SAR , family flight plan

Jeanie

Jeanie

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Jeanie
So let's say a pilot doesn't file a VFR flight plan but does tell the wife where they are going and approximately when they should arrive.

" I'll call you when I get there.".

No call from hubby by some time after eta. Who does the wife call to report a missing aircraft and how seriously will they take her?
 
In the past I've called the local TRACON, and they should take it pretty seriously (aircraft turned up at another airport). Get the pilot to carry a SPOT!
 
Jeanie said:
No call from hubby by some time after eta. Who does the wife call to report a missing aircraft and how seriously will they take her?
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Flight service station and 'very'.
 
I would think 911 would be an option if they don't have the numbers for the TRACON or FSS. Also make sure that they know the N-number and the route of flight. I really like the idea of SPOT locator beacons. Anything the pilot can do to make themselves easier to find is great.
 
I'd call the FBO first, then the tower (if there is one), then the TRACON/ARTCC, then FSS. If in doubt, call FSS and they can get the ball rolling.
 
N2124v said:
I would think 911 would be an option if they don't have the numbers for the TRACON or FSS.
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Calling 911 and reporting a missing airplane is unlikely to be particularly effective at anything but causing panic. Call any FAA number in the book, and you'll do better. And calling the FBO or airport manager's office is also probably better, as they should know whom to call.

Also make sure that they know the N-number and the route of flight.
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If you tell them that, you should also tell them whom to call. 800-WX-BRIEF is probably the best number to leave in that case.
 
There's also the AFRCC, which is where the alert for 406 ELTs and PLBs is sent.
 
I second the opinion of having family calling a FSS. I live in AK, work for a helicopter company that has been involved in a number of SAR's. I have Anchorage's RCC number stored in my phone. I'd still call FSS most of the time.

There was another thread about this, but the only reason for a VFR flight plan is SAR. (I shouldn't say only, but by far, the biggest reason is SAR. In the DC area, or anytime you cross an ADIZ, it is technically a DVFR flight plan not just VFR.)

The reason for filing a flight plan with Flight Service is that they require info that will help in case a search is needed. Type of plane, Tail number, Color, # of people, fuel, ROUTE, and ETA. That's really the essential info for a search. Sometimes fuel on board is less of an issue. If you are going to check in with family, they should have that info available for every flight. Then if you haven't checked in with family within a half hour of your ETA, they should start trying to locate you. At the one hour past ETA, the should call FSS. I know people up here who refuse to file with FSS because of problems in the past. But they file with wife or whoever every time.

The reason to call a FSS instead of the RCC is that the FSS can do a little investigation before it gets turned into a full blown SAR. But the info needs to be on hand so that FSS knows where to start looking. So my reccomendation is to "file" with family/wife/friend whoever if you want, and have them call the 800WXBrief, if you don't check in with them by an hour after you are supposed to arrive.

SPOT or SpiderTracks are great. They'd really narrow a search area down. I'd only call RCC if my ELT had accidentally been going off for a little while, or, I absolutely knew that a plane had crashed. Oh, and I have no faith in an ELT. Even the 406's. My opinion is they are a waste. Now, I carry a PLB with me EVERYWHERE. Satphone's are nice, but expensive. If someone gets a PLB signal, they really tend to believe it. Throwing stats around from the top of my head, (for whatever that's worth) I think a true emergency signal with a PLB is at 60% or thereabouts, a 406 aircraft ELT signal, about 20-25% and the 121.5, 1? 2?%. I don't know the exact numbers. But I do know the only time I have seen an ELT work, it didn't really matter anyway, and the guy had a sat phone on top of it all.

What gets attention is when someone says, "Joe was out flying, he was supposed to be back at X and we haven't heard from him."
 
Ron Levy said:
Calling 911 and reporting a missing airplane is unlikely to be particularly effective at anything but causing panic.
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I know in County that I work for (XFL) if someone called 911 to report someone missing even if the flight originated here would set off a chain of events that would include my Fire Rescue helicopter, local FBO, airport manager all the way up to the FAA. No panic. All the appropriate people would be contacted and whatever was needed to be done, would be done. I think most 911 operators are trained in how to handle similar scenarios.
 
