Palwaukee Squadron PAO
Photos: Cadet Captain Michael Hatkevich and 2nd Lt. Marc Stanley
Palwaukee Composite Squadron hosted a training exercise funded by the United States Air Force involving 3 aircraft and 1 ground team. Over 30 participants represented several different CAP units including Illinois Wing Headquarters, Lake in the Hills and Midway Squadrons. The air operations branch director was Major Thomas Cardwell, Group 14 commander. Major Bob Williams, commander of Group 22, served as ground branch director. 1st Lt. Scott Murphy led the ground team.
The ground team carried out an ELT search exercise in the forest preserve adjacent to Palwaukee Airport. In addition, an ELT on an aircraft parked at the Airport unexpectedly started transmitting during the exercise; it was located and deactivated. Team members S/M Card and Cadet Captain Hatkevich were each credited with their first finds in this effort.
10 aerial sorties were flown; most focused on finding missing aircraft using standard search techniques. We sought to establish either visual contact and/or detection of an ELT signal from the air. In addition, the Fox River was overflown to practice flood detection techniques.
Training objectives were met by the participants in numerous specialties including communications, ground skills, mission staff, scanner, observer and pilot. We also obtained valuable experience thinking on our feet as people from different units learned to work as a team. Safety was stressed throughout the exercise and there were no injuries. There are plans for a possible additional SAREX sometime in mid May 2008.
Radio communications were supervised by Captain Bill Watson of Lake in the Hills, Left. Right: Maj. Steve Handler of Illinois Wing staff, assistant communications officer.
Captain Joe Long briefs a flight crew consisting of Lt. Col Lou Wipotnik, Captain John Mitchell and Captain Mark Kurzinski. Major Thomas Cardwell in the background. 2nd Lt. Rusty Wright in extreme foreground.
On short final to Palwaukee’s runway 16: last flight of the day with Major Dennis Gandalowski of Midway Squadron at the controls.
Ground team members 1st Lt. Jim Griggs (left) and 1st Lt. Axel Velazquez (center), determine a bearing to an ELT beacon which unexpectedly started transmitting from a 1962 Beech 35 parked on Airport grounds. Major Robert Dempsey is in the background.
1st Lt. Scott Murphy (left), S/M Damon Card of Midway squadron (center), and 1st Lt. Jim Griggs (left) confer after locating an ELT beacon during the practice exercise.
Left: Lt.Col. Lou Wipotnik, Mission Pilot. Right: Captain John Mitchell, Observer. Turning from base to final approach to Galt airport during aerial ELT search mission.
Typical field of view for the port scanner approximately 1600 feet above the ground in a Cessna 182 Skylane near the Chain of Lakes. How might a missing person or downed aircraft appear to the eye from this perspective?
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