7.) UK-ATM-Search Rescue

Question 1

Alerting service

Answer 1

The alerting service is available to all aircraft
which are known by the air traffic services to be
operating within the UK FIRs.

Question 2

Aircraft not equipped with radio

Answer 2

Pilots advised to file a flight plan if flying more
than 10nm from the coast or over sparsely
populated or mountainous areas.
Flight Plans can only be delivered to
destinations on or linked to the AFTN.
If not on AFTN make sure a responsible person
will take appropriate action if aircraft overdue

Question 3

SAR Callsigns

Answer 3

FIXED WING - 2 Figure Number - RESCUE 41

MIL HELICOPTERS - 3 Figure Number - Abbreviated: RESCUE 190

DfT CIVIL CONTRACTED HELICOPTERS - RESCUE HELICOPTER 100 - Abbreviated: RESCUE 100

NON-SAR HELI or training - COASTGUARD HELICOPTER 101 - Abbreviated: COASTGUARD 101

HELIMED - HEL
POLICE - UKP
BRITISH RESCUE - SRG
COASTGUARD - SRD

Question 4

HEMS - HELICOPTER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

Answer 4

HEMS operate to incidents where an immediate response is required e.g. RTAs

Flight cat A applies to all HEMS flights on emergency operational tasks.
Flight cat E used for positioning for the purpose of conducting HEMS flights.

Flight cat Z for training, test and other flights.

Radio callsign “Helimed…” followed by a 2-digit identifier allocated to each HEMS aircraft and suffixed by the flight category. “HLE 01A” (except if CAT Z: “HLE 01”

Question 5

SAR Priority status

Answer 5

Flight category A: applies to SAR or HEMS flights when the
safety of life is involved. Callsign “BRITISH RESCUE [XXX] Alpha”.
Flight category B: applies to SAR, HEMS or humanitarian flights
when priority is required. Callsign “BRITISH RESCUE [XXX]
Bravo”.
Flight category E: is authorised for use by SAR aircraft carrying
out a positioning flight following a SAR or HEMS task,
e.g. returning to its base after delivering a patient/casualty.
Callsign “COASTGUARD [XXX] Echo”.
Normal flight category: used when SAR aircraft do not require
additional priority. Callsign “COASTGUARD [XXX]”.
Flight category Z: used for training and testing flights in SAR
aircraft. Callsign “COASTGUARD [XXX] Zulu”