Does filing a VFR flight plan automatically open it, or should it be separately opened with FSS once airborne?
 
pericynthion said:
Does filing a VFR flight plan automatically open it, or should it be separately opened with FSS once airborne?
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No. Open your flight plan once you are airborne. Close it when you arrive.
 
AuntPeggy said:
No. Open your flight plan once you are airborne. Close it when you arrive.
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For some reason I always have enormous trouble opening VFR flight plans when airborne. ARTCC cannot find them, the RCOs are dead like a stone. I open with the briefer just before starting airplane and swiftching my cellphone off. If I am unable to launch, e.g. fail run-up and taxi back, I call them again and cancel the plan. Please let me know if I'm doing it wrong. My CFI also told me to open airborne, but it just doesn't work.
 
Yes you have to activate a VFR flight plan with FSS. They won't know that you departed unless you tell them.
 
I've had difficulty raising FSS over the radio to activate VFR flight plans, but no problem with FF.
 
Not sure what area you fly in, but I never had a real problem raising them. I usually used 122.2. The freq varies a little. This was in the eastern US. VA to Chicago, MI, GA, etc. One time I was trying to get FSS in IN, was in the northern part of the state, and got Green Bay, but they got me the info I needed.
 
Pete, you can open it on the phone. It doesn't have to be airborne. I usually just ask them to open it as of say 10 mins from now ....
 
zaitcev said:
For some reason I always have enormous trouble opening VFR flight plans when airborne. ARTCC cannot find them, the RCOs are dead like a stone. I open with the briefer just before starting airplane and swiftching my cellphone off. If I am unable to launch, e.g. fail run-up and taxi back, I call them again and cancel the plan. Please let me know if I'm doing it wrong. My CFI also told me to open airborne, but it just doesn't work.
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This works just fine although FSS might be a bit reluctant to do so unless you explain it can be difficult for you to open in the air. I especially like doing this when leaving from tower controlled airports, especially when I can't reach FSS on the ground. Just add a few minutes to your en route time to account for start up and taxi.

As for opening in the air, be aware they monitor a bunch of frequencies so be sure to state what frequency you are calling them on and then wait up to a minute for a response as they might be busy on another frequency.

I also often make position reports while flying that way if I have a problem it can narrow the search area down a lot.

I also often cancel the flight plan while about 10 to 20 miles out from my destination if it is a populated area. I figure if I go down there someone on the ground will notice or there will be someone on the radio I can tell I am going down. This way I don't have to worry about closing it after I land, which often tends to be a pretty busy time.

I carry a SPOT too.


Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
 
Jeanie said:
Who does the wife call to report a missing aircraft and how seriously will they take her?
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I would have her call the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at 800-851-3051. During my last annual inspection, the shop set off the 406 ELT and I got a call from them. I figure if they are the ones that get notified when the ELT goes off, they would be a good starting point.

Ryan
 
I opened my VFR flight plan from KLNK to KAPA with Columbus Radio sitting on the ramp at KLNK with the engine running. Published frequency in the A/FD worked fine.

One thing to remember is that they don't always answer at the speed a controller does... and you should also tell them where you are on initial call-up. Just saying your call sign doesn't cut it, they monitor a ton of RCOs.

"Columbus Radio, Skylane 1279M listening 122.65 on the ground at Lincoln, NE."

About 20 seconds later (yes... wait!) I had a reply.

The AFSS briefers often have to reconfigure things so they're talking to you through the correct RCO, and sometimes they're working another aircraft at the same time on different frequency you can't hear.

If you give them that "on the ground" part, they'll sequence through the airborne aircraft first and give you a stand-by, as needed.
 
bigblockz8 said:
I thought that a SFRA fp opens once you call up Potomac while airborne?
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A SFRA FP is useless for SAR. It only exists for security purposes so that Potomac Tracon knows to expect your call.

On VFR flight plans, it's the FSS network that manages it, and worries about whether you're overdue or not. ATC is not involved.
 
