Air OperationsAir OperationsBranch Director CourseBranch Director Course

Safety IssuesSafety IssuesPart 1Part 1

U.S. AIR FORCE AUXILIARY

U.S. AIR FORCE AUXILIARY

Mission Air Ops Safety Mission Air Ops Safety Regulations and PoliciesRegulations and Policies

Duty Day LimitsDuty Day Limits

Minimum AltitudesMinimum Altitudes

Fuel PlanningFuel Planning

Winter OperationsWinter Operations

WeatherWeather

Separation PlanningSeparation Planning

Handling Overdue AircraftHandling Overdue Aircraft

CaveatCaveat

CAPR 60-1 changes often and a lotCAPR 60-1 changes often and a lot

You will need to stay on top of these You will need to stay on top of these changeschanges

The information in this presentation is just The information in this presentation is just a snapshot in timea snapshot in time

SafetySafetyDuty Day LimitsDuty Day Limits

Pilot Duty Day Limits, CAPR 60-1 [Feb 2009]

• 14 hour maximum duty day “of official CAP duty”• 8 hours maximum scheduled flight time per

duty day• 10 hours rest required between duty days

A duty day extension can be granted through the IC by the Wing Commander; see CAPR 60-1 for additional info.

SafetySafetyMinimum Patrol/Search AltitudesMinimum Patrol/Search Altitudes

Sustained flight below 1000 ft AGL is not authorized (CAPR 60-1)

SafetySafetyFuel PlanningFuel Planning

CAPR 60-1: The PIC will plan all flights so as to have a minimum of one hour of fuel remaining upon landing (at normal cruise speed).

Minnesota Wing Supplement to CAPR 60-1: Minnesota Wing Supplement to CAPR 60-1: Flights will not exceed the following Flights will not exceed the following TACHTACH times times (including time enroute and time searching; and (including time enroute and time searching; and assuming full tanks at start): assuming full tanks at start): – Cessna 172, standard tanks Cessna 172, standard tanks – 3 hrs – 3 hrs – Cessna 172, extended range tanksCessna 172, extended range tanks – 4 hrs– 4 hrs– Cessna 182 Cessna 182 – 4 hrs– 4 hrs

SafetySafetyWinter Flight Operations (MN Wing Policy)Winter Flight Operations (MN Wing Policy)

Tanis heater to be used for Tanis heater to be used for parked aircraft 24x7 parked aircraft 24x7 November 15 through April November 15 through April 15 (or any day the 15 (or any day the temperature is forecast to temperature is forecast to be below 40be below 40°°F for more F for more than 24 hours)than 24 hours)Winter kits IAW POHWinter kits IAW POHMinimum power settings Minimum power settings for pilots for temperatures for pilots for temperatures below 10°Fbelow 10°F

SafetySafetyWinter Flight Operations (MN Wing Policy)Winter Flight Operations (MN Wing Policy)

No flight operations except with approval No flight operations except with approval of wing DO below -20of wing DO below -20°°F temperature or -F temperature or -5050°°F wind-chillF wind-chill

Requirements for operations at or below Requirements for operations at or below 00°°F temperature or -30F temperature or -30°°F wind-chillF wind-chill– Flight release by an FRO who is also a pilotFlight release by an FRO who is also a pilot– 2 occupants minimum2 occupants minimum– No training flights authorizedNo training flights authorized

Safety – Air Operations IssuesSafety – Air Operations Issues

WeatherWeather– Air branch director must stay informedAir branch director must stay informed

Don’t forget flight release responsibility Don’t forget flight release responsibility

FRO should be ready to say no FRO should be ready to say no (safety responsibility is shared with PIC)(safety responsibility is shared with PIC)

Weather information should be shared with Weather information should be shared with planning section – they need to know too!planning section – they need to know too!

– Remember to recheck multiple times during Remember to recheck multiple times during the daythe day

Weather can change dramatically and Weather can change dramatically and surprisingly in short span of timesurprisingly in short span of time

Even short-term forecasts can miss the markEven short-term forecasts can miss the mark

Safety – Air Operations IssuesSafety – Air Operations Issues

Separation PlanningSeparation Planning– Mission sorties must be planned to ensure aircraft are Mission sorties must be planned to ensure aircraft are

separated while executing search patternsseparated while executing search patternsQuarter grid or equivalent area separation is desiredQuarter grid or equivalent area separation is desiredAlternatively, altitude may also be used (no less than 500 ft. Alternatively, altitude may also be used (no less than 500 ft. separation)separation)Aircraft executing search patterns in close proximity to each Aircraft executing search patterns in close proximity to each other would be unsafeother would be unsafe

– Aircrews should be informed as to what other sorties Aircrews should be informed as to what other sorties are assigned nearbyare assigned nearby

– Separation must also be managed with other Separation must also be managed with other agencies and emergent volunteers agencies and emergent volunteers

Safety – Air Operations IssuesSafety – Air Operations Issues

Aircrew fatigue, dehydrationAircrew fatigue, dehydration

Weight and balanceWeight and balance– PIC is responsible, but air branch can choose PIC is responsible, but air branch can choose

to verifyto verify– It’s easy to over-gross even a SkylaneIt’s easy to over-gross even a Skylane

Securing aircraft when not in useSecuring aircraft when not in use

Safety – Air Operations Safety – Air Operations Situational AwarenessSituational Awareness

Obstructions (Radio towers, etc.)Obstructions (Radio towers, etc.)NOTAMs – NOTAMs – Like weather, the Operations and Planning sections Like weather, the Operations and Planning sections should stay informed on these and remember that should stay informed on these and remember that they can change during the daythey can change during the day– Rocket launchesRocket launches– SkydiversSkydivers– BlastingBlasting– TFRsTFRs

Military operations Military operations (MOAs, low level training routes)(MOAs, low level training routes)

Handling overdue mission aircraftHandling overdue mission aircraft

CAPF 104 is effectively a flight plan CAPF 104 is effectively a flight plan – Unlike other flight plans, it is filed with CAP, not the Unlike other flight plans, it is filed with CAP, not the

FAAFAA

Follow up on overdue mission aircraftFollow up on overdue mission aircraft– Try to contact the aircraft by radio to get a revised Try to contact the aircraft by radio to get a revised

ETAETA– Think like FAA flight service doesThink like FAA flight service does

wait until 30 minutes overduewait until 30 minutes overdue

call pilot on telephonecall pilot on telephone

call units for ramp & hangar checkscall units for ramp & hangar checks

– Don't scare the familyDon't scare the family

Air Ops Safety SuggestionsAir Ops Safety Suggestions

Advise sorties to request ATC flight following Advise sorties to request ATC flight following when maneuvering in high traffic areas (for when maneuvering in high traffic areas (for example, under class B airspace)example, under class B airspace)Coordinate with Interagency Fire Center IAW Coordinate with Interagency Fire Center IAW MNICS All Risk Air Operations PlanMNICS All Risk Air Operations PlanTo the extent practicable, keep sorties in radio To the extent practicable, keep sorties in radio communicationcommunication– Remember line-of-sight limitationsRemember line-of-sight limitations– Consider using a “high-bird” or airborne repeater to Consider using a “high-bird” or airborne repeater to

extend the communications reach of the extend the communications reach of the base/command post.base/command post.

Questions?Questions?