Mission Aircrew Course

Search Planning and Coverage(APR 2010)

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)

Aircrew Tasks

In basic terms, discuss how search planners determine the Maximum Area of Probability and then the Probability Area.

Given a POD table, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various search altitudes and speeds over the three major types of terrain.

Discuss the importance of proper execution of search patterns.

Objectives

Optional – Review POD Example

Objectives

Define the following search terms:• 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)

Objectives

Discuss how a disaster can effect CAP operations.

Discuss the types of questions you must always be asking yourself during damage assessment missions.

List typical things you are looking for during a damage assessment mission.

List the information you should obtain when over a damage assessment site.

Discuss the limitations of an air search for a missing person.

Objectives (Con’t)

Ground track is an imaginary line on the ground that is made by an aircraft’s flight path over the ground

Maximum Area of Possibility is normally a circular area centered at the search objective’s last know position, with certain corrections

Meteorological visibility is the maximum distance at which large objects (e.g., a mountain) can be seen

Search Terms

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

Scanning range is the lateral distance from a scanner’s 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 Terms

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 aircraft’s 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

Search Terms

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

Search Altitudes & Airspeed

Altitudes• Maintain a minimum of 1000 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 1000 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 1000' AGL or higher.

Airspeed• No lower than Vx

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)

Determining the Maximum Possibility

Area

LKP

Corrected for wind

Wind vector

No wind endurance

Maximum possibility area

Flight level winds: 330/20

Aircraft Speed: 100 Kts

Endurance: 2 Hours

200 NM

40NM

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

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

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

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

POD Table

POD Chart - detail

500 Feet  

0.5 nm 35% 60% 75% 75%

1.0 20 35 50

1.5 15 25 35 40

700 Feet  

0.5 nm 40% 60% 75% 80%

1.0 20 35 50 55

1.5 15 25 40 40

1,000 Feet  

0.5 nm 40% 65% 80% 85%

1.0 25 40 55

1.5 15 30 40 45

OPEN, FLAT TERRAIN  

SEARCH ALTITUDE (AGL) Track Spacing

SEARCH VISIBILITY  1 mi 2 mi 3 mi 4 mi

50

2.0 10 20 30 30

2.0 10 20 30 35

60

2.0 15 20 30 35

Cumulative POD Chart

5-10% 1511-20% 20 2521-30% 30 35 4531-40% 40 45 50 6041-50% 50 55 60 65 7051-60% 60 65 65 70 75 8061-70% 70 70 75 80 80 85 9071-80% 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

PreviousPOD

QUESTIONS?

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

Disaster Assessment

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)

How Disasters Can Affect CAP Operations

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?

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

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

Assessment

Aerial survey of WTC

Aerial survey of WTC

Aerial survey of WTC

Aerial survey of WTC

Aerial survey of WTC

Aerial survey of WTC

Aerial survey of WTC

Flooding over levee

Seeping behind levee

Flooded approach

Bridge damage

Tornado

Tornado

Tornado leaves slabs

Close-up of tornado damage

Wide image of train wreck

ChemicaChemical spill l spill

(hazmat(hazmat))

Close image of train wreck

Close image of train wreck

Infrared image of train wreck

Plume from train wreck

Questions?Questions?