I would have her call the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at 800-851-3051. During my last annual inspection, the shop set off the 406 ELT and I got a call from them. I figure if they are the ones that get notified when the ELT goes off, they would be a good starting point.
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Nope. Call the FSS. The FAA has a lost aircraft drill that involves calling towers, FBOs, trying to raise the airplane on Guard, etc. that they run before they call the AFRCC.

But ... please get flight following. I am a CAP Air Branch Director and there is nothing more valuable to us than a radar track. Now it is possible that someone will be able to figure out what 1200 airplane you are and give us a track, but I would not bet on it. Plus, when you have flight following, all you have to do is key your mic in order to declare an emergency and get help. Now, FF is not available at all altitudes of course, but try to fly high enough that you can get it for your whole route. Even if it's only partial, though, at least it gives us some idea of your progress.

RE VFR flight plans, I am not a fan. It's better than nothing, but all it does is give us a flight route with no narrowing of where you might be. It's basically the same as a "family flight plan."

If you are going to wander around without filing anything and without getting flight following, please make sure you have a 406mhz. ELT. If it triggers, which is not a given, you will be pinpointed. Remember, the SARSAT system no longer monitors 121.5.
 
bigblockz8 said:
I thought that a SFRA fp opens once you call up Potomac while airborne?
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Bizarre as it is, if you want a VFR flight plan when departing the SFRA or FRZ, you have to file two flight plans. The SFRA/FRZ flight plan which opens and closes with potomac and a separate VFR flight plan that you open and close with FSS after you leave the SFRA.
 
TMetzinger said:
On VFR flight plans, it's the FSS network that manages it, and worries about whether you're overdue or not. ATC is not involved.
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ATC does get involved once you are overdue on a VFR flight plan. One of the first things FSS does is to check with ATC whether you received a pop-up IFR clearance to divert somewhere else. Often pilots who do that forget to close their VFR flight plan with FSS thinking that receiving the IFR clearance and closing that with ATC also closed their VFR plan (which it doesn't).
 
I once departed the SFRA, landed at my destination and called FSS to close my VFR plan only to find out that they never opened it. I think with that news I dropped about .3 pts on the tone scale.
 
zaitcev said:
For some reason I always have enormous trouble opening VFR flight plans when airborne. ARTCC cannot find them, the RCOs are dead like a stone. I open with the briefer just before starting airplane and swiftching my cellphone off. If I am unable to launch, e.g. fail run-up and taxi back, I call them again and cancel the plan. Please let me know if I'm doing it wrong. My CFI also told me to open airborne, but it just doesn't work.
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Maybe the reason that Center can't find your VFR flight plan is that they don't go to Centers but stay within the FSS system.

Bob Gardner
 
airdale said:
Nope. Call the FSS. The FAA has a lost aircraft drill that involves calling towers, FBOs, trying to raise the airplane on Guard, etc. that they run before they call the AFRCC.

But ... please get flight following. I am a CAP Air Branch Director and there is nothing more valuable to us than a radar track. Now it is possible that someone will be able to figure out what 1200 airplane you are and give us a track, but I would not bet on it. Plus, when you have flight following, all you have to do is key your mic in order to declare an emergency and get help. Now, FF is not available at all altitudes of course, but try to fly high enough that you can get it for your whole route. Even if it's only partial, though, at least it gives us some idea of your progress.

RE VFR flight plans, I am not a fan. It's better than nothing, but all it does is give us a flight route with no narrowing of where you might be. It's basically the same as a "family flight plan."

If you are going to wander around without filing anything and without getting flight following, please make sure you have a 406mhz. ELT. If it triggers, which is not a given, you will be pinpointed. Remember, the SARSAT system no longer monitors 121.5.
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I'm with you most of the way. Except I don't like the 406 ELT's. They are better than the 121.5's for sure, but I have no faith in them activating properly. (I carry a PLB on my person just about all the time. McMurdo Fastfind. Small, light, and pretty good quality.) In my mind, for an ELT to have any benefit to you, it needs to be activated before you hit the ground, or you have to be capable of activating it after you hit the ground. That means the pilot needs to realize that he has to hit the remote switch while he's trying to take care of all the other emergency stuff. It's a simple step, but one has to ingrain it into their mindset. At this point, we now have a very expensive PLB.

