denverpilot
Tied Down
http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_21552014
Couldn't say anything until it was out in the Press. Was peripherally involved with the search.
Sad. Another Colorado fatal. Far too many this year.
General vicinity of La Veta Pass. Exact location isn't in public yet. This one being found above 12,000' MSL tends to indicate lack of knowledge of high altitude operations, but that's speculation. All that can be said with certainty is that the La Veta Pass area eats a lot of airplanes and pilots.
Maj. O'Brien quoted in the article is one of our Wing PAOs and I had lunch with him to pick up some gear a few hours before I ended up taking Alert Officer duty for our Squadron on this one. Ed's also my Squadron XO, amongst about three other volunteer jobs he holds. And a nice guy. Other articles quote Lt. Col Mike Daniels who is also a qualified PAO in Colorado.
RIP. Condolences to the family. All-volunteer crews were out looking for loved ones quickly.
For us pilots and aircraft owners... the beacon was a 406 MHz beacon. Activation of SAR activity was very prompt because of this and the word "probable" downed aircraft was used instead of "possible", which shows that 406 beacons get people's attention.
No change in response, but the wording of the alerts and the tone are set very quickly upon reception of a 406 beacon. Something interesting to keep in mind as you choose your SAR technology.
Couldn't say anything until it was out in the Press. Was peripherally involved with the search.
Sad. Another Colorado fatal. Far too many this year.
General vicinity of La Veta Pass. Exact location isn't in public yet. This one being found above 12,000' MSL tends to indicate lack of knowledge of high altitude operations, but that's speculation. All that can be said with certainty is that the La Veta Pass area eats a lot of airplanes and pilots.
Maj. O'Brien quoted in the article is one of our Wing PAOs and I had lunch with him to pick up some gear a few hours before I ended up taking Alert Officer duty for our Squadron on this one. Ed's also my Squadron XO, amongst about three other volunteer jobs he holds. And a nice guy. Other articles quote Lt. Col Mike Daniels who is also a qualified PAO in Colorado.
RIP. Condolences to the family. All-volunteer crews were out looking for loved ones quickly.
For us pilots and aircraft owners... the beacon was a 406 MHz beacon. Activation of SAR activity was very prompt because of this and the word "probable" downed aircraft was used instead of "possible", which shows that 406 beacons get people's attention.
No change in response, but the wording of the alerts and the tone are set very quickly upon reception of a 406 beacon. Something interesting to keep in mind as you choose your SAR technology.
