3-50.1 SAR

Question 1

SAR Coordinator

Answer 1

Rescue coordination centers (RCCs), which are established worldwide by geographic location, handle the
function of the SAR coordinator and, if not directly involved in the search operation, shall be informed and kept
abreast of the progress of the search.

Question 2

Multiple Rescue

Answer 2

A multiple rescue occurs when there is more than one survivor, and the RS remains in the water, aiding in the
recovery of all survivors prior to being recovered.

Question 3

The crew should consider either recovery or short-hauling the RS between multiple survivors if
the following conditions exist

Answer 3

1. A sea state of greater than 2 (see SAR tactical airborne information document (TACAID)
2. Night/IMC
3. More than 25 yards between the survivors.

Question 4

Rescue Swimmer Deployment

Answer 4

The hoist operator (HO) shall not open the cabin door without first ensuring that all
personnel in the cabin area are either strapped into a seat, or secured to the aircraft
via crewman’s safety belt, and additionally ensure all loose gear throughout the
cabin is stowed and/or secured to avoid loosing critical rescue equipment or
striking a survivor.
 Direct deployment (DD) procedures shall not be used if survivor still has parachute
attached.
 The RS shall be deployed via the rescue hoist during all night and
IMC/low-visibility operations, if any other hazards exist in the vicinity, and/or at
the discretion of the HAC.
 Inhalation of composite fibers resulting from aircraft fires and/or aircraft material
damage may be harmful to the RS. If smoke is present, the RS shall be deployed
upwind, and will approach the aircraft in a manner as to avoid any smoke.

Question 5

Direct Deployment

Answer 5

Rescue crews are sometimes faced with situations in which traditional RS deployment procedures are inadequate
and/or put the RS at a greater-than-acceptable risk. The DD procedure was developed as a tool for use in extreme
situations, such as: rescues in the surf zone, heavy seas, high winds, moving (swift) water, ice, etc. DD procedures
are another tool for the RS/helicopter crew to utilize, when necessary, and are not intended to replace the survivor
recovery procedures outlined in 3.7. Direct deployment procedures shall only be utilized when the crew has
determined that it is the safest method of recovery.

Question 6

Direct Deployment Safety Considerations

Answer 6

The QS shall only be used in conjunction with the TSH for DD and recovery of
survivors. The decision to use DD procedures on a survivor with a known or
suspected head, neck, spinal, or other severe injury should only be exercised when
the use of traditional survivor recovery procedures (outlined in 3.7) would place
the lives of the RS and/or survivor at greater risk.
 DD procedures should not be used on aviators who have ejected from aircraft, and
shall not be used on aviators still entangled in a parachute.
 The QS shall not be deployed to survivors without the RS. The survivors may not
know how to properly use it.
Notes
 Use of the term “direct deployment” always refers to the RS wearing a TSH in
conjunction with a QS assembly. The significant difference in DD from the
traditional RS deployment/survivor recovery procedure is that the RS never
unhooks from the RH during the entire rescue evolution.
 Hand signals are the primary means of communication for DD procedures.

Question 7

Reasons for physical grip

Answer 7

escues in the surf zone where
survivor has a physical hold of a fixed structure (reef, exposed rock, downed tree), heavy seas recoveries which
would result in survivor immersion/loss of positive control during DD recovery, etc. Physical grip procedures are
another tool for the RS/helicopter crew to utilize, when necessary, and are not intended to replace the survivor
recovery procedures outlined in 3.7

Question 8

Physical Grip Warnings

Answer 8

The Physical grip procedure is designed for an immediate extraction of a survivor
from an extreme situation that puts greater risk than acceptable for the RS. This
procedure is used for survivor repositioning only and shall not be used as a means
of recovery to the aircraft cabin door. Ensure applicable T/M/S NATOPS airspeed
restrictions are adhered to while the hoist cable is deployed from hoist assembly,
and no hoists occur greater than 10 feet above the water while the survivor is
secured in the Physical grip.
 Physical grip procedures should not be used on aviators who have ejected from
aircraft, and shall not be used on aviators still entangled in a parachute.
 The Gable grip, as prescribed in Chapter 3.4.2 is the preferred grip when
performing a physical grip.

Question 9

Rescue Strop

Answer 9

Only for aviators

Question 10

Rescue Basket

Answer 10

1. The collapsible rescue basket is the preferred rescue device for survivors (military and civilian) with
   injuries that do not require a litter, frail/elderly survivors, and small framed survivors who can not be safely
   secured in the rescue strop.

Question 11

Rescue Basket Warnings

Answer 11

The HO shall closely monitor the amount of hoist cable that is deployed during all
rescue operations. The HO shall ensure that enough cable is deployed to
compensate for aircraft movement and wave action/water movement. Too much
cable deployed will become a hazard to the RS and/or survivor should the cable
become entangled with them, the rescue device, or debris in the water.
 The rescue basket is lightweight and may become unstable while hoisting down to
the water due to winds or rotor wash. The HO shall use extreme care to avoid
striking survivor/RS or obstacles with the rescue basket.

Question 12

What is the only rescue device that requires a trail line?

Answer 12

Medevac Litter

Question 13

Recommended altitude/airspeed for life raft deployment?

Answer 13

10/10 or 15/0

Question 14

Sinking Parachute

Answer 14

1. The RS shall signal for assistance from a rescue boat, if available, using either the aviation RS’s radio,
   and/or the hand signal found in Chapter 6. If no rescue boat is immediately available, the RS shall signal the
   helicopter over into a hover position, directly over the survivor.
2. The RS will then attach the survivor’s survival harness lifting device into the RH, and immediately
   continue disentanglement procedures.
3. The helicopter’s rescue hoist shall be used to maintain the survivor’s head above the water while the RS
   disentangles the parachute and readies the survivor for recovery.

Question 15

Safe a Survivor

Answer 15

The following conditions shall be met before the survivor is considered safe:
1. The survivor is breathing and has no apparent, immediate, life-threatening injuries
2. The survivor is wearing operable flotation, or is in an operable life raft
3. The survivor is completely free of entanglement, and not attached to a parachute
4. If at night, the RS should attach a lighting device to survivor (strobe light, chemical light, etc.).

Question 16

Double Lift

Answer 16

When recovering a hypothermic or potentially hypothermic survivor, the double lift method of DD is an expedient
alternative to the rescue/MEDEVAC litter. The standard rescue strop is used