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This page is a framework
Quick reference: requesting an aircraft
General planning guidance. Local conditions and the responding team's certification govern what actually gets tasked.
Information the operator will ask for:
- Location: the last known point as latitude and longitude, and the size of the search area.
- Mission: what you need the aircraft to do, such as a visual or thermal search, a hoist or short-haul extraction, or moving searchers.
- Ground contact: one person with a radio frequency or phone number, plus current weather and hazards at the scene.
Each operator sets its own limits:
- Weather: the crew decides whether it is safe to fly, based on its weather minimums, crew rest and aircraft performance. A declined flight is a safety decision.
- Night and altitude: night searches, high-elevation work and hoisting depend on the unit's equipment (night vision goggles, thermal camera, hoist) and current crew qualifications. Ask for the capability you need, not just an aircraft.
Ground support for helicopters:
- Landing zone: a firm, level area clear of wires, poles and loose debris. Many operators ask for roughly 100 by 100 feet; confirm the size with the crew.
- Keep people back: nobody approaches the aircraft until the crew signals, and then only from the front, in view of the pilot.
Mutual aid workflow
Requesting aircraft here
Airspace safety
- Ground the drones. Hobby and media drones near a search can stop crewed aircraft from flying.
- Flight restrictions. The FAA can restrict airspace over a search or disaster area (14 CFR 91.137).
- One air coordinator. With more than one aircraft, assign an air operations lead to keep them apart.
Who pays
- Varies by operator: agency aircraft are usually paid for by the agency that owns them, and some agencies bill for flight time.
- Ask before launch whether a mutual aid agreement or cost recovery applies.
County resource density
State aviation and coordination
State aircraft and where a request is opened
Local government air units
Sheriff, police and fire aviation
Civil Air Patrol and volunteer aviation
Volunteer aircrews tasked through official channels
Federal and military units
Coast Guard, military and federal agencies
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Program statistics
Recent deployments
Live news search
Opens a running news query for search and rescue activity in this state.
Open news searchCapability mix
Share of registered assets by discipline.
Governance and statutory authority
State mutual aid guidelines
The typing documents behind a request
These documents set out how aircraft are requested and what crews are qualified to do. Open a card for the summary and a link to the published source.
No state guideline documents are indexed yet for this state.
State statutes
Authority for search and rescue in this state
Federal frameworks
These apply in every state
Becoming SAR aircrew
The path for pilots, crew members and volunteers
Capabilities and qualifications
| Capability | What the crew does | Who provides it and the standard | Recurrency |
|---|
Training resources
National aircrew and SAR references
Field toolkit and admin
Landing zones, logs and federal coordination
Landing zone setup
What to prepare before a helicopter arrives.
- Firm, level area clear of wires and debris.
- One ground contact; approach only on the crew's signal.
Logging and volunteer registration
Records that support after-action review, reimbursement and volunteer coverage:
- Mission log recording aircraft, crew, times, the area searched and how well it was covered.
- Unit activity log for after-action reporting and reimbursement.
Requesting federal and military aircraft
Who coordinates federal search and rescue support.
- Inland, lower 48: Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.
- Coastal waters and Great Lakes: Coast Guard.