BURLINGTON, N.C. – The air operations branches at the Civil Air Patrol‘s incident command posts in the Carolinas have been very active in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, flying long sorties to meet the requests of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as well as other federal and state agencies in both states.
Aircrews from both the North Carolina and South Carolina wings have already taken thousands of reconnaissance photos in response to Hurricane Florence, working to provide FEMA, the North Carolina Emergency Management Division, the Department of Homeland Security, the South Carolina Highway Patrol, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, South Carolina Air Guard and other agencies with an overhead view of rivers, dams and townships affected by the rising floodwaters.
CAP is also conducting post-storm survey flights for the National Weather Service, according to officials.
The North Carolina Wing has flown 84 sorties so far from its base in Burlington, delivering more than 1,200 photos to emergency management agencies.
An additional 1,500 photos have been taken by South Carolina aircrews, who have flown 107 sorties.
In addition to damage assessment flights, CAP is flying other missions around the Carolinas, including transporting emergency response personnel and Points of Distribution (POD) supplies into hard-hit areas, CAP officials report.
The North Carolina Wing is using its 18 Cessna 172s and 182s to help support CAP’s response to Hurricane Florence.
“We train regularly to serve our communities in times of emergency,” said Col. R. Jason Bailey, North Carolina Wing commander. “Our pilots, aircrews, ground teams, and Points of Distribution personnel have all performed selflessly. They demonstrate daily to our communities that we are ready, willing and able to help them and serve their needs.”
In addition to the 10 active CAP aircraft in the South Carolina Wing fleet, two planes and 13 out-of-state CAP personnel have been provided for assistance in meeting the aerial photo assignments, which continued to be developed, CAP officials note.
CAP cadets and senior officers on the ground are responsible for downloading the photos collected by the aircrews, and then uploading them to required databases. As the members complete the uploads, they ensure the photos have geotags, color-code the severity of the damage, and add other photo tags while placing the images in the proper albums.
In West Columbia, South Carolina, as many as 30 to 40 CAP personnel have staffed the incident command post, with most of those working on photography uploads as well as communications and planning.
Completing this sorting on the ground at the incident command posts mean officials at the Emergency Operations Centers in both states have fewer raw, unsorted images to sift through daily, CAP officials explain.
In addition, CAP members are serving continuously at their states’ Emergency Operations Centers.
Members of the North Carolina Wing also are staffing the state Department of Emergency Management’s Regional Coordination Center-East in Kinston and Regional Coordination Center-Central in Butner.
At least one representative from the South Carolina Wing has been on duty at the state Emergency Operations Center at the Pine Ridge Armory in West Columbia. At times, as many as four CAP personnel have been on duty there.
Both wings are being augmented in their responses by CAP members from the Maryland, National Capital, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia wings.
“A very large team has come together in this very trying time to perform extraordinary missions in some very tough conditions,” said Col. John Knowles, commander of CAP’s Middle East Region, which includes both Carolina wings, and the Maryland, National Capital, Virginia and West Virginia wings. “Every day, as our airmen in the field need rest, five more are waiting in line to take their place. I am incredibly proud of all our unpaid professionals.”
CAP, acting as the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, is supporting Air Forces Northern (AFNORTH) during Defense Support of Civil Authorities operations following the landfall of Hurricane Florence on the East Coast. AFNORTH’s primary role is to support U.S. Northern Command’s efforts to provide assistance to FEMA’s relief efforts.
Civil Air Patrol, the longtime all-volunteer U.S. Air Force auxiliary, is the newest member of the Air Force’s Total Force. In this role, CAP operates a fleet of 560 aircraft, performs about 90% of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and is credited by the AFRCC with saving an average of 80 lives annually.
CAP’s 60,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. In addition, CAP plays a leading role in aerospace/STEM education, and its members serve as mentors to over 25,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs.
Firstly, it does not matter if we are talking about rear seat or front crew seats.
What matters is that they are seats onboard an aircraft of DoD assets that is assigned and involved in a USAF assigned Mission with a Federally assigned Mission #.
As such they must be properly trained and rated and in accordance to CAP USAF standards and in full compliance with Regulations that are a blend of both CAP, USAF ,FAA, etc. as well as in full compliance to the ” customer’s requirement ” such as FEMA, etc.
As such obviously, there are strict Insurance Carrier obligations to be met here as well.
Trained adult crews have been properly vetted .
All of this is not going to occur for younger Cadets aged 11 to 17 that are MINORS.
Similarly we can look to where FEMA has strict regulations that no Cadet under aged 16 can staff at an Energency Operating Shelter.
So as you can see, yes, this is indeed very much about ” regulations of a Federal Level ” involving multiple Federal Agencies.
Am VERY happy that CAP is assisting. BUT, disappointed in CAP as they do not fly the cadets. Many of the CAP flights here have 2 adults in the left and right seat and NO cadet in the rear seat(s), the rear seat is EMPTY. Been told they only fly the cadets per their protocol. SAD!
Only Cadets 18 and up can be Aircrew. Cadets younger than that would only be flown for cadet orientation flights, which CAP cannot do while the aircraft is being used for another mission.
I first joined C.A.P. as a Cadet in 1965. Currently still am in C.A.P. as a Lt Colonel. ( Pilot )
As a Cadet then in 1965 to 1973; and as the Cadets of Today do- they usually only occupy C.A.P. corporate aircraft when taking an officially authorized ( Mission # by the Air Force ) ‘ O flight .’
