Are gliders used as mission aircraft during searches? I'm doubtful, but not sure.
I've never heard of it other than prototype unmanned camera carrying ones. In a glider you have to fly where the air currents will keep you up, not necessarily where you want to search. You also don't have the extra safety feature of a engine to get you some altitude if you run into some trouble.
I think it would be hard to squeeze in a MS and MO for a search. Even Highbird needs a MO to run the radio calls.
I have been on SARs with gliders - and we found most of them. ;D
^*laughs*
Thats what I'd figured, I was just curious. I asked because I remembered seeing gliders in a tarmac picture from the Fossett search.
That wasnt a CAP glider.
CAP was flying out of Minden-Tahoe (KMEV) which is considered one of the meccas for glider activity. The Minden Soaring Club and Soar Minden operate there. They even have a dedicated glider runway. You had to pay attention to the gliders and sky divers when flying there.
Quote from: ♠SARKID♠ on November 03, 2007, 03:33:34 AM
Are gliders used as mission aircraft during searches? I'm doubtful, but not sure.
Several years ago we received a late night phone call from an irate Incident Commander asking why his inventory showed four CAP aircraft stationed at our local airport but only one of them was ever used for ES missions.
"Ummm- Sir, do you realize that the other three aircraft you're asking about are CAP sailplanes?" :click: ;D ;D
The logistical support required for sailplane launch and recovery precludes their practical use for SAR. They also have limited time aloft (15-30 minutes) and thus limited range. They also don't have the ES radio package and UDF equipment that our powered aircraft do.
Gliders are great training aircraft, but really lousy search platforms. You can't use them for rescue inremote areas, because:
You can't get them out, and
They can't carry any gear.
Quote from: BlackKnight on November 04, 2007, 05:09:57 PM
They also have limited time aloft (15-30 minutes) and thus limited range.
They also don't have the ES radio package and UDF equipment that our powered aircraft do.
They actually have theoretically unlimited range in good conditions, but you would spend all your time looking for thermals, not crash sites.
The radios would be an easy fix.
I want to congratulate SARKid on asking an intriguing and brave question, and one that wouldn't hurt to play with a little more just for fun. He knew what the answer probably was yet he still stuck his neck way way out to confirm it.
Bravo for you guy. We keep telling people that the only stupid question is the one you don't ask, but you put his money where your mouth is.
^Thanks sir!
Like I said, I saw gliders in the Minden photo and I wanted to check. It made theoretical sense because of all the mountain updrafts out there, and like you said, they can theoretically stay up indefinitely. Made me wonder if that fact made them used as search platforms.