The Height of Heritage Digging Aviation Archaeology
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Summer 2007 The Official Magazine of California Wing Civil Air Patrol The Height of Heritage Digging Aviation Archaeology Tip of the Wing’s Sword “Saber” Training in NorCal Top Five Finds It’s ESsy Time Again Plus: • Taking Courage from Col. Fred Pitcher • Legally Deploying Cadets • Watching the Skies with Lt. Kevin Lowther EAGLE EYE Mission 05M--21552155––1212 NovNov 0505 –– NearNear TwentyTwenty--ninenine Palms,Palms, CACA 2 2nd Annual ESsy Awards FOR PRELIMINARY USE ONLY 12 Nov 05 84 RADES/OLAD ES Squadron of the Year 5 Eagle Call is an authorized publication serving the ES101 7 interests of the California Wing of the United States The Cutting Edge of Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol. A private firm that Ground Team Training is not connected with the Department of the Air Force or with the Civil Air Patrol Corporation publishes it. The appearance of advertisements in this publication, including supplements and inserts, does not constitute CAPTAIN’S LOG 16 an endorsement by the U.S. Air Force or CAP of the Redcap in Review products and services advertised herein. Eagle Call encourages contributions from all CAP members, military personnel, and related agencies. ATTITUDE 21 Material must be original, free of copyright constraint, Raise Funds, unpublished, and submitted only to Eagle Call, which reserves the right to approve, reject, edit, abridge or Not Eyebrows expand any submission. Features must be discussed in advance with the Editor, Capt. Greg Solman, at 909- 338-5789. COLUMN 27 Submission guidelines: As a thrice-yearly publication, Bird’s Eye View the magazine is not suitable for dated material on rou- tine Squadron or Wing activities. PAOs and other cor- respondents should generally avoid first-person voice CADET COSMOS 28 and subjects typical of newsletters. Use the Associated Feet on the Ground, Eyes 2 Press Stylebook or read the latest magazine for style on the Skies 1 4 points. Never imbed photographs within documents 3 unless jpgs are also submitted separately. Always 6 Drilled to Perfection 31 5 8 include contact information at the top of copy. Articles should include .jpg-extension photos of a minimum 7 10 500K. Email editorial to [email protected]. 9 12 Other material should be sent California Wing Civil FIELD MANUAL 33 11 14 Air Patrol, P.O. Box 7688, Van Nuys, CA 91409. For Aviation Archaeology 13 16 information on advertising rates and space availability, Unearthed 15 18 please call 800-635-6036. 17 20 19 Lt. Col. Jesus Muniz 22 21 Acting Wing Commander WING WATCH 37 24 23 26 Capt. Frank Geraty Passing Along Inspiration 25 28 Director of Public Affairs, Publisher 27 30 29 32 Capt. Gregory Solman, Editor RE:CAP 41 31 34 A California Wing Fly-By 33 Capt. Chris Storey 36 35 Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Associate Editor 38 37 40 39 Maj. Sam Seneviratne ON THE COVER: The Air Force Heritage 42 Technical & Scientific Editor 41 44 Flight, Naval Air Station, Point Mugu. Photo by 2nd Lt. Kevin Lowther. 43 46 45 48 47 50 49 52 1 51 54 53 56 55 EAGLE EYE Five Missions That Tested Manpower and Mettle sy Awards ESBy Capt. Gregory Solman, Eagle Call Editor Eagle Call’s 2nd Annual ESsy Awards for Excellence in Emergency Services Recognize the Historic Mission of the Civil Air Patrol in California Wing’s Best Teams ANTA MONICA— A Lancair that left Gillespie Field Virg.—as it does so often for the moody October day in 2005 near San Diego for Scottsdale, routine necessity of silencing Smust have seemed good Ariz., never returned. emergency locator transmitters enough for firing up a private plane The Air Force Rescue (ELTs)—called upon the most to fly to a public air show. But the Coordination Center in Langley, Continued on page 9 . MissionMission 05M05M--21552155––1212 NovNov 0505 –– NearNear TwentyTwenty--ninenine Palms,Palms, CACA 2 4 1 6 5 8 7 10 9 12 11 14 13 16 15 18 17 20 19 22 21 24 23 26 25 28 27 30 29 32 31 34 33 36 35 38 37 40 39 42 41 44 43 46 RESTING IN GREEN PASTURES: An ELT mission that became a fatal Mooney crash (L) near 45 48 Pinnacles. CAWG ICs sometimes use radar tracking (above) to trace Last-Known Positions. 