The exercise aimed at operational maintenance of the Pantera Squadron crews in rescue missions
Agência Força Aérea: 5/8th GAV, by Lieutenant Kadowaki
The 5th Squadron of the Eighth Aviation Group (5/8th GAV), Pantera Squadron, based at Santa Maria Air Base (BASM), carried out, between April 10 and 15, another sea hoisting training exercise. The technical exercise, which took place in Florianópolis (SC), aimed at training and operational maintenance of the Squadron’s crews in man overboard rescue missions from boats.
The support was provided by the Florianópolis Air Base (BAFL), where the aircraft, materials and military personnel of the 5/8th GAV were allocated. In addition, together with the Brazilian Navy, the ship P-61 Benevente provided support regarding the techniques, tactics and procedures of deck lifting.
The technical exercise is composed of two different types of missions. The first simulates a man overboard being rescued; and the second, a passenger or vessel crew in need of an aeromedical evacuation (EVAM).
In actions of this type, the moment the victim is overboard and is located by the H-60L Black Hawk, a fumigant (signaling device) is launched to mark the position of the individual and for the crew to have a reference of the wind direction. After all the preparation of the aircraft and the rescue men, the aircraft performs a hover flight at a height of about 15 meters while the rescue man checks the condition of the victim.
This way, if the victim has no trauma in the cervical spine, he/she is removed by means of a lifting strap to the aircraft. If a fracture in the spine is diagnosed, another rescue man is brought down with a stretcher to stabilize the victim before he is lifted by the H-60L.
For the rescue of individuals on board a vessel, all contact is made with the ship’s commander via radio. As the aircraft approaches the target, the crew checks for wind conditions, obstacles, loose objects, and visual conditions of the victim. After the aircraft and rescue men have been prepared, they begin exposing the serviceman to be lifted to the deck of the ship. Similar to the rescue of a man overboard, the lifting strap or stretcher is used to stabilize the individual.
[In order to carry out real missions of any nature, the cooperation of the entire crew – which is composed of Pilots, Special Equipment Operators, and SAR (Search and Rescue) men – is indispensable. Each soldier, in a codependent way, plays a fundamental role inside the aircraft.
According to the Squadron’s mechanic, Sergeant Andrio Piveta Gonçalves, the operational training of the crew is extremely important. “Currently, the Rotary Wing Squadrons are the main air vectors to perform a rescue within the open sea. Sometimes, this is the only hope for the sailor to return to his family,” said the specialist.
The Commander of the 5th/8th GAV, Lieutenant Colonel Rodrigo Alonso Fortes, highlights the complexity of the training. “It is of utmost importance that the crews of the Pantera Squadron are trained and ready to fulfill this type of mission,” he concluded.
Photos: 5th/8th GAV