CIVIL AIR SEARCH AND
RESCUE ASSOCIATION
PILOT TRAINING COURSE
Phase 5
In-Flight Procedures
CASARA
Pilot Responsibility
• The CASARA Pilot has the ultimate
responsibility for the safety and well-being
of the crew
• Any actions or decisions made by any crew
member that may affect the safety of the
crew or may affect the objective of the
mission, need to be known to the pilot
• In flight, the pilot makes the final decision
CASARA
Communication
• The CASARA Pilot should normally handle
all radio communications with ATC, Search
Headquarters or any other aircraft
• In some flight crew situations, the navigator
may use the radio only by mutual agreement
with the pilot such as sending a NOCL
message
• Inter-crew communications should be kept
to a minimum and should cease if anything
is heard on the aircraft radio
CASARA
Spotter Distance Briefing
• Prior to commencing the actual search, the
pilot or navigator should review with the
spotters, the scanning range and search
object details
• An identifiable object or landmark on the
ground on each side of the aircraft should
be selected to demonstrate the scanning
range for each spotter
CASARA
Spotter Call Around
• Prior to beginning a search, the CASARA
Pilot should emphasize to the spotters to be
assertive in calling the aircraft around if any
possible target is seen
• All other crew communications should
cease if a spotter is calling the aircraft
around
• Only the spotter who saw the target and the
pilot should communicate at this time
CASARA
Spotter Rest
• Being a spotter is a tiring job
• The pilot should allow the spotters to rest
their eyes at every possible opportunity
• If instructed by Search Headquarters to
make turns outside the assigned search area,
take advantage of that opportunity to rest
spotter eyes
• An occasional 360º turn or two during your
search is acceptable for spotter rest
CASARA
Search Track Deviations
• As your navigator periodically marks your
location along your search tracks, there may
be occasions where a deviation has been
made with loss of coverage
• The pilot and navigator need to decide if a
backtrack is necessary or the missed area
can be covered on the next pass
• Any assigned search areas missed should be
identified to Search Headquarters
CASARA
Aircraft Retasking
• While training or during an actual search,
your aircraft may be sent to another
location using a different search pattern
• Once your navigator has given the pilot the
new heading, ask your spotters to rest
• Prior to beginning a new tasking, the pilot
will have to brief the crew on the new
search object, search pattern, altitude and
distance
• Search Headquarters should be advised of
start time “on scene” as well as your revised
Bingo time
CASARA
Target Sighted
• If a probable target has been sighted, the
aircraft crew will communicate a NOCL to
Search Headquarters or JRCC
• Remain over the target until a rescue party
arrives, your Bingo time is up or as directed
by Search Headquarters or JRCC
• You may be able to communicate with the
search object, a ground or air rescue crew
and provide directions or relay radio calls
CASARA
NOCL
(Notice of Crash Location)
CASARA
Notice of
Crash
Location
Form
CASARA
NOCL Message Format
Refer to inside back cover of CASARA Handbook
ALPHA
• Affirmative - positive identification that the
object sighted is the search object
or
• Negative - unable to positively determine
that the object is the search object
CASARA
NOCL Message Format
BRAVO
• An eight or nine digit group denoting
latitude and longitude position without north
or west being used
• Read over the radio in continuous single
numbers
Bravo 4 8 4 6 5 2 3 7
CASARA
NOCL Message Format
CHARLIE
• Negative - when no survivors or casualties can be seen
• Number - any number of survivors or casualties actually
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
CASARA
seen, followed by:
Undetermined - when the status of the survivors or casualtie
cannot be determined
Red - Immediate treatment and evacuation (priority 1)
Yellow - Early treatment and evacuation (priority 2)
Green - Routine treatment and evacuation (priority 3)
Blue - Deferred treatment and evacuation (priority 4)
White - Uninjured
Grey - Missing
Black - Dead
NOCL Message Format
DELTA
• ONE - side of hill, also indicate N,S, E or W slope
• TWO - in valley, also indicate N, S, E or W side of
valley floor
• THREE - in level country
• FOUR - heavily wooded area (can be used with
one, two or three)
• FIVE - in water: ALPHA - near shore
BRAVO - well off shore
CASARA
NOCL Message Format
ECHO
• ONE - request authorization to deploy SAR Techs
• TWO - a helicopter will be required
• THREE - a ground party could reach the location
in good time
• FOUR - a rescue boat will be required
CASARA
NOCL Message Format
FOXTROT
• Remarks - Briefly provide any detail which will
allow JRCC to initiate appropriate action , bearing in
mind that the transmission is not secure
For example:
– inform how long you can remain on the scene
– request an ETA for onscene of SAR aircraft or
relief aircraft
CASARA
Crash Location
• if you can, hold an altitude higher than SAR
Rescue aircraft to provide a homing target
• provide whatever assistance you are able to
give when requested
• all other aircraft remain on assigned task
CASARA
CASARA Handbook
CASARA Handbook is invaluable
for all phases of SAR operations
and training. The NOCL message
is on the back cover of the
CASARA Handbook.
CASARA
In-Flight Procedures
End of Phase 5
CASARA