Alabama Wing Civil Air Patrol
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ALABAMA WING CIVIL AIR PATROL NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2010 Col. Lisa Robinson Lt. Col. Brad Lynn Commander Vice-Commander Contents Water Survival Course PD Weekend 4 Alabama WG Flight Crews Worth of Volunteers 7 Get Realistic Water Survival Training CAC 8 Springville Cadets 9 Orientation Rides and FIND 9 Encampment 9 The usually tranquil waters of Lake Logan Martin Memorial Day 13 in Pell City, Alabama are normally populated by ROTC Scholarship Information 13 swimmers, fishermen, pontoon boats cruising SUPTFC 2010 15 slowly along, and an occasional jet ski. It’s not National Cadet Activities 15 too often that a State Trooper helicopter is seen A Good Soaking 15 Model Rocketry 16 flying low over the water with two people Brig. Gen. Cassady 17 hanging from a long line 100 feet below the belly Bessemer Cadet Training 17 of the copter. But, recent events over two Redstone O'Flights 18 hundred miles away in the Gulf of Mexico National Flight Academy 18 changed that on a recent June day. Cadets Visit Ft. Rucker 18 NESA 2010 19 Wing Emergence Services School 21 Iron Man 2010 21 Search at Birmingham Airport 21 The RF Factor 22 Paulsen Mitchell Award 24 AFSPCFC 2010 24 Safety 24 Redstone Cadet to Alaska 25 Folse Earns Earhart 26 Shake Rattle and Roll 26 Pierce Earns Mitchell 28 CISM 29 IG Contact Information 29 NESA Graduates 29 Public Affairs 30 Deep Water Horizon Volunteers 30 September 2010 Citizens Serving Communities: Above and Beyond 1 Alabama WG pilots and crew members have found themselves racking up considerable flight time with the addition of Deep Water Horizon missions to the usual busy summer missions flown by the WG. And with this, the need for Water Survival Accreditation has been emphasized. While Alabama does have several miles of coast line along the Gulf of Mexico, it is small compared to other gulf coast states and water survival courses and accreditation had not been at the training forefront for those units in the central and northern parts of the state – until now. It was quickly determined that the training, while meeting the basic requirements, would not prepare a crew member for the task if it should really become necessary to implement the training. And, since Todd subscribes to the age old philosophy of fly like you train and train like you fly, it was determined that with a little extra effort, the training could be made more realistic. The demand for pilots and ADIS operators stretched to all units in the state and organizers began looking at the number of pilots and crew members who had water survival training and determined that the training had to be moved to the forefront – and quickly. The AL WG Stan Eval team took on the responsibility of organizing the training. The WG Stan Eval officer, Captain Donnie Todd, The team discussed the possibility of a “dunk determined that the required elements for seat” that would force a pilot into the water while accreditation were pretty basic. A crew member in a simulated airplane seat. The seat would ride is required to enter the water, inflate his on rails that would flip the seat, and pilot, upside personal flotation device, swim 200 yards to a down about the time he entered the water – raft, and climb into the raft. This is often much like what would likely happen in a real accomplished at the local YMCA or other ditching. However, time did not allow for swimming pool. construction of the seat and rail apparatus. The device is being constructed for future training events however. September 2010 Citizens Serving Communities: Above and Beyond 2 pilot for a real extrication, it would complete the training to have each crewmember removed from the water via helicopter long line. This is where the Alabama State Trooper Aviation Unit saved – or made the day. Once safely in the raft, an Alabama State Trooper rescue swimmer joined the pilots. One at a time, each pilot exited the raft and joined the trooper rescue swimmer. Then, just like it would happen in a real scenario, the Trooper helicopter appeared overhead, dangling a 100’ long line to the swimmer and pilot. With the trooper swimmer’s help and direction, the pilot joined the Todd first decided the event would be held in a rescue swimmer on the line and was quickly, local lake instead of a pool. Getting it outside and smoothly, removed from the water and and into darker water would offer a better transported safely to shore a few hundred yards scenario. Then, since the dunk seat would not away. With the assistance of trooper ground be available, a higher deck boat would be the team members, the pilot was guided to the platform for the pilot to enter the