47 50 49 52 51 54 FOR PRELIMINARY USE ONLY 12 Nov 05 84 RADES/OLAD 53 56 3 55 ES SQUADRON OF THE YEAR: Saddleback Composite Squadron 68, Costa Mesa rafting on the contrail of the aircrew team of 1st Lts. Tolga DTarhan and Rick Woods (above, R-L), as well as the ground team and urban direction find- ing work of 1st Lt. Keith Jackson (with radio), Saddleback Composite Squadron 68, Costa Mesa, is ES Squadron of the Year. Capt. Bob Keilholtz, who acted as Director of Emergency Services during 2 4 1 6 3 8 7 10 the ES year, cited Lts. Woods and Tarhan’s expeditious and profession- 9 12 11 14 al prosecution of missions, but also their willingness to fly at a moment’s 13 16 15 18 notice, even if it meant traveling to nearby squadrons when no aircraft 17 20 19 22 was available locally. Jackson credits 1st Lt. Rich Lovick of Group 21 24 23 26 7 for partnering with him on mis- sions and mentoring his work. 25 28 27 30 29 32 31 34 5 33 36 35 38 37 40 39 42 41 44 43 46 45 48 47 50 49 52 51 54 53 56 55 ES101 The Cutting Edge of Ground Team Training ON THE MARCH: The Saber program trains cadets as well as senior members. By Lt. Col. William H. Correll and Maj. Arthur D. King Designed by Veterans to Rise Above CAP’s ES Curriculum, A NorCal Squadron’s ‘Saber’ School Elevates Training Standards ATHROP—For members of to all squadron calls that work their expectations, would quickly Sierra Composite Squadron or school allows. That’s the com- fade because of the irregularity of L72, the word “saber” does mitment necessary to be “SQ72 CAP mission duties. They knew not evoke the sword of mounted Saber”-qualified. the program needed to be chal- cavalry but more than a year of hard Saber was initiated in 1998 by lenging, exciting, and fun for work mastering the skills of “Saber” two CAP officers, both military senior members and cadets, and (Search Airborne Emergency veterans, discussing their past needed to continue apace through Rescue) required to be an elite volun- training experiences. They had, each program year. teer Emergency services professional since their discharges, continued The concept evolved into pro- for the Civil Air Patrol. to train beyond CAP’s minimal gram with a core course of four And as tough as it is to pass set of skills in order to maintain classroom training periods and the program, the work doesn’t an edge. They considered how to two weekend search-and-rescue end at the completion of training: adapt ES training to suit CAP’s exercises. The program would be To maintain Saber qualifications particular needs, both because progressively challenging each members must continue the high they considered the ES training year. First-year candidates would tempo by repeating the training lacking, and because they sensed complete all the skill sets required each and every year and answer that any expertise, however below Continued on page 52 . 7 EAGLE EYE ESsy Awards Continued from page 3. active branch of its Air Force to follow—one of which turned A sheriff reported sight- Auxiliary, the California Wing of out to be a bad trail to Yuma ing a plane off Interstate 8. He the Civil Air Patrol. (see graphics)—he knew a lot of was wrong. “We had a credible The workhorse Incident ground could be covered quickly. sighting along with an accurately Commander who undertook the “The Lancair is like an SR22 represented radar site,” Keilholtz AFRCC Mission 05M2001, Capt. on steroids,” Keilholtz said. “It’s recalled. “So we went in the direc- Bob Keilholtz would by the end got a turbo-charged engine and tion where we could have gone.” of the emergency services year cruises at 300 miles per hour. It’s A ground team started out near (October 1-September 30) perform an impressive, sleek, and probably the Colorado River at night to be that duty on nearly a quarter of the unforgiving aircraft.” closer to potential survivors who Wing’s missions. Keilholtz had all night to might be lighting signal fires. The pilot, traveling with two develop the radar tracks and coor- Keilholtz launched seven air- other people and a dog, filed no dinate with the San Diego County craft that flew more than a day flight plan. The aircraft’s ELT Sheriff’s department, which combined, plus a ground team—33 emitted a distress signal too weak offered a helicopter. But prosecut- CAP personnel in all. They flew an to be picked up by satellite. Even ing the mission would be tricky. expanding-circle search to cover though Keilholtz had radar tracks The weather was “really crappy.” ground. At morning light a fourth 2 1 4 3 6 5 8 7 10 9 12 11 14 13 16 15 18 17 20 19 22 21 24 23 26 25 28 27 30 29 32 31 34 33 36 35 38 37 40 39 42 41 44 43 46 45 48 47 50 49 52 51 54 53 56 55 ZEROING IN: A graphic example of Intelligence gathering and development prior to launching resources.