Dim future for CA aircrew?`

[Eclipse]

Other than aircrew training and proficiency, SAREX's, actual SAR missions, CD and O-Rides, what are CAP planes across the country doing in the air on a regular basis?

We do a fair amount of DR photo work.

[Flying Pig]

Other than aircrew training and proficiency, SAREX's, actual SAR missions, CD and O-Rides, what are CAP planes across the country doing in the air on a regular basis?
Since the annual hours per aircraft in CA seem to be shrinking, I am interested to know what other Wings are doing with their planes.
Is anyone doing medical related work?

What kind of medical work? I dont think anyone has done an organ/blood flight in years.  Certainly not going to do any type of EMS by any means.

[FW]

^Good point about organ/blood flights.  Angel flight pilots have been doing more organ transport lately.  Seems Angel Flight is easier to deal with as, it is strictly a humanitarian and self funded federation of organizations. And, even though pilot requirements vary from region to region, it's safety record has been amazing and, their mission load is increasing geometrically.

[a2capt]

Though a friend who's a pediatric social worker in Hawaii asked me once about general aviation options and when I brought up Angel Flights and something else his reply as along the lines of thats specifically what he was trying to avoid. That they were too picky, too much hassle to deal with, and were exclusionary based on case type.

Again, region/locale differences. But..

[bosshawk]

Back in the day, I flew a ton of organ/blood flights for CAP.  In fact, I have a Life Saving Ribbon or two(don't really know) for some of those flights. I think that our lawyers got into the act and we lost that battle: seems that we were competing with commerical means for moving those things.  I did fly a blood flight the day after 9-11, but that was because all commercial flights had been grounded.  am a bit surprised that Angel Flight is flying organs/blood for the same reasons.  I belong to Angel Flight West and haven't heard boo about doing those sorts of flights. 

Different areas, different rules, I guess.

[Smokey]

One of the reasons for multiple pages in CA for crew/IC/ etc is the person mentioned previously sends them out about 3 minutes apart.  That person then says...."No one answered up"  , so "I guess I will do it myself."  That person seems to travel all of Southern CA to turn in large requests for reimbursement.  That person , when IC often uses a select crew of friends for the missions. Any others, who may be closer, are told they are not needed, or they waited to long to call.

On several ELTs pages that were in the vicinity of my location (2 minutes and a visual on the airport) to say I was not picking up the beacon and was told,  "Never mind I guess I have to do it myself" and that person would make a 2 hour drive to confirm what I just reported.

When that person is IC I have difficulty responding to the call.  I am tired of being told I'm of no use.

[PHall]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

And now you know why I allowed my ES Qualifications to expire.
No use earning and maintaining them if you never are allowed to use them.

[FW]

Back in the day, I flew a ton of organ/blood flights for CAP.  In fact, I have a Life Saving Ribbon or two(don't really know) for some of those flights. I think that our lawyers got into the act and we lost that battle: seems that we were competing with commerical means for moving those things.  I did fly a blood flight the day after 9-11, but that was because all commercial flights had been grounded.  am a bit surprised that Angel Flight is flying organs/blood for the same reasons.  I belong to Angel Flight West and haven't heard boo about doing those sorts of flights. 

Different areas, different rules, I guess.

Could be.  I was asked to fly an organ to Pittsburgh from Philly just a couple of weeks ago via Angel Flight NE.
I can't be sure but, I don't think the lawyers killed CAP's flying of blood/organs.  The ARC may just have better ways to transport materials.  And, our MOU with ARC is still valid so...?

[bosshawk]

Fred: I am glad to hear that Angel Flight is flying blood and organs.  That is one fine organization, as far as I am concerned.  I have flown for them for a long time, but am inactive right now.  Tony mentioned a bad rap from Hawaii, but that could simply be a local problem.

[Flying Pig]

Would there really be much of an Angel Flight market in Hawaii?

[a2capt]

Inter-island transportation is a big factor for many folks and often times they need to get to Oahu from other islands. Or to the continent.

[Flying Pig]

Probably not a lot of Angel Flights going across the Pacific is there?

[PHall]

Probably not a lot of Angel Flights going across the Pacific is there?

You would be surprised. There is a fair amount of corporate jet traffic between the islands and the mainland.
And they do get good press and a tax break for "donating" their excess seats to charity.

[Mustang]

Since the annual hours per aircraft in CA seem to be shrinking, I am interested to know what other Wings are doing with their planes.

Not sure I'd call it "on a regular basis", but since we're doing very little else mission-wise, I will say that here in my wing, we have completed a not-insignificant number of taskings over the past several months in support of a defense project that I cannot yet talk about here.  

I can say that other wings will be brought onto this project in the not-so-distant future.  I can also say that our performance to date on this project has people in the military and the defense industry very excited about CAP's potential for similar roles never previously considered.  It could be very "full of win" for CAP going forward.

[FW]

As long as we act, train and, perform professionally, we will be just fine.  Evolution takes some time. And, I have no doubt, CAWG, as most other wings, will be flying more missions in the future.
We're still the best aviation value for our current and future customers.  And, when we find more substantial contributors to our programs, we will be able to focus more dollars on training, proficiency and resources.
(How's that for a political platform?  )

[JeffDG]

(How's that for a political platform?  )

I was half expecting you to close with "And that's why you need to get out and vote tomorrow.  God Bless you and God Bless America!"

[Smokey]

As for new contributors.....I hope we don't stoop to the level of agreeing to fly for anyone and everyone.  The corporate side seems to like this stuff, for example tracking gophers, counting lizarrds, flying sick wildabeasts, etc.  I know the next words out of the "I wanna fly on someone else's dime" folks are  "It's good training.  Tracking the beacons of those gophers is mighty tough and will help hone our DF skills."  Along with, "do you know how hard is is to spot a lizard from 1000 agl??? It will make our scanners and observers better at doing the job. " 

Just an excuse to have someone else pay for your flying. These flying club members have one thought....fly for free.  They don't see CAP as a service to our country as the original members did. 

If we go that route....I'm outta here.

[Eclipse]

"do you know how hard is is to spot a lizard from 1000 agl??? 

...depends on the lizard...

[vento]

"do you know how hard is is to spot a lizard from 1000 agl??? 

...depends on the lizard...

On a different note... last year, didn't CAWG also transport water samples from Barstow to Orange County twice a day for quite a few days? I forget if it was during a state emergency or something to that effect...

[Mustang]

Since the annual hours per aircraft in CA seem to be shrinking, I am interested to know what other Wings are doing with their planes.

Not sure I'd call it "on a regular basis", but since we're doing very little else mission-wise, I will say that here in my wing, we have completed a not-insignificant number of taskings over the past several months in support of a defense project that I cannot yet talk about here.  

I can say that other wings will be brought onto this project in the not-so-distant future.  I can also say that our performance to date on this project has people in the military and the defense industry very excited about CAP's potential for similar roles never previously considered.  It could be very "full of win" for CAP going forward.

Update: it would appear it's public knowledge now.  See attached, lower-left.