SAR - Search And Rescue

What to do in case of missing aircraft?

  • As soon as you suspect an aircraft is missing: contact civilian or military search and rescue services (RCC) immediately
  • Contact FLARM according to the Flarm SAR protocol
  • Check on http://live.glidernet.org/#o=1&w=0 if you can locate the missing glider. (Remember to uncheck the "Ignore offline" flag in options). If you find the glider you can right click on the label to load its trace of the day.
  • KTrax SAR page for locating missing gliders (data kept for 24 hours): http://ktrax.kisstech.ch/ktrax/?mode=sar
  • Send an e-mail to gro.tenredilg|tcatnoc#gro.tenredilg|tcatnoc + moc.mralf|ofni#moc.mralf|ofni with max. information: glider registration, FLARM radio ID, takeoff airport, takeoff hour (please specify if local or UTC)
  • As soon as possible send to moc.mralf|ofni#moc.mralf|ofni as many IGC files as you can get, coming from FLARMs of gliders which have flown in the same area as the missing glider (the same day)
  • If the missing glider was equipped with a transponder check on http://flightradar24.com/ if you can locate it.
  • If a missing pilot was equipped with a SPOT device (or similar) try to find its reference
  • Check if the missing glider was tracked on Skylines, Livetrack24, …
  • If possible, try to send a working FLARM device with a rescue helicopter. If by any chance, the missing plane's FLARM is still operating it can be detected in that way.

What to do before facing a situation like this

  • Register your FLARM or OGN tracker in http://ddb.glidernet.org/ and keep it up-to-date.
  • If you don't want to be tracked, prefer setting the OGN's "I don't want this device to be tracked" rather than FLARM's (hardware) "No track" option
  • Be sure you give the right person your cell phone number
  • Fly with a cell phone switched On and with sufficient battery. Keep your cell phone attached to you and not to the glider (in case you have to bail out)
  • If you own a SPOT device (or similar) be sure to give a reference to the right person. As with a cell phone, make sure to attach the device to yourself rather than to the glider
  • When flying, announce regularly your position as well as your intentions
  • Fly safe

Known from previous SAR operations

  • You need to be as fast as possible to collect/send information to maximize the chance to save your friend(s)
  • It is still possible to find someone alive after a night following a glider crash. Keep hoping. Persuade rescue teams to continue searching during the night.
  • Cell phone operators can help to locate a phone. Rescuers should be able to contact them.
  • Primary radar can also help to give a time and location information even for glider not equipped with a transponder
  • OGN keeps the data for SAR and can provide IGC files of a missing glider.
  • FLARM can reconstruct missing glider's path and provide IGC file from other gliders flying in the same area
  • Install, maintain and host OGN receivers to get a good coverage in your area
Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License