Grand Rapids Senior Squadron Civil Air Patrol GLR-MI-190

The Beacon
Prospective Member Edition
The Grand Rapids Senior Squadron: Who We Are
The volunteer men and women of the Grand Rapids Senior Squadron come from all walks of life. Some of our members are industrial workers, doctors, software engineers, college students, college professors, avionics engineers, members of law enforcement, managers, business owners, retired and active military, just to name a few. Our active members are all adults, ranging in age from twenty-something to well over eighty. Approximately half of our members are non-pilots, yet most serve as aircrew members. So if you are still wondering if youll fit in, please contact us and well answer any questions you might have. Some of the members of the Grand Rapids Senior Squadron with the squadrons Cessna 172

What We Do
The Grand Rapids Sr. Sqdn. is primarily a flying unit. Utilizing the Cessna 172 that has been assigned to our squadron, we perform many different types of airborne missions. Our squadrons missions include Search and Rescue, Disaster Relief Photo Reconnaissance (including NWS and Red Cross damage assessment), and Counterdrug Photo Recon. missions. Both pilots and non-pilots alike are needed to perform these missions. Our squadron supports nearby Cadet squadrons by performing funded Cadet Orientation Flights for the qualified Cadet members. We also perform funded orientation flights for the ROTC and Junior ROTC programs. In terms of communications, we have several VHF radios with fixed and portable antennas, along with a local VHF repeater. In addition to air operations, the Grand Rapids Sr. Sqdn. is also making plans to expand into mission base support and ground operations.

Damage Assessment photos of US 31, taken by this squadron following heavy rains in Sept. 1986

Civil Air Patrol aircraft ready to launch for a Search and Rescue training mission in Coldwater (April 2003).

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The Beacon Prospective Member Edition

Opportunities: Pilots
Our pilots can serve as Mission Pilots, Transport Pilots, and/or Cadet Orientation pilots. Most missions are funded by the Air Force, therefore pilots are reimbursed for those flight expenses. As a private pilot, you might ask how can I get reimbursed when acting as PIC on some of these missions?

This 2003 Cessna 182 is just one of the aircraft within Michigan Wing
ment 182, and several other 172s. Flight Instructors, Interested in providing flight instruction to CAP members?, We can certainly use your expertise and volunteer services in our squadron. There are a few limitations on flight instruction in CAP. Only cadet members under the age of 18 can earn their Private Pilots License in CAP aircraft. Adult members, on the other hand, can earn additional ratings beyond their Private ticket in CAP aircraft. CAP prohibits any operation of CAP aircraft for compensation or hire. For more information, refer to CAP Regulation 60-1, available under the Members pages at www.gocivilairpatrol.com.

Orientation Flights. Our pilots can also use CAP aircraft to continue flight training beyond their private pilots license. To work on additional ratings, the hourly maintenance fee (currently $28 per hour dry) must be paid by the member, along with the cost of refueling the aircraft. Also, any flight instruction must be given by a qualified CAP Flight Instructor. Different aircraft within Michigan Wing are available to our members for flight instruction, proficiency flights, and emergency services aircrew training. In addition to our IFR equipped Cessna 172, there are three Garmin G1000 equipped Cessna 182 Skylanes, one standard instru-

Cadets receive their Orientation Flights at a recent mutli-squadron event at Sparta Airport.
Although no CAP member can use CAP aircraft for compensation or hire, FAA Exemption 6771 to FAR 61.113e allows CAP private pilots to be reimbursed for flight expenses during Air Force funded Search and Rescue missions and during Cadet

Three of Michigan Wings aircraft are G1000 equipped Cessna 182s.

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Opportunities: Professional Development

Effective squadron administration is critical to a squadrons success. To promote successful squadrons, CAP offers professional development opportunities in many areas: Personnel, Finance, Public Affairs, Aircraft Operations and Maintenance, Administration, Communications, Command, Chaplain and Moral Leadership, Supply and Logistics, Emergency Services, just to name a few. Training is provided for all Professional Development duties.

Opportunities: Emergency Services

Civil Air Patrol has three equally important missions: Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs, and Emergency Services (ES). There are many ES roles available to pursue, either in the air, on the ground, or at the Mission Base. Airborne roles include Mission Scanner, Mission Observer, and Mission Pilot, and Transport Pilot. Ground based roles include Ground Team Member, Ground Team Leader, Urban Direction Finding (UDF) Team Member, Mission Base duties can include Incident Commander, Air Operations Branch Director, Ground Operations Branch Director, Mission Radio Operator, Mission Safety Officer, etc. You do not need to be a pilot to earn a qualification in a majority of the ES roles. Members survey a crash site in Northern Michigan. Note where the trees were sheered off from the impact.

Opportunities: Getting Involved

The best way to learn more about the Grand Rapids Senior Squadron and Civil Air Patrol is to visit one of our squadron meetings. Our squadron meets at the Plainfield Fire Department on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, with meetings beginning at 7pm. A map to our meeting location is available at http:// www.plainfieldfire.org. At the meeting, someone will gladly sit down with you and answer any questions you may have about CAP. We can also help you determine how you can best serve and benefit from membership in CAP. To ensure that all prospective members receive as much information as possible prior to joining, we ask that all prospective members visit a minimum of three meetings before they commit to becoming a member. During the spring and summer months, our squadron also meets at the Sparta Airport to conduct aircrew training with the squadrons Cessna 172. The Sparta Airport is located at 9100 Vinton Ave, Sparta, MI. Dates and time of our next Sparta training activity can be found on the squadron calendar.

Meeting Location and Times Every First and Third Tuesday 7:00 pm Plainfield Fire Department 4343 Plainfield Ave. NE Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids Senior Squadron

Civil Air Patrol GLR-MI-190

The Grand Rapids Senior Squadron is a unit within Michigan Wing Civil Air Patrol. Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 57,000 members nationwide. CAP performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 90 lives in fiscal year 2008. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counterdrug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to more than 22,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for over 65 years.

Meeting Address: Plainfield Fire Dept. 4343 Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI Email: mi190@miwg.cap.gov

National Website: http://www.gocivilairpatrol.com

The Grand Rapids Senior Squadron GLR-MI-190

Commander: Lt Col Steve Hickel Deputy Commanders: 1st Lt David Hast and 1st Lt Kevin Jarchow Great Lakes Region Website: http://glr.cap.gov Recruiting Officer: Capt. Dan Evans Phone: 269-945-4585

Websites and Additional Information

Michigan Wing Website: http://miwg.cap.gov Please feel free to visit the websites at each level of our organization to find more information about the Civil Air Patrol. The shields to the left illustrates the hierarchy of Civil Air Patrol, the Great Lakes Region, Michigan Wing, and the Grand Rapids Sr. Squadron.

We are looking forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming squadron meetings in the near future! Grand Rapids Senior Squadron Website: http://mi190.miwg-cap.org