Transcript Emergency Services Electronic Searches

Emergency Services
Search Coverage
Mission Pilot
CAPR 50-15
Attachment 10
Paragraph d
Richard Shulak
Wasatch Sqdn.
RMR-UT-008
February 2000
1
Vision Characteristics

Central vision is about 10
degrees



If search object falls in this
area, you will probably
recognize it
Peripheral vision is NOT
effective
Best vision is straight ahead


Scanning requires head
movement
Vision to the side is blocked by
the nose
2
Scanning Range &
Search Visibility

Scanning range


Search visibility


Distance from aircraft ground
track to maximum range
where scanner has a good
chance of sighting the object
Range at which an automobile
can be seen and recognized
Scanning range can be
shorter than search visibility

Aircraft debris can be smaller
than an automobile
3
Factors Affecting
Scanning Range

Atmospheric conditions


Position of the sun



Rain, pollen, dust, smoke,
haze, inversions
Best time is when sun is 30
degrees or more above
horizon
Clouds and shadows
Terrain and ground cover

Mountains, ground cover, trees
(evergreen and leaf bearing)
4
Factors Affecting
Scanning Range

Surface conditions

Snow


Cleanliness of window areas


Light aircraft in snow that don’t
burn are very hard to locate
Dirty windows can reduce
visibility by as much as 50%
Condition of scanner



Colds and sinus problems
Fatigue
Motion sickness
5
Scanning Techniques

Central vision is a 10 degree
diameter circle


Scan must STOP at each 10
degree point to be effective



A fist at arms length covers about
10 degrees
Pilots use this technique to scan for
other aircraft
Duration of stop should be about
1/3 second
Practice your scan!

Always use it when flying
6
Scanning Patterns

A set pattern of scan lines
must be used

Diagonal pattern


Used when sitting in the rear
seat of a small aircraft
Scanning line is followed left to
right



If in the right seat, start close to
the airplane and scan to the end of
the scanning range
If in the left seat, start at the end
of the scanning range and end
under or close to the aircraft
ground track
All scan lines are parallel
7
Diagonal Scanning
Patterns
8
Scanning Patterns

Vertical pattern

Same as diagonal, except
scans start directly under the
aircraft
9
Coverage of Horizontal
and Vertical Scans
10
Sighting
Characteristics

Visual clues










Light colored or shiny objects
Smoke and fire
Charred areas
Broken tree branches
Local foliage discoloration
Fresh bare earth
Breaks in cultivated fields
Water and snow discontinuities
Tracks and signals
Birds and animals (crows, buzzards)
11
Aircraft Wreckage
Patterns

Hole-in-the ground

Nose first at high speed




Deep hole
Dirt and debris around small area
If in wooded area, very hard to
locate
Corkscrew or auger

Uncontrollable spin



Small area
Still looks like an airplane
Considerable damage to trees
12
Aircraft Wreckage
Patterns

Creaming or smear

Impact at high rate of speed



Four winds

Mid air collision or explosion


Wreckage in a long and narrow path
Near point of impact may be the
battered and recognizable tail and
wings
Parts scattered over large area
Hedge trimming

Ricochet off crest of hill or ridge


Impact could be some distance beyond
first impact
Tops of tree may be trimmed
13
Signaling Techniques
of Survivors

Fire




Smoke or flares
Signal mirrors
Panels on the ground


Wreckage, tarps
Messages


Three fires in a triangle
Rocks, tree branches,
driftwood
Nighttime signals

Flashlight, fire
14
More Definitions

Meteorological visibility


Search visibility


The maximum range at which large
objects, such as a mountain , can
be seen
Distance at which an object the size
of an automobile can be seen and
recognized
Scanning range

The lateral distance from a
scanner’s aircraft to an imaginary
line parallel to the search aircraft's
ground track within which the
scanner has a good chance of
spotting the search objective
15
More Definitions

Ground track


Search track


Imaginary line of the ground
over which the aircraft flies
Area between ground track
and scanning range
Track spacing

Distance between adjacent
ground tracks
16
More Definitions

Possibility area

Largest geographic area in
which the aircraft might be
found


Usually determined from the last
known position (LKP)
Probability area

Geographic area within the
possibility area in which the
aircraft is most likely to be
found

Determined by ELT signals,
civilian reports, radar plots, etc.
17
Probability of
Detection
SEARCH
VISIBILITY
SEARCH
VISIBILITY
SEARCH
VISIBILITY
18
Cumulative Probability
of Detection
19