Visual Search Patterns

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Visual Search Patterns Procedures
Familiarization and Preparatory Training
for Mission Scanners
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Four Main Areas of Knowledge

• Visual Search Patterns
• Search Coverage
• Scanning Techniques

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Overview of AircrewProcedures

• Air Operations
• Aircrew arrival and Sign-in
• Aircrew Formation
• Aircrew Briefing
• Aircrew Planning
• Flight planning section
• flight computer section
• Aircrew Sortie
• Aircrew Debriefing

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Air Operations Planning

• First Priority is the Preliminary or Hasty Search
• Early in Mission
• Objective is to cover the highest probability
  areas as expeditiously as possible
• Emphasis on
• Expected route of flight
• High terrian
• Areas of severe weather during time aircraft lost

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Air Operations Planning

• Second Priority - After accomplishment of
  Preliminary Search Objectives
• Transition to Concentrated Search Procedures
• Routine procedures
• Creeping line along route
• Parallel Track
• Contour
• High probability search patterns
• Expanding square
• Sector search

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Aircrew Arrival Sign-in

• Flight from Home Base to Mission Base
• Must use normal FRO procedures, unless
• Directly tasked by MC/IC from home base
• Sign-in
• On arrival at Mission Base
• Sign aircraft in on CAP Form 121
• Sign yourself in on CAP Form 103
• Report to Air Operations for
• Aircrew formation (if required)
• Mission assignment

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Aircrew Formation

• Arriving with a full qualified crew (pilot,
  scanner observer)
• May be immediately tasked
• May be split up into other crews to meet the
  needs of the mission
• Arriving with a partial crew
• Check in with Air Operations and advise
• Individual crew members availability and
  qualifications
• Additional crew members required for full crew
• Standby for crew and sortie assignment

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Aircrew Briefing

• Four types of briefings/information
• General briefing by mission staff
• Pilot/aircrew briefing by Air Operations
• Self briefing from posted information
• Weather
• CAP Form 102 - Combined SAR and CD Alert/General
  Briefing Form
• Crew briefing by mission pilot
• All three should have a safety component

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Aircrew Sortie Planning

• Sortie Flight Planning is a Composite of Material
  from the Following Independent Sections
• Aircraft Operations Limitations
• Aviation Weather
• High Altitude and Terrain Considerations
• Navigation
• Use of a Flight Computer (E6B)

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Aircrew Sortie Planning

• Sortie Flight Planning is a Composite of Material
  from the Following Independent Sections plus
  Visual/Electronic Search Patterns
• Aircraft Operations Limitations
• Aviation Weather
• High Altitude and Terrain Considerations
• Navigation
• Use of a Flight Computer (E6B)

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Aircrew Reporting Procedures

• Normal operations reporting
• Off ground
• In Grid/search area
• Periodically as briefed (normally every 30 min
• Departing Search area
• On Ground
• Other expected reports
• Possible sighting(s)
• Abnormal conditions or events

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Aircrew Debriefing
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Aircrew Debriefing
Crew completes Debriefing portion of CAPF 104
prior to reporting to Air Ops for debriefing
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Air Ops determines Probability of Detection (POD)
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Search Altitude

• The optimum search altitude (for maximum POD) is
  a function of the size of the search objective
• 1000 ft AGL for aircraft
• 500 ft AGL for mission persons
• Under no circumstances are altitudes less than
  500 ft allowed under CAPRs

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Visual Search Patterns

• Track Crawl or Route Search
• Parallel Track
• Creeping Line
• Expanding Square
• Sector Search
• Contour Search

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Track Crawl (Route) Search
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Parallel Track
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Grid Search Pocedures

• Search as assigned N/S or E/W
• Correct heading for magnetic variation and wind
  drift
• Initial track should be spaced 1/2 of the
  assigned track spacing from the edge of the grid
• Turns should occur at 1/2 of the assigned tracks
  spacing from the edge of the grid
• Estimated minimum times to search a full grid
  (15x13 nm) in our area
• 1/2 nm track spacing - 4 hours
• 1 nm track spacing - 2 hours
• 2 nm track spacing - 1 hours

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Creeping Line
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Search Parameter Definitions
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Search Parameter Definitions

• Meteorological Visibility - Visibility reported
  on Wx briefing (can be gt 30 sm)
• Search Visibility - distance an object similar in
  size to the search objective can be seen and
  identified as such (example, car aircraft)
• Sweep Width Track Spacing distance (in NM)
  between tracks or sweeps)
• Parameters apply to route, creeping line,
  parallel track, and expanding square patterns

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Expanding Square

• Used when approximate position of target is known
• Very precise
• Requires close attention to navigation
• Examples of approximate position information
• SARSAT position
• NTAP position
• Significant lead
• Repeat Expanding Square search is made diagonally
  from previous search

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Expanding Square
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Sector Search

• Used For same purposes as Expanding Square
• Used when center point is defined by a major
  landmark or Navigation Aid

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Sector Search
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Contour Search
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Contour Search
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Searching a Cove
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Searching a Steep Valley