Mission Aircrew Course Chapter 9: Search Planning and Coverage (Feb 2005)

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Mission Aircrew CourseChapter 9 Search Planning
and Coverage(Feb 2005)
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Aircrew Tasks

• O-2004 USE A POD TABLE (P)
• P-2021 DISCUSS HOW ATMOSPHERIC AND LIGHTING
  CONDITIONS AFFECT SCANNING EFFECTIVENESS (S)
• P-2025 DISCUSS COMMON SEARCH TERMS (S)
• P-2026 IDENTIFY WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND RECORD
  DURING DAMAGE ASSESSMENT MISSIONS (S)

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Objectives

• In basic terms, discuss how search planners
  determine the Maximum Area of Probability and
  then the Probability Area. P 9.2.1 9.2.2
• Given a POD table, discuss the advantages and
  disadvantages of various search altitudes and
  speeds over the three major types of terrain.
  P 9.2.3
• Discuss the importance of proper execution of
  search patterns. P 9.2.4

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Objectives

• Optional Review POD Example 9.3

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Objectives

• Define the following search terms S 9.1
• Ground and Search Track
• Maximum Area of Possibility
• Meteorological and Search Visibility
• Probability Area
• Probability of Detection (POD)
• Scanning Range
• Search Altitude
• Track spacing (S)

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Objectives (Cont)

• Discuss how a disaster can effect CAP operations.
  S 9.4.1
• Discuss the types of questions you must always be
  asking yourself during damage assessment
  missions. S 9.4.5
• List typical things you are looking for during a
  damage assessment mission. S 9.4.5
• List the information you should obtain when over
  a damage assessment site. S 9.4.5
• Discuss the limitations of an air search for a
  missing person. S 9.5

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Search Terms

• Ground track is an imaginary line on the ground
  that is made by an aircrafts flight path over
  the ground
• Maximum Area of Possibility is normally a
  circular area centered at the search objectives
  last know position, with certain corrections
• Meteorological visibility is the maximum distance
  at which large objects (e.g., a mountain) can be
  seen
• Probability Area is a smaller area, within the
  maximum area of possibility, where there is an
  increased likelihood of locating the search
  objective
• Probability of Detection (POD) is the likelihood,
  expressed in percent, that a search airplane
  might locate the objective

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Search Terms

• Scanning range is the lateral distance from a
  scanners aircraft to an imaginary line on the
  ground, parallel to the ground track, that a
  scanner is expected to have a good chance at
  spotting the search objective
• Search Altitude is the altitude the aircraft will
  fly above the ground (AGL)
• Search track is an imaginary swath across the
  surface formed by the scanning range and the
  length of the aircrafts ground track
• Search visibility is the distance at which an
  object on the ground can be seen and recognized
  from a particular height
• Track Spacing (S) is the distance between
  adjacent visual or electronic search legs

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Narrowing the Search

• Search Involves
• Estimating the position of the wreck or survivors
• Determining the area to be searched
• Selecting the search techniques to be used
• Maximum Possibility Area
• Circle around the Last Known Position (LKP)
• The radius is equal to the endurance of the
  aircraft
• Correct for wind
• Probability Area
• Where is the aircraft likely to be

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Search Altitudes Airspeed

• Altitudes
• Maintain a minimum of 500 feet above the ground,
  water, or any obstruction within a 1000' radius
  during daylight hours, and a minimum of 2000' AGL
  at night (except for takeoff and landing). Refer
  to CAPR 60-1 for special restrictions for
  over-water missions.
• For SAR/DR/CD/HLS reconnaissance, the pilot will
  maintain at least 800 AGL.
• Pilots may descend below the designated search
  altitude to attempt to positively identify the
  target (but never below 500 AGL or within 500
  feet of any obstructions within a 1000' radius)
  once the target has been identified the pilot
  will return to 800' AGL or higher.
• Airspeed
• No lower than Vx

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Search Factors

• Factors which effect detection
• Weather terrain lighting conditions
• Sweep Width (W)
• Track Spacing (S)
• Coverage Factor (C)
• Probability of Detection (P)
• Determine factors for search area coverage
• Type and number of aircraft available
• Search visibility
• Probability Of Detection (POD)

