smarter, and faster!Training, practice and pre-planning help us accomplish these goals. [They alsotell pilots to always file a flight plan!]You should have a mission "ready" bag containing all your essential missionequipment. Inventory and re-stock it after each mission.The urgency of events, coupled with a hasty call-out, may leave you and othercrewmembers feeling rushed as you prepare to leave for a mission. This is wherea good pre-mission checklist comes in handy (see Attachment 2, Flight Guide).As a minimum, the crew should check for the following:• Proper uniform per CAPM 39-1 (including rank insignia, patches andheadgear), and enough spare clothes for the duration.• Required credentials (the PIC is responsible for certifying the eligibility ofany proposed passenger to the FRO prior to obtaining a flight release).This includes an FAA-approved photo ID card (e.g., state driver license)CAP Membership card, ROA card (optional), CAP Driver License(optional), CAPF 101 card, and SQTRs.• Personal supplies (e.g., civilian clothing, headset, charts, maps, plotter,log, checklists, drinking fluids and snacks) and survival equipment.• Sufficient money for the trip (e.g., credit cards and some cash; it’s a goodidea to keep a $50 or $100 traveler's check in you kit, as some FBOsdon't take credit cards especially late at night). Also, change for drink andfood machines is good to have.185