REDCAP in TX/NM

[DNall]

Just a heads up.

An RV6 enroute from CA to VA with a lone pilot went missing in the W TX / S
NM area Wednedsay, 28 Feb 07. No ELT signals were heard. The mission was
opened by AFRCC Friday evening, 2 Mar 07. Maj Simonson was the IC for NM
Wing, with Lt Col D Whisennand the IC for TX Wing.

The first day of sorties on the REDCAP in the area of Guadalupe Peak in W TX
/ S NM have been completed. A ground team is remaining overnight in
Guadalupe Mountain National Park, to search the area known as the 'bowl' N
of Bush Mountain where radar tracks suggest the aircraft may be down. 3 air
and 1 ground sorties were conducted by TX Wing, with 4 air sorties by NM
Wing. Nothing conclusive has been found yet.

Sorties are planned for Sunday in the same areas along the TX/NM border,
including a NM Wing ARCHER sortie. The TX Wing mission base is currently in
Addison. If little is found on Sunday, further assistance from farther away
from the area may be needed. A joint mission base at Cavern City Airport,
NM is possible. Personnel who may be available for deployment early next
week are requested to prepare and be on alert. Further details will be
released tomorrow afternoon.

Dietrich P. Whisennand, Lt Col, CAP
IC, 07M0288

[DNall]

Here's another one we may be going out on tmrw or the next day.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4601476.html

[bosshawk]

Just to keep the record complete, CAWG launched three aircraft on Friday, looking for this guy: apparently flew 8.0 hours.  The search moved east when it was determined that the plane had made it to the Texas/New Mexico border.

Hope that you guys find him.

[DNall]

Hadn't heard anything past the official yet, seems real small so far, we'll see what happens coming into the week.

[DNall]

> The REDCAP in W TX / S NM continued today, with 2 GT and 2 air sorties
> flown in TX, and 6 sorties flown in NM. Nothing has been found yet.
>
> All aircrews available are needed to accomplish the 20-30 grids to be
> flown before the expected front passes through the area late Thursday /
> early Friday, weathering us out until early next week. A maximun effort
> is requested to accomplish this. As some of you may be aware, this is
> rugged, mostly unpopulated country; worse, there is a known radar 'hole'
> at low altitude from Guadalupe Mountain east to the corner of NM - this is
> the area the aircraft went into last Wednesday and did not leave. The
> potential area is about 70 3-letter grids, 14 of which have been searched
> so far. With 10 aircraft at 4 grids a day, we could do it in TWO days,
> with second looks and more in three days.
>
> This is what most of us signed up for - here's your chance to do it, "so
> others may live." I'm asking for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday help -
> all or part. The pilot is a former combat military pilot, airline pilot,
> and has survival skills and experience in similar situations. Let's go
> find him while the best chance to find him alive is still here.
>
> Thank you for your service to our country.
>
> Dietrich P. Whisennand, Lt Col, CAP
> TX IC, 07M0288

[DNall]

Followup that CG story
We never got involved suprisingly. I'm gonna have to talk to some people about that.