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Determining the Maximum Possibility Area
No wind endurance
Flight level winds 330/20 Aircraft Speed
100 Kts Endurance 2 Hours
40NM
LKP
200 NM
Wind vector
Corrected for wind
Maximum possibility area
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Probability Area

• Where was the last point where RADAR had the
  aircraft identified?
• Is there an ELT?
• Was there a flight plan (even if not on file with
  the FAA)?
• Dead reckoning from LKP and heading
• Reports of sightings
• Other aircraft
• People living along the intended route of flight

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Narrowing the Probability Area

• Flight plan
• Weather information
• National Track Analysis Program data
• Airports along the intended flight track
• Aircraft performance
• Pilots flying habits
• Radar coverage as a limiting factor
• Nature of terrain along the flight track
• Position reports fuel stops, etc.
• Most likely within 5 miles of intended track

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Search Priorities

• Areas of bad weather
• Low clouds and poor visibility
• Areas where weather was not as forecast
• High terrain
• Areas not covered by radar
• Reports of low flying aircraft
• Survival factors
• Radio contacts or MAYDAY calls

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Probability of Detection (POD)

• POD expressed as a percent search object was
  detected
• Four interrelated factors used to calculate
• Track Spacing
• Search Visibility
• Search Altitude
• Type of Terrain
• Cumulative POD calculated using a chart
• Effectiveness must also be considered

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POD Table(back of 104)
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POD Chart - detail
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Cumulative POD Chart
Previous POD

• 5-10 15
• 11-20 20 25
• 21-30 30 35 45
• 31-40 40 45 50 60
• 41-50 50 55 60 65 70
• 51-60 60 65 65 70 75 80
• 61-70 70 70 75 80 80 85 90
• 71-80 80 80 80 85 85 90 90 95
• 80 85 85 90 90 90 95 95 95 95
• 5-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70
  71-80 80

POD For This Search
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• QUESTIONS?

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Disaster Assessment

• Natural and man-made
• Examples of CAP services
• Air and ground SAR services
• Air and ground visual and/or video imaging
• Flood boundary determination
• Air and ground transportation
• Courier flights
• Radio communications support

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How Disasters Can Affect CAP Operations

• Effects of extreme weather
• Physical landscape may be so altered as to make
  maps obsolete or make navigation difficult
• Damage or destruction of area infrastructure
• Effects of biological, chemical or radiological
  terrorism (or accidental release)

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Assessment

• Flying damage assessment sorties is not much
  different from our SAR search patterns
• The big difference is what you look for
• Should be asking questions such as
• What is the geographical extent and severity of
  the damage?
• Is the damage spreading? If so, how far and how
  fast?
• How has access/egress been affected?
• What are the primary and secondary hazards?
• Is the disaster threatening critical structures
  or areas?
• Have utilities been affected or are they
  threatened?
• Can you see alternatives to problems?

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Assessment

• Some specific things to be looking for are
• Breaks in pavement, railways, bridges, dams,
  levees, pipelines, runways and structures
• Roads/streets blocked by water, debris or
  landslide
• Downed power lines
• Ruptured water lines
• Motorists in distress or major accidents
• Alternate routes for emergency vehicles or
  evacuation
• Distress signals from survivors

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Assessment

• At each site, besides sketching or highlighting
  the extent of the damage and identifying access
  and egress routes, you should record
• Latitude and longitude
• Description
• Type and extent of damage
• Photo number, or time reference for videotape
• Status and trends

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Aerial survey of WTC
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Aerial survey of WTC
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Aerial survey of WTC
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Aerial survey of WTC
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Aerial survey of WTC
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Aerial survey of WTC
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Aerial survey of WTC
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Flooding over levee
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Seeping behind levee
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Flooded approach
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Bridge damage
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Tornado
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Tornado
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Tornado leaves slabs
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Close-up of tornado damage
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Wide image of train wreck
Chemical spill (hazmat)
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Close image of train wreck
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Close image of train wreck
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Infrared image of train wreck
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Plume from train wreck
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• QUESTIONS?