Air OperationsAir OperationsBranch Director CourseBranch Director Course

Inter-agencyInter-agencyOperationsOperations

U.S. AIR FORCE AUXILIARY

U.S. AIR FORCE AUXILIARY

Expect to Work with Other Expect to Work with Other AgenciesAgencies

Who’s in charge?Who’s in charge?

Sometimes CAP is lead agency, reporting Sometimes CAP is lead agency, reporting directly to AFRCC directly to AFRCC – ELT SearchELT Search– Interstate missing aircraft Interstate missing aircraft – Intrastate missing aircraft Intrastate missing aircraft

(delegated to CAP from HSEM)(delegated to CAP from HSEM)

Other times, CAP assistsOther times, CAP assists– In Minnesota, by law, each sheriff is responsible for In Minnesota, by law, each sheriff is responsible for

search and rescue in his/her county; The sheriff is search and rescue in his/her county; The sheriff is often the IC.often the IC.

Who’s in charge?Who’s in charge?

Command and control of CAP personnel Command and control of CAP personnel and resources always remains within CAPand resources always remains within CAP– CAPF 104 ClearanceCAPF 104 Clearance– CAP Air Branch tracks flightCAP Air Branch tracks flight

Multiple WingsMultiple Wings

Usually, RCC will generally appoint one IC Usually, RCC will generally appoint one IC as overall IC for all CAP resources.as overall IC for all CAP resources.– That IC is then the point of contact for RCCThat IC is then the point of contact for RCC– Other wings can provide resources and Other wings can provide resources and

personnel to assistpersonnel to assist

Where does CAP fit in Where does CAP fit in a larger incident organization?a larger incident organization?

More than one possibilityMore than one possibility– Entire CAP organization placed in one part of Entire CAP organization placed in one part of

incident organizationincident organization– CAP personnel spread throughout incident CAP personnel spread throughout incident

organizationorganization

In case of missing aircraft search we In case of missing aircraft search we would likely be in lead role with other would likely be in lead role with other agencies supportingagencies supporting

CAP organization in CAP organization in one functional areaone functional area

Perhaps CAP is providing Perhaps CAP is providing just one kind of resource just one kind of resource (like aircraft)(like aircraft)– CAP officer in charge (a CAP officer in charge (a

qualified agency liaison qualified agency liaison officer) may be incident Air officer) may be incident Air Branch or CAP Air Branch Branch or CAP Air Branch DirectorDirector

Advantage: easy to Advantage: easy to understand lines of understand lines of commandcommand

CAP

CAP

CAP organization in many rolesCAP organization in many roles

CAP ALO (agency liaison CAP ALO (agency liaison officer) acts as agency officer) acts as agency representative on IC representative on IC command staffcommand staff– ALO maintains ability to ALO maintains ability to

exercise command and exercise command and control with CAP members control with CAP members throughout organizationthroughout organization

CAP must still control its CAP must still control its own dispatch and flight own dispatch and flight release procedures, so it release procedures, so it must have personnel must have personnel assigned in operations assigned in operations (perhaps as deputies or (perhaps as deputies or branch directors)branch directors)

CAP

CAP

CAP

CAP

CAP

CAP

Interagency Specific ProceduresInteragency Specific Procedures

MNICSMNICS

Coast Guard AuxiliaryCoast Guard Auxiliary

Minnesota Incident Command SystemMinnesota Incident Command System(MNICS)(MNICS)

“All Risk” Aviation Operations Plan“All Risk” Aviation Operations Plan

MNICS

Air Operations

Working Team

ParticipantsParticipantsMinnesota Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management- HSEMMN Dept. of Public Safety- State PatrolMinnesota Wing, Civil Air Patrol – US Air Force AuxiliaryMN Dept. of Natural Resources – Enforcement- DNRMN Army National GuardAir Medical Council- EMSMN Dept. of Natural Resources-Forestry- DNRUS Forest Service-Fire- USFSUS Fish and Wildlife Service- USFWSBureau of Indian Affairs- BIAMediaCounty Sheriffs

Past “All Risk” Events Involving Past “All Risk” Events Involving Aircraft from Multiple AgenciesAircraft from Multiple Agencies

1997 Floods1997 Floods

St. Peter TornadoSt. Peter Tornado

Andover FireAndover Fire

Katie Poerer SearchKatie Poerer Search

1999 41999 4thth of July Blow-down Storm of July Blow-down Storm

ConceptConcept

All air-operations missions are potentially All air-operations missions are potentially multi-agencymulti-agency– Even an ELT search!Even an ELT search!

