What's gonna happen to CAP?

My son and I were active in Civil Air Patrol a couple of years ago.
The primary training mission was Search and Rescue, utilizing radio
direction finders that allowed us to find transponders that were going
off.

With the impending transition to 406 mhz transponders that will give
far more accurate location information upon activation, we will no
longer need fatigue-clad cadets trudging through the woods on SAR
missions.

CAP is a good organization for kids, basically "Boy Scouts With a
Mission". Given that Search and Rescue is their primary mission, I
wonder what's gonna happen to CAP?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Um, just fyi ... a transponder is a device that receives an interrogation
and issues a reply in response to the interrogation. bip...BONGGGG
bip...BONGGGG

An ELT is a device that broadcasts a "find me" signal without any
interrogation required.

Jim

--
"If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."
--Henry Ford


"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...

direction finders that allowed us to find transponders that were going
off.

With the impending transition to 406 mhz transponders

Um, just fyi ... a transponder is a device that receives an interrogation
and issues a reply in response to the interrogation. bip...BONGGGG
bip...BONGGGG

Crikey. That'll teach me to post anything on a lazy day off before my
morning coffee...

Thanks for the correction...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On 2007-09-19 08:15:40 -0700, Jay Honeck said:

My son and I were active in Civil Air Patrol a couple of years ago.
The primary training mission was Search and Rescue, utilizing radio
direction finders that allowed us to find transponders that were going
off.

With the impending transition to 406 mhz transponders that will give
far more accurate location information upon activation, we will no
longer need fatigue-clad cadets trudging through the woods on SAR
missions.

CAP is a good organization for kids, basically "Boy Scouts With a
Mission". Given that Search and Rescue is their primary mission, I
wonder what's gonna happen to CAP?

You will still need fatigue-clad cadets trudging through the woods on
SAR missions. They will just find the object of their search more
quickly.

I suspect that the 406 mhz transponders are still subject to the laws
of physics, too. They can still be destroyed in crashes, have dead
batteries, or end up in canyons or other places where you can't pick up
their signal.
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

Recently, Jay Honeck posted:

My son and I were active in Civil Air Patrol a couple of years ago.
The primary training mission was Search and Rescue, utilizing radio
direction finders that allowed us to find transponders that were going
off.

With the impending transition to 406 mhz transponders that will give
far more accurate location information upon activation, we will no
longer need fatigue-clad cadets trudging through the woods on SAR
missions.

CAP is a good organization for kids, basically "Boy Scouts With a
Mission". Given that Search and Rescue is their primary mission, I
wonder what's gonna happen to CAP?

I was in CAP as a teenager, due to my interests in aviation and lack of
money to pursue it other ways. Although there was too much marching to
suit me, I agree that it is a worthy organization with an important
mission.

The question at hand is whether the new transponders will really reduce
the need for S&R? It may reduce the search time somewhat, but it won't do
much to eliminate the rescue operations. Also, unless everything and
everyone stays in one pile, the search operation won't be eliminated,
either. I think the CAP's mission is safe for some time yet, and may not
be negatively impacted by the newer technology.

Neil

Neil Gould wrote:

The question at hand is whether the new transponders will really
reduce the need for S&R? It may reduce the search time somewhat, but
it won't do much to eliminate the rescue operations. Also, unless
everything and everyone stays in one pile, the search operation won't
be eliminated, either. I think the CAP's mission is safe for some
time yet, and may not be negatively impacted by the newer technology.

Neil

I don't know if it is just the Arkansas Wing of CAP or systemic, but twice
in the last 10 years we have had aircraft go down in South Central Arkansas
and after CAP has looked for them for a day or two with their perfect grids
flying at 1000 agl and spoters with no luck one of the pipeline patrol guys
flying alone at about 500 agl would go start looking and find them within 3
to 4 hours.

Neil Gould wrote:




I was in CAP as a teenager, due to my interests in aviation and lack of
money to pursue it other ways. Although there was too much marching to
suit me, I agree that it is a worthy organization with an important
mission.

The question at hand is whether the new transponders will really reduce
the need for S&R?




Here in Montana we've reduced the need for CAP to zero. We handle SAR
ourselves.

"Newps" wrote in message
. ..


Neil Gould wrote:




I was in CAP as a teenager, due to my interests in aviation and lack of
money to pursue it other ways. Although there was too much marching to
suit me, I agree that it is a worthy organization with an important
mission.

The question at hand is whether the new transponders will really reduce
the need for S&R?




Here in Montana we've reduced the need for CAP to zero. We handle SAR
ourselves.

Who is "ourselves"?

Matt Barrow wrote:

Here in Montana we've reduced the need for CAP to zero. We handle SAR
ourselves.


Who is "ourselves"?


Montana Aeronautics.

So you monitor the satalites that recieve the ELT data not USAF? Last I
heard there is still a Montana Wing.


"Newps" wrote in message
. ..


Matt Barrow wrote:

Here in Montana we've reduced the need for CAP to zero. We handle SAR
ourselves.


Who is "ourselves"?


Montana Aeronautics.