water from. The landing site where he released his grip from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department had just line and was “saved”. the boat – a revamped steel hull boat from the Army Corps of Engineers. It was large enough to carry several people and tall enough to give the crew member a little “jolt” as he entered the water. The pilot would then surface, manually inflate his PFD and begin the swim to the inflated, although upside down, and waiting raft. For safety, rescue swimmers and dive team members from the New London Fire Department / St Clair County Sheriff’s dive team were in the water monitoring the progress of the swimmers. Each pilot then swam to the raft and entered it. Both tasks proved to be more difficult than some The first challenge to the extrication was dealing had anticipated. Swimming with an inflated PFD with the rotor wash from the helicopter. With the was a lot of work and climbing into the raft was a helicopter being only 100 feet above, the challenge but most soon got the concept down amount of water in the air around the pilot and through teamwork. swimmer was much more than you would expect. Normally, once in the raft, the exercise is over. But, Todd decided that to amply prepare the September 2010 Citizens Serving Communities: Above and Beyond 3 Twenty-five CAP pilots and crew members participated. And the best part is that the support from the Pell City Police Department, Alabama Marine Police, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department, Alabama State Troopers, and the Pell City and New London Fire Departments did not cost the CAP a dime. All of these agencies were conducting training of their own so the benefits realized by the CAP came at no real cost. However, the CAP benefited the most in the final measurement. “Where else can an individual get this training and experience that could be called on at some time in his CAP future?” said Todd. It also chopped the water up pretty good and turned the smooth lake waters into a gulf like wave fest. Hearing the instructions of the trooper rescue swimmer over the helicopter engine and The AL WG CAP is grateful to all the agencies rotor noise while having water thrown into your and personnel who made this training face and eyes at considerable velocity offer a opportunity possible. Plans are currently real case scenario like what a pilot would underway for the next class. Todd says he experience if ever faced with this dilemma. And hopes to have the dunk seat available to remember, each pilot was doing this fully clothed compliment the other activities. “It should prove – including shoes. to be another great event.” Maj. Donnie Todd ALWG/Stan and Eval Photos from the June 2010 Event SM E Shurbutt AL 118 Professional Development Weekend 90+ members of the Civil Air Patrol participated in a professional development weekend at the 117th Air National Guard base in Birmingham, The challenge and adventure under the hot Alabama on August 24 and 25. Members from summer sun resulted in hungry and tired pilots. Alabama, Tennessee and North Dakota were in Lunch was catered by a local Bar B Que attendance at the SLS, CLC and UCC courses. restaurant and enjoyed in a pavilion adjacent to Many of the instructors were members of the the site in the Pell City Lakeside Park. September 2010 Citizens Serving Communities: Above and Beyond 4 Alabama Wing staff and brought many years of Values, Teamwork, Planning and Resources in experience to the event. CAP. Several of the topics were entertaining and involved role-playing such as the Mentoring Col. Lisa Robinson and Lt. Col. Brad Lynn, session of the course which pit the younger Commander and Vice-Commander respectively generation against the older generation in a of the Alabama Wing participated as instructors discussion about our methods of in all three courses. Col. Robinson has set the communications. standard high as the new Commander of the Wing and is encouraging members to participate in professional development. By their participation in the weekend a clear message was sent to all the members that this training is important. It also gave the leadership the opportunity to work one on one with many of the members in attendance. It was enlightening and connected the groups in such a way participants left saying the session should have lasted much longer because the sharing of information was critical in their own squadrons for developing effective mentoring programs. That is what the professional development weekend is all about. Major Bill Compton led the Squadron Leadership Major Jay Jerman led the Unit Commanders School and had 38 participants and 8 instructors Course and had 9 participants and 9 instructors in the course.