(Perhaps there is an actual crash, and the news media is already (Perhaps there is an actual crash, and the news media is already there)there)

Need protocol for inter-agency Need protocol for inter-agency communications to keep air operations communications to keep air operations safesafe

Status - 2009Status - 2009

New Draft SAR Annex added to All Risk PlanNew Draft SAR Annex added to All Risk Plan– Recognizes need for on-the-ground coordination of Recognizes need for on-the-ground coordination of

SAR air operationsSAR air operations– Differentiates between small search areas (<10 miles Differentiates between small search areas (<10 miles

across) across) and larger onesand larger onesUse of air-to-air communication for coordination and Use of air-to-air communication for coordination and separation ineffective for large area operationsseparation ineffective for large area operations

– Recommends coordination with MIAFC Aviation Desk Recommends coordination with MIAFC Aviation Desk for operations north of Twin Cities for operations north of Twin Cities

Initial ResponseInitial Response

Air-to-air tactical frequencyAir-to-air tactical frequency122.75 MHz 122.75 MHz —— “All Risk” “All Risk”

122.925 MHz 122.925 MHz —— Wild-land fire Wild-land fire– Announce direction of entry into incident when Announce direction of entry into incident when

10 miles out10 miles out– Other aircraft at scene will inform incoming Other aircraft at scene will inform incoming

aircraft of their presence, position, mission, aircraft of their presence, position, mission, and whether or not an Air Tactical Group and whether or not an Air Tactical Group Supervisor is functioning yetSupervisor is functioning yet

Initial Response (cont.)Initial Response (cont.)

Air to air briefings on 122.9 if tactical Air to air briefings on 122.9 if tactical frequency is too busyfrequency is too busy

Air Tactical Group SupervisorAir Tactical Group Supervisor

AirborneAirborneCoordinates All Airborne AircraftCoordinates All Airborne Aircraft– Responsible to manage separation and safetyResponsible to manage separation and safety

First aircraft onto the scene will normally assume the role First aircraft onto the scene will normally assume the role until formally handing off responsibility or leaving the until formally handing off responsibility or leaving the scenescene

Extended Extended responses:responses:Air Tactical Group Air Tactical Group Supervisor has two Supervisor has two assisting coordinatorsassisting coordinators

AIR TACTICAL GROUP AIR TACTICAL GROUP SUPERVISORSUPERVISOR

HELICOPTER COORDINATOR

AIR TANKER / FIXEDWING COORDINATOR

Air-Tanker/Fixed-Wing CoordinatorAir-Tanker/Fixed-Wing Coordinator

Typically airborne Typically airborne position on large position on large incidentsincidents

Coordinates airborne Coordinates airborne fixed-wing aircraftfixed-wing aircraft

Reports to Air Tactical Reports to Air Tactical Group SupervisorGroup Supervisor

Helicopter CoordinatorHelicopter Coordinator

Can be in the air or Can be in the air or on the groundon the ground

Coordinates all Coordinates all airborne helicopters airborne helicopters (tactical or logistical (tactical or logistical missions)missions)

Reports to Air Tactical Reports to Air Tactical Group SupervisorGroup Supervisor

Initial Response : Example

Non-complex - A few aircraft - communicating and aware of eachothers presence.

Transition Phase : Example

Getting more complex - ATGS known and controlling airspace.

Extended Response : Example

ATGS, Helicopter Coordinator and Fixed Wing Coordinator assigned. Alsoground support positions such as Air Ops and air support are in order.

HLCO FWCO

ATGS

ATGS

Air Space Coordination: ICS

10A

Complex MissionsComplex Missions

Communications frequency plans exist to support more Communications frequency plans exist to support more complex missions complex missions – These plans allow simultaneous separate incidents (or These plans allow simultaneous separate incidents (or

geographic divisions) to communicate without conflictinggeographic divisions) to communicate without conflicting– The plans change with timeThe plans change with time– Mission staff should coordinate with the Minnesota Interagency Mission staff should coordinate with the Minnesota Interagency

Fire Center to determine the current frequency plansFire Center to determine the current frequency plans– Plans have been identified by color. (Example on next two Plans have been identified by color. (Example on next two

slides)slides)

Air Tactical Group Supervisor and/or Air Support Group Air Tactical Group Supervisor and/or Air Support Group Supervisor will decide when and if to use the Supervisor will decide when and if to use the communications plans.communications plans.

