CAP uniforms and engine warmups?

[SkyDog58]

If CAP really were just a taxpayer-funded flying club, I wouldn't bother with it, because I also belong to two civilian flying clubs that have FAR less restrictions on what I can do with their airplanes. The only CAP flights that bear any resemblance at all to personal use are proficiency flights; we're required to use a list of CAP-specified tasks on those flights, and they're usually paid for by the pilots, not by taxpayers.

As for the idea that CAP is not worth what it costs, the over 100 people saved by CAP in fiscal 2017 might disagree. Considering the fact that CAP aircrews and most ground support personnel are not paid for their time, it's hard to see how the military or other government organizations could do it without having it cost a lot more than the 35 million a year that CAP gets.

https://www.cap.news/search--rescue-saves-surpass-century-mark-for-fiscal-2017/

Alright, stop with the facts, will ya?!

 

[James331]

I would hate to know your opinion of JRTC, just an excuse for kids to play military on the federal dime? If they had sat on the ramp we would be hearing about how much fuel they wasted and how they are the sole cause of global warming. I am not a member of CAP and have never been so I don't have too much to add to the argument that hasn't already been said. I do think their budget is quite a bit lower than 540 mil a year. Last year that I could find (2008) stated that 3.9 mil of funding came from states and 35 mil from congress while they provided an estimated 120 mil worth of services. All the rest of that funding came from members and fund raisers in the form of donated time. If anything I wish it had a stronger connection to the Air Force similar to the Coast Guard Aux and some stronger oversight to prevent the good 'ole boys club, but I don't see them as a waste of money and just a flying club.

Now there's a good idea, sell off all the planes and use the USCG reserve model

 

[Palmpilot]

Now there's a good idea, sell off all the planes and use the USCG reserve model

We used to be allowed to use personally owned or rented planes on CAP missions, but that now requires wing commander approval, which I've heard is either very rare or nonexistent.

 

[Clark1961]

Hmmmm, east coaster arguing against CAP. Around here CAP is used for search work on many overdue aircraft/elt activation situations. Search and rescue work is controlled by each county sheriff's office and they typically use a variety of assets. Lots of volunteer ground teams with various abilities for search and rescue. Obviously the ground teams aren't particularly efficient for search in rugged terrain. Ground teams will walk into rugged terrain in the dark when they know where people are. On the Western Slope and in the northern mountains CAP seems to be primary air search asset. The Air Force rescue guys out of Albuquerque seem to get involved with a lot of both searches and rescues in the southern half of the state.

There are no "state" operated helicopter assets. There are a couple 182s and a King Air operated by the state patrol. The National Guard has a bunch of helicopters since they operate the high altitude training center. Those helicopters do get used occasionally for search work. Just as frequently privately operated helicopters will be used.

Anyway, CAP does provide valuable search capabilities around here. The searches are controlled/coordinated through each county's sheriff office with cooperation at many levels. Lots of volunteer organisations are involved in rescue work around here whether it be an aircraft crash, lost hiker/snowmobiler, injured climber, etc. A lot of the volunteer stuff is walk/4-wheel/snowmobile in to recovery site and cart out survivors or bodies. CAP certainly has its place and couldn't do the job without some form of government type support for aircraft and radio equipment.

 

[murphey]

I think perhaps a 540mil year for a military recruitment commercial/tool is a bit much, it's bad enough how much money we blow selling military and merica' for every sports game now, I mean if anything we need to be toning down our global occupation forces, we frankly don't have the money for it and it statically it has made us LESS safe.

It's like a tumor, you don't spend time trying to find how it's good for you, or making it pretty, you cut it off before it drains any more life out of you.

James, you take liberties with numbers. I quoted $34 million, for CAP which is found in the DOD appropriations document, and you bull******d 540 million. Cite your reference.

You've also posted that SAR report before, and it was decimated by knowledgable people here.

We know you don't like CAP and see no need for it. Fine, your opinion. 35,000 members like it and see benefit. There are many organizations I see no need for, but don't go on a continual rant about it.

 

[James331]

James, you take liberties with numbers. I quoted $34 million, for CAP which is found in the DOD appropriations document, and you bull******d 540 million. Cite your reference.

You've also posted that SAR report before, and it was decimated by knowledgable people here.

We know you don't like CAP and see no need for it. Fine, your opinion. 35,000 members like it and see benefit. There are many organizations I see no need for, but don't go on a continual rant about it.

Not continual, but I'm reminded of the waste of my money when I see some business casual guys pile into a brand new Cessna my pay check paid for to go do "currency" you'll also notice many of the people who have been around search and rescue events don't hold CAP in very high regard.


BTW didn't mean to misquote how many million of tax dollars go to CAP per year out of our paychecks, frankly we don't have the money as a nation to fund it, and these types of matters really should be handled by organizations or people who are much more efficient and fast.

 

[Perezhr]

Given James' frothing-at-the-mouth hatred of everything government related does anyone actually believe that the first post is a true account of what happened?

I was thinking the same thing. No, I don’t believe that story. I think it is totally made up. Must have a have a serious axe to grind. Maybe he tried to join the “country club” and didn’t make it for some reason.....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[James331]

I was thinking the same thing. No, I don’t believe that story. I think it is totally made up. Must have a have a serious axe to grind. Maybe he tried to join the “country club” and didn’t make it for some reason.....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It's on another site, and there are plenty of other experienced folks with similar tales.

Actually joined the CAP, before I really looked into the BS, figured it would be cool to "give back" and also learn some SAR stuff, but I wasn't there for a few months before it became obvious what a chit show it was, which is when I started talking to friends and digging into it a little more.

If ya want to do some good, you got the USCG Aux, pilots and paws, Angel Flight, young Eagles, etc.


I wouldn't have a issue with CAP and the cosplay at all if I wasn't paying for their expensive toys and they weren't jamming up SAR in certain cases.

 

[El Reverendo]

It's one part military cosplay, one part tax payer force funded flying club.
.

When you put it this way maybe I should give CAP a second look. Sounds like fun to me, but then the only action I get lately is when I’m felt up by the TSA.

 

[Palmpilot]

It's on another site, and there are plenty of other experienced folks with similar tales.

Actually joined the CAP, before I really looked into the BS, figured it would be cool to "give back" and also learn some SAR stuff, but I wasn't there for a few months before it became obvious what a chit show it was, which is when I started talking to friends and digging into it a little more.

If ya want to do some good, you got the USCG Aux, pilots and paws, Angel Flight, young Eagles, etc.


I wouldn't have a issue with CAP and the cosplay at all if I wasn't paying for their expensive toys and they weren't jamming up SAR in certain cases.