Proposal: The Steve Fossett Airmans Search Project

The Steve Fossett Airmans Search Project

Yah know, it seems a pitiful thing indeed, that the great fraternity
of his fellow airman have been unsuccessful in their search for their
intrepid fellow, Steve Fossett. Initially those in authority directed
the search and rescue operations immediately after his disappearance.
They ordered all airmen/aircraft to remain outside the search area
while they conducted their searches. Later, Google made satellite
images available, so that the web community could add their zillions
of Mark I Eyeballs to those flying the search missions. (Was there
ever a search made of satellite photographs of the area taken during
the appropriate time window to look for a smoke plume? Do such photos
even exist?)

With the recent judicial declaration of Mr. Fossett's legal demise,
perhaps the time has finally arrived for those who would like to
volunteer their time and resources to an Airmans Fellowship Search
effort for the late Mr. Fossett.

This effort could be massive if the spirit of airmen respect for
Steve's broadening of the boundaries of human achievement can be
tapped. A well throughout plan to coordinate and direct such an
effort is essential, but more important are the skills and
intelligence of the person to head it, and those under him/her. But
I'd wager that there are plenty airmen among the readership of this
newsgroup alone who possess the skills and resources to organize and
execute the effort.

Because we are free to draft the regulations, the unique qualities of
the group could be enlisted for more diverse and specific operations
than have been conducted to date. Searchers could get down lower if
there were enough of them. Bush planes could be called in if ground
search was appropriate.

It has been suggested that the wreckage may lie at the bottom of a
lake. Perhaps the web diving-community could be enlisted to organize
a similar effort for searching the local lakes. Given Steve's
apparent audacious já de viver, who knows, he could have been skipping
his wheels on the glassy lake surface, and hit a swell. :-)

For this effort to succeed it will require two things:

1. A viable plan of action implemented by the right people

2. A corps of willing volunteers who would find it an honor to
participate



Opinions?


Suggestions?


Sign up:

Name:
Location:
Skills:
Equipment:
Availability:

of Mark I Eyeballs to those flying the search missions.

Off topic...ok...I've heard this joke before exactly as quoted above (Mark I
Eyeballs) too many times now to sit silent. I have to say
something....won't it be more appropriate and more funny to say, "...Mark II
Eyeballs" since most of us have TWO eyeballs which we use to look and search
for something? So for the record, I think the joke was originally stated
as: "Mark II Eyeballs"

Sorry for the nit-picking...nothing personal Larry.

Kobra

On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:23:38 +0100 (CET), nobody
wrote in :

This would be a good idea if someone besides Larry were coordinating it.

Who said I was coordinating it?

I'm just the idea man. :-)

What would you be willing to volunteer?

The Steve Fossett Airmans Search Project

After one of the largest domestic searches in American history came up
empty, what makes you think a bunch of us guys in spam cans can do better?

Not that it's not a laudable goal -- I just question the premise. That is a
huge, unpopulated, relatively inhospitable area to search...

And, of course, there is always the remote possibility that he doesn't WANT
to be found...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

After one of the largest domestic searches in American history came up
empty, what makes you think a bunch of us guys in spam cans can do better?


I've gotta agree with that one. Out here in the West, the way it usually
works is that if you're not found after an extensive search, you'll generally
sit undisturbed until someone (usually a hunter/prospector) runs across your
crash site by sheer coincidence. There are some wreck sites that are just
impossible to spot from the air, such as a vertical descent into a heavily
treed area. I've been to some wreck sites in the mountains that I couldn't
see from 20 yds. away on the ground, much less from an airplane flying
overhead.

It's a laudable goal, to be sure, but given the effort that has already
taken place, I'd say the odds of success would be slim to none.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

--
Message posted via AviationKB.com
http://www.aviationkb.com/Uwe/Forums...ation/200802/1

On Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:59:10 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote in idhvj.43753$yE1.27867@attbi_s21:

The Steve Fossett Airmans Search Project

After one of the largest domestic searches in American history came up
empty, what makes you think a bunch of us guys in spam cans can do better?

Would you question the premise that more searchers at lower level
would be more likely to spot the downed aircraft?

Have you ever witnessed bureaucratic obstacles hindering success?

Not that it's not a laudable goal -- I just question the premise. That is a
huge, unpopulated, relatively inhospitable area to search...

It is a largely unvegetated expanse of open desert, so there is less
to obscure the aircraft.

With my people skills, I am obviously not well suited to head this
effort, but someone with your charisma might spark some interest in
it. Publicize it a bit, and see what sort of response it receives. I
dare ya. :-)






And, of course, there is always the remote possibility that he doesn't WANT
to be found...

That thought has probably crossed a few minds, but what motivation
would there be? He wouldn't have access to his bank account, a legal
Passport nor an airmans certificate, his activities would necessarily
be considerably more restricted. Not likely.

And there is the extra-added possibility that the search team would
need to search for one of their own if anything goes wrong.
AJ

On Feb 21, 10:59 am, "Jay Honeck" wrote:
The Steve Fossett Airmans Search Project

After one of the largest domestic searches in American history came up
empty, what makes you think a bunch of us guys in spam cans can do better?

Not that it's not a laudable goal -- I just question the premise. That is a
huge, unpopulated, relatively inhospitable area to search...

And, of course, there is always the remote possibility that he doesn't WANT
to be found...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:29:35 GMT, "JGalban via AviationKB.com"
u32749@uwe wrote in 80121246ff371@uwe:

[Reasonable discourse and personal observations snipped]

It's a laudable goal, to be sure, but given the effort that has already
taken place,

Do you have information about the specifics of the search effort that
has already been conducted?

I'd say the odds of success would be slim to none.

Two questions:

1. If such an effort were organized, would you personally be
interested in searching? (I would)

2. In the event that the nation's pilots were successful, how do
you think it would affect public opinion of GA operations?

Perhaps the EAA would be an appropriate organization to carry the
ball.

Larry Dighera wrote:

Do you have information about the specifics of the search effort that
has already been conducted?

Nothing other than the news reports at the time of the search. They
indicated that the search effort was much more extensive than one would
expect for the average missing plane.


Two questions:

1. If such an effort were organized, would you personally be
interested in searching? (I would)

I don't think I would be. Searching for a downed plane with possible
survivors is one thing. Conducting a massive search to recover a body is
another. There are risks involved to the search aircraft and crew
(particularly in the area in question) that would make it hard to justify.

2. In the event that the nation's pilots were successful, how do
you think it would affect public opinion of GA operations?

I don't the general public would care much one way or the other.

Perhaps the EAA would be an appropriate organization to carry the
ball.

You could try, but I think they would probably pass due to the risk vs.
reward factor.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

--
Message posted via AviationKB.com
http://www.aviationkb.com/Uwe/Forums...ation/200802/1

Larry Dighera wrote in
:



The Steve Fossett Airmans Search Project

Why don't you save that money and send it to someone who is hungry?


Bertie