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Sky Watch Civil Air Patrol

The History of Sky Watch

Concern about tragedies that could have been avoided if only the incident had been seen in time started the "Sky Watch" initiative. Private aircraft generally fly lower than airline and executive traffic so if pilots knew to watch out for incidents and call the emergency into ATC requesting a 999 call some of these tragedies might be avoided. Arnold Parker started to keep an eye out whilst he was flying and extended this to reconnaissance sorties in areas where there was the potential of danger to the public - and asked his flying pals in North Yorkshire to do the same. Although numerous incidents have been spotted in this way it has been found that specific air observation flights over areas where incidents are likely and nowadays the majority of our flying is on specific air observation sorties.

The initiative became known as "Sky Watch". More pilots heard about it and offered to help. At the time of writing there are rather more than 150 pilots on Sky Watch. They operate a wide variety of aircraft,including a small number of helicopters and autogyros. However, the bulk of Sky Watch aircraft are from the microlight and PFA category as the majority can fly slowly, most have STOL performance, and are capable of operating from basic grass strips.

So What Do We Do?

Pilots mostly join because they appreciate that being able to fly is a unique privilege and although we whinge about the cost the fact that we can do it at all means we have been more materially blessed than most people in the community - so Sky Watch CAP is a way of paying something back. Also, after visiting all the airfields in their area and buying a lot of £100 bacon sandwiches many pilots come to the conclusion that there has to be more to flying than just sitting there fat dumb and happy burning expensive holes in the sky - so doing something useful for our communities - as part of the flying they would be doing anyway - is a good thing. Observation flying also sharpens up precision flying, navigation, map reading and orientation skills and Sky Watch pilots are generally more proficient in these areas than pilots who only use their aircraft for pleasure flying.

The Mission of Sky Watch CAP is:

To promote for the benefit of the public, the preservation and protection of people and property, by the use of aerial observation over land and water, in order to identify situations where people and/or property is at risk and by working with and reporting such incidents to the statutory Emergency Services and such other bodies as deemed appropriate.

The CAA has confirmed that the type of operations prescribed by Sky Watch CAP are legal private unpaid flying inside free airspace or in controlled airspace with appropriate clearances. So you don't have to ask anyone's permission to launch. Keep in contact with Air Traffic Control and clear the area if an aircraft from the professional Emergency Services needs to operate there.

A number of Sky Watch CAP pilots have formed into Civil Air Patrol Units. Pilots operating as a unit can arrange that local areas of potential problems (coast, lonely countryside, railways etc) can be more regularly covered by them co-operating than by pilots working individually on an ad hoc basis.

What is Required of Pilots and of Sky Watch?

Sky Watch CAP places no minimum hours requirement for pilots because attitude is more important than total flight time. But Sky Watch pilots are generally well experienced (the average is 500+ hours) with an extensive core of highly skilled and experienced colleagues including service and ex-service personnel, ATPL's, ATC, and instructors.

Sky Watch's role is restricted to observing and reporting. Sky Watch aircraft will immediately clear the scene when the emergency services have the matter in hand unless specifically requested to remain.

It works. The list of incidents called in by Sky Watch is growing all the time and reports from aircraft have been acknowledged by emergency services as helping to secure the 'Golden Hour'. The Golden Hour is the vital first sixty minutes when saving of life or control of a fire or other incident is most effective.

Commitments

Sky Watch CAP in common with other recognised voluntary organisations (e.g. Mountain Rescue, RNLI, etc.) has established standards of training and operational efficiency. On signing up to the 'Active List', pilots agree to the following commitments:-

• Keep a look out when they safely and conveniently can during the course of their general flying - and call in any incident seen to Air Traffic Control for a land line 999 call to the Emergency Services.
• Use the Sky Watch Handbook/Operating Manual as a 'self-help' tool to learn the Air Observation and Search Techniques so that if they are called upon to perform a particular task they can carry it out effectively.
• Carry out air observation flights in their area, preferably with an observer, looking for persons or property which may be at risk - e.g. in remote countryside, coastal areas, lakes and rivers etc.

Recognition

Sky Watch CAP has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to use Sky Watch for general air observation and search duties to supplement MCA resources.

We are also part of the volunteer resources for Somerset County Council's Civil Contingencies Unit and have taken part in exercises.

We also work with a growing number of Lowland, Mountain and Fell Search and Rescue Teams and do moorland fire-spotting for Humberside Fire Service.

Liaison

Sky Watch CAP has mutually beneficial informal links with:

1. Staff at the 'sharp end' of the Emergency Services
2. ARCC, RAF Kinloss
3. Distress & Diversion Unit, London Air Traffic Control Centre
4. Civil Aviation Authority

We are members of the Voluntary Sector Civil Protection Forum.

It should be noted that we only work with, and in support of, statutory, central and local government bodies and recognised voluntary organisations.

Charitable Status

Sky Watch Civil Air Patrol is Registered as a Charity with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Registered Charity No. 1113079.

Everybody Wins

A better public opinion of private flying has been a by-product of Sky Watch CAP because of media coverage of our activities. Sky Watch was not started for public relations but if it helps to change the general view of private flying that would be a good thing. Perhaps some day the normal comment when a small aeroplane passes over will become: "It's probably on the way to the lakes to check there're no kids in danger" - so much better than the current dash for the telephone to complain to the local EHO.

How To Join

All pilots with a current PPL/NPPL are welcome to join the scheme. Of course, we do need to know which areas are being covered and by whom. To this end, we ask all our pilots to complete a brief questionnaire before adding them to the Active List.

When we receive the questionnaire, we will acknowledge it, and upon receipt of the annual membership fee (currently £10), we will send to you:

• Sky Watch Membership Card
• Sky Watch Handbook/Operating Manual
• 'Sky Watch Report' - current issue - you will be put on the distribution list to receive our newsletter.
• Sky Watch optional insignia - order form (purchase is entirely optional)