Jan 19, 2008
When internetsar.org has been created last december, I posted to support this internet based search and rescue project. This website makes possible to find wreckage sites using satellite and aerial imagery being inspected online by volunteers.
Ken Barbalace was kind enough to send me an update, and they now have 1800 members. The current run is searching for Ron Boychuk, reported missing on 23rd of October. And the search for Steve Fossett is still ongoing.
If you’re not a member yet, you should seriously consider paying them a visit: www.internetsar.org !
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Category: Air Accidents, Pilots Talk
Tags: internetsar search and rescue Steve Fossett
Dec 27, 2007
After Steve Fossett has been reported missing, a trendemous search effort started, including Google Earth based searches by volunteers over the Internet.
This new way of searching for missing pilots is being generalized by internetsar.org. This webiste is the visible part of the efforts of a group of volunteers working on their own mission:
“The mission of InternetSAR.org is to develop and promote the use of the Internet to conduct collaborative analysis of aerial and satellite imagery during search and rescue operations to help locate down or missing aircraft or vessels.”
Anyone can join and take part in searches. All you need is a broadband connection and Google Earth. As a pilot I strongly support this initiative, and if I may add an item to my 2008 wish list it would be that YOU join and help. If you run a blog, I also strongly suggest that you also link to www.internetsar.org.
By the time I’m preparing this post, the membership is growing by more than one user per minute according intersar.org representative Ken Barbalace, so I can’t give an exact number of members right now.This is a wonderful effort, and I wish success and long life to this project !
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Category: My Favorite Links
Tags: internet safety search and rescue
Dec 15, 2007
General and light aviation is endangered by many factors, including administrative complications. I dislike them, and fight agains them and their development when possible. Something that becomes more and more complex in Europe is to file a VFR flight plan.
This obviously varies depending the country you are in, but in some places filing a flight plan per phone or fax is accepted only when the automated (and not so friendly) systems are not working. And in such cases the few remaining operators are nearly immediately overloaded (let me be clear, I don’t blame them, but the management that created this situation).
As most VFR flights do not require a flight plan, pilots just don’t file anymore when flying VFR. Legally speaking this is perfeclty fine. But remember what are the three air traffic services (ATS):
- Air Traffic Management (ATM) - Controlling of IFR flights
- Flight Information Service (FIS) - Inform the aircrews via INFORMATION frequencies
- Alerting Service - Warn the Search and Rescue if flight is not arrived on time
Without flightplan you have no access to these services. ATM not offered to VFR, and you can live without FIS. But what about Altering Service ? Remember that just calling FIS does not mean will have Alerting Service. The rule is easy: no active flight plan - no alerting service. Let’s have a look at the consequences… (more…)
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Category: Flying Tips
Tags: alerting service flight plan safety search and rescue