Purple PlanPurple Plan

118.775 MHz118.775 MHz(aircraft band)(aircraft band)

Air to air tacticalAir to air tactical

170.000 MHz170.000 MHz(CAP FM Ch 34)(CAP FM Ch 34)

Air to air briefings if Air to air briefings if 118.775 is too busy118.775 is too busy

Gold PlanGold Plan

119.625 MHz119.625 MHz(aircraft band)(aircraft band)

Air to air tacticalAir to air tactical

167.950 MHz167.950 MHz(CAP FM Ch 35)(CAP FM Ch 35)

Air to air briefings if Air to air briefings if 119.625 is too busy119.625 is too busy

Other Frequencies for Other Frequencies for Joint OperationsJoint Operations

122.900 MHz122.900 MHz(aircraft band)(aircraft band)

CTAF for air strips without CTAF for air strips without other frequencies designatedother frequencies designated

122.925 MHz122.925 MHz(aircraft band)(aircraft band)

Air to air and air to ground Air to air and air to ground designated “natural designated “natural resources” frequency resources” frequency

andand

Air to air Air to air Canadian borderCanadian border area, two miles either side of area, two miles either side of borderborder

123.975 MHz123.975 MHz(aircraft band)(aircraft band)

Air to ground – air tanker Air to ground – air tanker base operations within 10 base operations within 10 miles of basemiles of base

DNR Flight Following ChannelsDNR Flight Following ChannelsProgrammed into MN Wing FM RadiosProgrammed into MN Wing FM Radios

MIFC Air Net Point to PointMIFC Air Net Point to Point

MIFC Air Net East Repeater (Eveleth)MIFC Air Net East Repeater (Eveleth)

MIFC Air Net West Repeater (Northome)MIFC Air Net West Repeater (Northome)

MIFC Air Net South Repeater (Quadna)MIFC Air Net South Repeater (Quadna)

Superior DispatchSuperior Dispatch

US Coast Guard AuxiliaryPossible Joint Operations with CAP– Search and Rescue– Disaster Relief (river spills, etc.)– Homeland Security (border operations,

etc.)

CG Auxiliary CommunicationsCG Auxiliary Communications

MN Wing CAP Aircraft FM radios are MN Wing CAP Aircraft FM radios are programmed for Marine band useprogrammed for Marine band use– Altitude Restriction: 1000 ft AGLAltitude Restriction: 1000 ft AGL– FrequenciesFrequencies

Initial Contact on Marine Channel 16 Initial Contact on Marine Channel 16 (CAP FM Ch 29)(CAP FM Ch 29)

Working Channel is Marine Channel 83Working Channel is Marine Channel 83(CAP FM Ch 31)(CAP FM Ch 31)

CG Auxiliary CommunicationsCG Auxiliary Communications

Making ContactMaking Contact– If possible, make contact with a fixed station If possible, make contact with a fixed station

firstfirst““Coast Guard Auxiliary Station Prescott, this is Coast Guard Auxiliary Station Prescott, this is CAPFlight 2143”CAPFlight 2143”

– Then contact “facilities” [boats] on patrolThen contact “facilities” [boats] on patrol““US Coast Guard Auxiliary 1 6 9, this is CAPFlight US Coast Guard Auxiliary 1 6 9, this is CAPFlight 2143”2143”

Describing Navigation InformationDescribing Navigation Information

CG Auxiliary personnel usually describe CG Auxiliary personnel usually describe locations in terms of “river miles”locations in terms of “river miles”

They should be able to convert to Lat & They should be able to convert to Lat & Long for usLong for us– If not, ask CAP mission base or CG Aux. If not, ask CAP mission base or CG Aux.

station to convertstation to convert– River charts showing both river miles and River charts showing both river miles and

lat/long are available to download from US lat/long are available to download from US Army Corps of EngineersArmy Corps of Engineers

CG Auxiliary Vocab 101CG Auxiliary Vocab 101

Bow-rider – runabout with seats in an open bowBow-rider – runabout with seats in an open bowCigarette boat – narrow fast powerboatCigarette boat – narrow fast powerboatCoxswain – facility [boat] crew commanderCoxswain – facility [boat] crew commanderCruiser – luxury boat with interior cabinCruiser – luxury boat with interior cabinDeck boat – boat with single deck and railsDeck boat – boat with single deck and railsFacility – boat [esp. a Coast Guard or CGA boat]Facility – boat [esp. a Coast Guard or CGA boat]Flotilla – Coast Guard local organizational unitFlotilla – Coast Guard local organizational unitPFD – personal floatation devicePFD – personal floatation deviceRunabout – powerboat smaller than 25 ft with Runabout – powerboat smaller than 25 ft with outboard engineoutboard engine

Questions?Questions?