I like SPOT & Spidertracks. Kenai FSS even has an option to include a SPOT tracker link with your master flight plan. But then, this is also Alaska. I'm not for requiring some sort of AFF in every plane, but people should be shown it's value.

IMO, the best option, if money were no concern, get a spidertracks and a Satphone. Spidertracks works out to about $3/hr (for pings every 2 min. I am pretty sure you can slow the ping rate a little.) after the initial $500 or $1000 purchase, depending on the model you get. Then buy a Satphone that has continuous coverage everywhere you operate. Iridium has worldwide coverage. Due to northern latitudes, it's the only one that has reliable signal in AK, AFAIK. Other companies have good coverage for most of the rest of the N. American continent (or other places). But again, these options cost more money than most people want to put out. SPOT is a cheaper, but still good alternative. In the Eastern US, a Sat phone does not have near the value that it does elsewhere due to the availability of cell service.
 
Good points, all.

Comments:

406 ELTs are probably more likely to activate just because they are newer, but you are correct that ELTs definitely aren't 100%. An airplane upside down in a swamp or with the ELT antenna broken off doesn't emit much of a signal. Also, a really hard crash will rip the ELT out of its mounts rendering it DOA. Re activating before you hit, I think that's marginal. What makes ELTs unreliable is usually consequences of the crash, not the G-switch failing to release. Manually turning on the switch wouldn't, IMHO, improve your odds very much. But it can't hurt.

I carry a McMurdo as well, but like the sat phone, if you are incapacitated it does you no good. So it's not the perfect solution either.

Re Spot I think it's a fantastic toy. But it has no formal existence within the search & rescue system, so you can't count on what you'll get for a response when you need one. AFIK Spider Tracks is the same thing. Not to be ignored as a backup, but definitely not my primary.

Alaska is different and I think your "layered defense" makes sense. In the lower 48, if I could have only one thing it would be flight following and a route with 100% radar coverage. That's closer to the golden bullet than anything else we've discussed. Hence my comment to the OP.
 
bgdriveway said:
IMO, the best option, if money were no concern, get a spidertracks and a Satphone. Spidertracks works out to about $3/hr (for pings every 2 min. I am pretty sure you can slow the ping rate a little.) after the initial $500 or $1000 purchase, depending on the model you get. Then buy a Satphone that has continuous coverage everywhere you operate. Iridium has worldwide coverage. Due to northern latitudes, it's the only one that has reliable signal in AK, AFAIK. Other companies have good coverage for most of the rest of the N. American continent (or other places). But again, these options cost more money than most people want to put out. SPOT is a cheaper, but still good alternative. In the Eastern US, a Sat phone does not have near the value that it does elsewhere due to the availability of cell service.
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The aircraft Ted Stevens died in had both of those things (sat tracker and sat phone) and neither of them contributed to the wreckage being found. The pilot deceased during the initial impact and none of the survivors was briefed about the sat phone located in a peli-box below the pilots seat. Also, the output from the sat tracker was of very limited use as the plane made a 180deg turn after the last update, according to the tracker they would have dredged a lake.

In a similar case, that of the MSP Trooper2 crash, all the electronic gadgetry did was to send everyone on a wild goose-chase miles from the accident site. ADS-B had reported the chopper as 'landed' at Andrews, cellphone ping triangulation was misunderstood by the people who interpreted the reports. The wreck was found by an off-duty MSP pilot who hiked into the park where he suspected the wreckage based on his knowledge of where it should be.

In a related accident, the NM State police helo, the 406Mhz ELT provided a location within 3/10th of a mile within minutes after the accident.

I am not saying that the trackers are useless, nobody should rely on them without more pinpoint methods like a GPS enabled 406ELT and a PLB. The problem with the 406Mhz ELTs is that the manufacturers successfully replicated the main weaknesses of the 121.5Mhz ELTs and failed to design them in a way that makes them more likely to work.
 
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I thought that if you hit the Mayday button on a SPOT, RCC will get the info, same idea as a PLB. I don't think a SPOT is quite as robust as a PLB. Heard that there were a few connection problems at times, but they typically resolved themselves in a fairly short time. SPOT also has some sort of rescue insurance available. Something like $100k for a $20/year? I don't know the exact cost. I've been around people with SPOT's. I don't have my own.

