AS 389 Search and Rescue Operations

Search Patterns

100

This search pattern starts at the LKP and increases in distance at 90 degree turns at an increasing distance

Expanding square

200

This search pattern is used when an ELT signal is heard over 121.5 VHF frequency

Aural homing (ELT)

300

This search pattern is used when the LKP is close and search area is small. It continually returns to the LKP.

Sector search

400

This search pattern is used along a flight path or road

Track crawl or parallel search

500

This search pattern would be used if a survivor was known to be somewhere on a particular terrain feature

Contour search

Equipment

100

This is the personal equivalent of an ELT

Personal locator beacon

200

This can be received by SARSATs

ELT

300

This would be used to hoist a survivor suspected of a spinal cord injury

Litter

400

During hoist operations, visors, gloves, helmets and harnesses would be considered this

Required PPE

500

It is important to do this to avoid shocking the survivor prior to attaching them to the hoist

Static discharge

Standard Circuit

100

This command tells the hoist operator to release the hoist cable in event of emergency

Cut, cut, cut

200

This crewmember guides the helicopter over the survivor

Hoist operator

300

When maneuvering the helicopter over the survivor, this countdown component matters most to the pilot

Rate of countdown

400

Typical standard circuit airspeed

50-70 KIAS

500

This is the most important task of the standard circuit

Keep survivor in sight

Mission

100

This is always the most important consideration for any search and rescue crew

Safety

200

in SAR operations, much of this is done enroute to the scene

Planning

300

Environmental conditions, track spacing and altitudes are all considered this type of factor

Search Factor

400

This is a function of altitude, airspeed and track spacing

Search intensity

500

Initial searches are typically flown above this altitude

800-1000 ft AGL

Miscellaneous

100

Prior to starting a standard circuit, the aircraft should overfly the survivor and do this

Mark position and GPS

200

Forward, aft, left, right, up, down + units are standard commands during what type of SAR operation

Hoist

300

When conducting an aural search, this should be considered when selecting a search altitude

Terrain

400

In order to receive a faint ELT signal on your comm radio, you should do this

Turn off squlech

500

When selecting a rescue technique, this one should always be considered first

Lowest risk