Mayday in Utah

I brought this up before but got lost in the thread shift: What do you
think the "official" position on activating a PLB or similar device
prior to making a questionable out landing? And then if everything goes
well deactivating itafter landing? I bring to mind a landing I made about
60 miles west of Ely last year after a 1000k attempt in Long valley dry
lake. I thought it would have been prudent to activate a PLB prior to
making the landing in case of incapacitation after. Now don't get me
wrong I didn 't think I would wreck the plane, however I was concerned
about communications on the ground. When it got dark I could not find a
single light for 40miles in any direction with mountains all around.
Amazingly I did have sporadic cell coverage and was able to get my crew
and help to me in a few hours and able to retrieve the sailplane the next
day with minimal effort....but thats another story


At 04:22 12 June 2008, wrote:
Today (June 11) Oakland Center asked the Global Hawk Test Team to help
with a Mayday call from a motorglider in Utah. The team was flying a
new Global Hawk somewhat above 50,000 feet north of Edwards AFB and
was 8 hours into a 30 hour mission to test the sensor suite when OAK
Center made the request. Center reported a Mayday from a "powered
glider with a failed engine" and asked if the Hawk could join in the
search and rescue. Fortunately good news followed that the
motorglider had safely landed.

You all be careful out there. We don't fly Hawks every day. It is
better to have a SPOT and/or an ELT.

Soar safe, have fun, go fast and far,
Jim Payne

On Jun 12, 3:28*pm, Cliff Hilty wrote:
I brought this up before but got lost in the thread shift: What do you
think the "official" position on activating a PLB or similar device
prior to making a questionable out landing? And then if everything goes
well deactivating itafter landing?

I think those folks ought to expect to be billed for any SAR service
expense incurred on their behalf as a result of non-emergency
activation.

I have no problem donating time and resources to searching for
bretheren in actual peril, or even those who think they're in peril,
because I know that some day that might be me out there. However, I
think it'd be pretty seriously demotivating to get regularly called
out and then stood down because of an alert sent up by someone who
thought that there was the possibility that they might soon be in
peril, maybe. Demotivating events like that take their toll on SAR
groups, making it harder to attract and retain qualified and dedicated
volunteers.

Thanks, Bob K.

"Bob Kuykendall" wrote in message
...
On Jun 12, 3:28 pm, Cliff Hilty wrote:
I brought this up before but got lost in the thread shift: What do you
think the "official" position on activating a PLB or similar device
prior to making a questionable out landing? And then if everything goes
well deactivating itafter landing?

I think those folks ought to expect to be billed for any SAR service
expense incurred on their behalf as a result of non-emergency
activation.

I have no problem donating time and resources to searching for
bretheren in actual peril, or even those who think they're in peril,
because I know that some day that might be me out there. However, I
think it'd be pretty seriously demotivating to get regularly called
out and then stood down because of an alert sent up by someone who
thought that there was the possibility that they might soon be in
peril, maybe. Demotivating events like that take their toll on SAR
groups, making it harder to attract and retain qualified and dedicated
volunteers.

Thanks, Bob K.

OK, that's useful information, Bob. What about using a rented sat-phone to
call in an apology to the SAR folks after turning the PLB off. Is there any
central number to call?

Bill D

Cliff Hilty wrote:
I brought this up before but got lost in the thread shift: What do you
think the "official" position on activating a PLB or similar device
prior to making a questionable out landing? And then if everything goes
well deactivating itafter landing? I bring to mind a landing I made about
60 miles west of Ely last year after a 1000k attempt in Long valley dry
lake. I thought it would have been prudent to activate a PLB prior to
making the landing in case of incapacitation after. Now don't get me
wrong I didn 't think I would wreck the plane, however I was concerned
about communications on the ground.


Sounds like a good reason to have SPOT along when flying in the Great Basin


When it got dark I could not find a
single light for 40miles in any direction with mountains all around.
Amazingly I did have sporadic cell coverage and was able to get my crew
and help to me in a few hours and able to retrieve the sailplane the next
day with minimal effort....but thats another story