Spidertracks standard option is to send out pings every 2 min, and if you lose power to the unit or it's not properly shut off, it sends out an alert signal. (There is no battery option for Spidertracks. It'd defeat the system design to have a battery.) Text message/email to Tier one contacts. Tier 1, would be family, co-workers etc. If they do not resolve the problem in 15 min, Tier 2 contacts are notified. You can set whomever you like for Tier 1 and 2. Spidertracks recommends you set RCC or the like for Tier 2. There's also a Mayday button on the front that would automatically notify everyone. You can set the system up so that it just tracks you, and you don't have to worry about shutting the system off properly, but then you wouldn't get the automatic notification of a possible crash. My company has a S3 unit. It's now required to have some form of Flight tracking to fly government personell (Park service, BLM, Volcano observatory, etc) around. Spidertracks is approved by the DOI, Forest Service, etc.

I flew quite a bit around the Eastern US and was typically either IFR or on VFR flight following. It's nice to know that all you have to do for help is to click the button and talk to someone who might be able to offer some substantial help.

As for the Ted Steven's crash, I am QUITE familiar with almost all the details of that incident. They didn't have a tracking system enabled. If someone, did have a SPOT, it wasn't turned on. Yes they did have a Sat phone, if the PAX weren't briefed on it, that's a pilot error. It was used by medical personnel prior to the evac. There was even spotty cell coverage at the crash site. They didn't use their phones. The plane had a 406 ELT installed. It failed to activate. GCI has since put Spidertracks in all of their aircraft.

As for the others, I am not familiar with them in any detail. I agree that the manufacturers' put more more detailed location info into the same junky box, but then that's why I carry a PLB.


EDIT: But the bottom line with the Ted Steven's crash is that someone noticed that they were missing and got the ball rolling. Granted it took longer than it should have, but it happened.
 
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I thought that if you hit the Mayday button on a SPOT, RCC will get the info, same idea as a PLB.
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Nope. A PLB or an ELT signal is received directly by the SAR infrastructure via the SARSAT constellation. The Spot button produces a signal to a privately-operated monitoring station, staffed by people who may or may not be paying attention, who may or may not have any training, and who, good-hearted guys that they are, will attempt to contact someone who is actually part of the SAR infrastructure. Probably it all works OK. You hope.

Plus there is a monthly fee. The small extra cost of a PLB is paid back pretty quickly.

That said, the Spot is a great toy. And does provide backup. But IMHO it is foolish to make it primary. Buy one after you buy your 406Mhz ELT and your FastFind.
 
Well that's good to know then, that SPOT doesn't go straight to the SAR network. For tracking purposes, I'd pick Spidertracks over a SPOT anyway. It costs you a little more, but it's almost as good as a track on radar for SAR. (But doesn't give the instant help though.)

The subscription is why I went with a PLB vs SPOT also. $250 bucks one time.

As for the ELT, seeing as we're required to have one, with certain exceptions, yeah, the 406 is far better than the 121.5, but as I think I mentioned in my first post, the only time I have seen it work properly was a time it didn't really matter. Normally I have seen antennas sheared, even if you don't go upside down, or it breaks from the mounting/cable. Granted case studies have limited value.
 
If there's a Class C airport nearby, and one is accustomed to using flight following, you can generally find find out pretty fast. I had a student who had a penchant for being late... and he was 30-45 minutes overdue on a cross-country solo. I figured he was probably OK, but definitely past his aircraft reservation, etc... Called up San Antonio TRACON, and knew where he was within 3 minutes, and was even able to pass along via the controller that he should give me a call as soon as he landed.