( Orientation Flight )
CAP-USAF and the Board of Governors at National Headquarters at Maxwell AFB in Alabama establishes the Flight Management Regulations in accordance with USAF and the FAA and DOT etc.
These Carolina Flights (sorties ) are official authorized and enabled USAF Missions and as such require an extensive docketing protocol in the National databases such as WIMRS.
They require as per the regulations that for instance, ” over water flights ” require 2 rated CAP Mission Pilots occupying the left and right front seats, etc.
Each sortie on a mission must comprise a CAPF 5 rated Mission Pilot, a Mission rated Observer and if available a Mission rated Scanner ( rear seat )
Few to none of the Cadets ( ages 12 to 18/21) have those set skills attained.
Yes, there are a few older Cadets ( 17 -21 ) that might have attained their PPL or higher but they
have not yet achieved a CAP Pilot Rating by going through a Form 5 Check Ride Training Program to become the first level of ” VFR Pilot ” ( 200 + hours PIC required ) nor have most completed the aforementioned Mission Scanner or Mission Observer Rating attained only through hours upon hours of CAP-USAF training and upon actual Mission Sortie involvement .
An ” internship ” if you will –
4.1.2. CAP Pilot 4.1.2.1.
To operate as a CAP Pilot in airplanes or gliders the member must:
4.1.2.1.1. Be current and qualified in accordance with the requirements of 14 CFR for a private pilot or higher certificate; and 4.1.2.1.2. Have successfully passed a CAP Pilot Flight Evaluation (CAPF 5) within the past 12 calendar months; and 4.1.2.1.3. Complete Level I of the senior member professional development program if a senior member.
4.4. CAP Mission Pilot Qualifications
4.4.1. Refer to CAPR 60-3 for detailed information on the following pilot qualification requirements:
4.4.1.1. CAP Transport Mission Pilot
4.4.1.2. CAP Mission Pilot
4.4.1.3. CAP Mission Check Pilot
These are just a few of the variables involved in this type of Mission Flight Sorties .
Take the time to read the above cited Flight Management Regulation R70-1 as listed above.
( Pdf )
For instance:
9.10.9. Requirements and Limitations – Passenger Carriage 9.10.9.1.
Approved Passengers 9.10.9.1.1.
Current CAP members whose category of membership allows them to ride in corporate aircraft as specified in CAPR 39-2, Civil Air Patrol Membership.
9.10.9.1.2. CAP employees.
9.10.9.1.3. ROTC/ JROTC cadets (ROTC/JROTC flight orientation program only).
9.10.9.1.4. International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE) orientation flight cadets and escorts.
9.10.9.1.5. CAP-USAF personnel conducting official business. 9.10.9.1.6. FAA ASIs or FAA DPEs during flight evaluations.
9.10.9.1.7. Commercial balloon pilot administering a CAPF 5B.
9.10.9.2. Non-CAP Passengers Requiring Additional Approval { such as Government Leaders, Senators, Congress Members, Governors, FEMA Staff Leaders, etc. etc. }
Non-CAP passengers may be approved when their presence is essential to the mission. Missions and flights to demonstrate capabilities or for public affairs purposes are permissible when properly coordinated. Requests will be submitted to the appropriate mission approval authority – 1AF, 11AF, PACAF-CNAF, CAP-USAF, or CAP/DO (or their designees) – so that the risk of assuming liability for flying non-CAP passengers can be weighed against the benefits gained. In order to properly make this determination, the requester must submit the following:
9.10.9.2.1.1 Name of the requesting agency.
9.10.9.2.1.2 Name, rank, and agency of the non-CAP passenger.
9.10.9.2.1.3 Justification/purpose for the non-CAP passenger on the mission.
9.10.9.2.1.4 Number of sorties that will include the non-CAP passenger.
9.10.9.2.1.5 Specific flight profile or flight characteristics to meet requirements.
9.10.9.2.1.6 Expected media interest (e.g., if the non-CAP passenger is a VIP).
9.10.9.2.1.7 WMIRS Mission or Request Number(s) and Sortie Number(s), if known.
9.10.9.2.2. The requester must request approval to carry non-CAP passenger(s) at least 5 days in advance. The requester must also load non-CAP passenger requests and approvals or disapprovals to WMIRS as an attachment in the Mission Files of the appropriate mission. 9.10.9.2.3. With the exception of military/National Guard (Title 10 and Title 32)/federal employees and ROTC/JROTC cadets (flight orientation program only), all non-CAP passengers must execute a Release (CAPF 9). The completed form shall be left in a secure ground location known to the FRO or IC, and uploaded to the mission files in WMIRS within 72 hours of sortie completion if not uploaded prior to flight
9.10.2. Flight Release 9.10.2.1. A flight release is required prior to takeoff for all CAP flight activities. Except as indicated below, each flight release must be issued via the eFlight Release function in WMIRS.
Without going into all the rules, we are talking about back seaters not members seating in pilot positions. I have no problem if cadets participate, but might violate the current rules.
For back seaters to contribute to the flight, they would need to be at least mission scanners or observers, perhaps even photographers in the case of hurricane damage. These flights are not meant to be back seat cadet O-rides.
The reality is becoming mission qualified for flight roles is not part of the Cadet Program. Maybe it should be and that would be a starting point for allowing cadets to participate in actual missions as flight crew members.
Delaware Wing sent Incident Command Staff to NC and SC as well.