Ryan
 
bgdriveway said:
As for the Ted Steven's crash, I am QUITE familiar with almost all the details of that incident. They didn't have a tracking system enabled. If someone, did have a SPOT, it wasn't turned on. Yes they did have a Sat phone, if the PAX weren't briefed on it, that's a pilot error. It was used by medical personnel prior to the evac. There was even spotty cell coverage at the crash site. They didn't use their phones. The plane had a 406 ELT installed. It failed to activate. GCI has since put Spidertracks in all of their aircraft.
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The aircraft did have a tracker (neither spider or spot), the operator didn't find it useful as it was putting a drain on the battery (if you shut off the master 'unexpectedly' it would send out a distress signal so you had to sit there with the master on until the system had sent its 'landed' indication. They had stopped paying the subscription but the system was still on the plane and uploading position reports. During the investigation, the reports were downloaded and did show as last datapoint something that was quite unhelpful for anyone who would have been looking for the plane based on its output.

If you use any of the systems that require operator input, (sat phone, plb), make sure everyone on board knows how to operate that piece of safety equipment.
 
So if you have a cell phone, but aren't paying for service, do you really have cell phone capability? On top of that, there were flaws in the system they had and they quit using it. Spider tracks requires for you to shut down the system properly, in a similar type manner. GCI is using spidertracks now. Not Sky connect. I wonder why.

They did not have a tracking system. If they did, it would have been used.

Agreed that everyone on board should know how to use a Satphone, PLB etc. As I stated before, pilot error if they were not shown how to use it. Now, I wouldn't be surprised if because of this accident, there are design changes to the ELT requirements, to enable it to survive. Senator's and crashes have caused ELT's to happen before....
 
bgdriveway said:
So if you have a cell phone, but aren't paying for service, do you really have cell phone capability?
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Yes. At least on the old AMPS network you did. If you didnt have a service plan or your provider didn't have a roaming agreement with one of the two local carriers, you got connected to a company that specialized on that. Price was steep, but after you gave them a credit card number you could make calls for $5/call and $1/minute. Used it a time or two.

On top of that, there were flaws in the system they had and they quit using it. Spider tracks requires for you to shut down the system properly, in a similar type manner. GCI is using spidertracks now. Not Sky connect. I wonder why.
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I told you the reason GCI stated to the NTSB.

They did not have a tracking system. If they did, it would have been used.
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Assuming that someone paid attention. That crash shows the fallacy of a 'company/family flight plan' if it is nobodies job to actually track the opening and closing of the flight plan. Only when the plane didn't return in the evening, someone called the outlying fishing camp and found out that they didn't even make it out there. There was no system in place for someone to follow-up with the fishing camp on whether the outbound flight arrived.

Agreed that everyone on board should know how to use a Satphone, PLB etc. As I stated before, pilot error if they were not shown how to use it. Now, I wouldn't be surprised if because of this accident, there are design changes to the ELT requirements, to enable it to survive. Senator's and crashes have caused ELT's to happen before....
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Changing the design of the ELTs will make passing a federal budget look like childs play. They should sit on the surface of the aircraft, riveted to a skin doubler. There is no reason they should be any bigger than a GPS antenna. Internal power supply, internal antenna, crash hardened.
 
weilke said:
Changing the design of the ELTs will make passing a federal budget look like childs play. They should sit on the surface of the aircraft, riveted to a skin doubler. There is no reason they should be any bigger than a GPS antenna. Internal power supply, internal antenna, crash hardened.
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:) Ain't that the truth on changing the ELT. I like your design ideas.

And that is the problem with company/family flight plans. (I end up taking care of most of that for my Company.) One has to be very intentional about them. But then, if you file a VFR plan with FSS from X back to X with intermediate stops at Y and Z, you run the same problem. And that happens a lot. People don't start looking for you until your return at X is overdue by an hour. And if you have 8 hrs between departure and return to X, and you crash 30 min after departure, you're screwed for awhile.
 
bgdriveway said:
And that is the problem with company/family flight plans. (I end up taking care of most of that for my Company.) One has to be very intentional about them. But then, if you file a VFR plan with FSS from X back to X with intermediate stops at Y and Z, you run the same problem. And that happens a lot. People don't start looking for you until your return at X is overdue by an hour. And if you have 8 hrs between departure and return to X, and you crash 30 min after departure, you're screwed for awhile.
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Are there any commercial providers of true flight following services (with an actual operator who has access to sat trackers, a phone and a brain) to do this for smaller operators who can't assign a staff member to do this ?
 
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