Powered Paragiding, Paraglider and Paramotor Information

What does Michigan , Arizona , Texas , and Illinois have in common? Each state has a community of PPG Pilots that have banned together and offered their assistance to the local community for the search, rescue, and recovery operations of missing people. Sometimes, this may mean searching for the less than pleasant activities such as bodies, identifying a crime scene, searching for evidence, or whatever the task may require from the local authorities. Whatever the motivation, it is local pilots assisting efforts to allow someone else’s family to find closure to a situation.

As Powered Paraglider Pilots, we have a unique capability and opportunity to fly slow, fly low, fly high, and see things that searchers from foot, 4-wheelers, horses, helicopters, or planes can’t see. In my past 4 years of flying, I have witnessed police chases, assisted local law enforcement in the recovery of stolen property, directed the fire department and ambulance to a medical emergency on the beach, participated in the life saving rescue of a PPC pilot, and assisted in a First Aid scene for a suspected drug overdose situation while the occupants of a car awaited an ambulance. If I had not been involved with PPG, the results of one or more of those situations could have had a different outcome.

During those same four years, I have read more than eight articles from one of our local papers where the TXWingNuts were within 24 hours of being on the scene of dumped bodies, bodies that washed ashore, or people swept offshore that could have been saved if a PPG pilot had been available. These eight incidents were all within areas the TXWingNuts regularly fly. Some people are glad they weren’t present as they couldn’t stomach a tragic scene, while others would have liked to been a part of the recovery efforts that could have made a difference to the family. Just this past weekend while writing this article, there was a fisherman that was tossed from his boat and his boat was found turning in circles just 100 yards from our LZ offshore where we were as we waited for the winds to drop. The TXWingNuts offered their assistance to the local police, but fortunately the pilot was found coming ashore about 4 miles away. This one had a happy outcome.

During a Sunday afternoon of March 2008, there was a young girl that was swept offshore by the tide. Just the day before, the TXWingNuts had been flying the same area. The one lone rescuer on a jet-ski spent 45 minutes trying to find the girl that was swept 4000’ away along the shore by the tide. Resuscitation efforts were not successful. If the situation had happened a day earlier when we were there, I would have prayed the outcome would have been different had someone alerted a PPG pilot assistance was needed. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back that said the TXWingNuts should step up and do more for our community. Our group needed to be more proactive and alert to our community. We shouldn’t just be the pilot that is fun to watch or occasionally frustrating to someone seeking quiet surroundings. The public needs to be more aware that we could be there lifesaver or comforter.

Since that last news article, several members of the TXWingNuts contacted Texas Equusearch (www.texasequusearch.org) and have become members. Texas Equusearch now has our names and have called upon us once, three weeks after having joined. Our particular task was to check out an island about 10 miles long only accessible by boat or by air for a body or for evidence of the missing boat or boater. We also continued our search for another 15 miles of coastline with many sections being accessible, but very remote. We didn’t find anything that Saturday, but two days later the body and boat washed ashore 100 miles away from the initial search point. The family would find closure.

As PPG pilots volunteering for an effort to assist local law enforcement and rescue groups, everyone’s concern is for safety. Nobody wants to look for a second person. Each pilot must evaluate the hazards of the flight area. First, if the flight area is unsafe for PPG, then the call must be made to not participate. This may very well be the most difficult decision that has to be made. Considerations for wind, rotors, terrain, temperatures, and accessibility must all be considered.

Second, while the flight area may be safe, the next question becomes can I be extracted from the area should I have equipment problems? Always plan that you will have one or more pilots that may have a motor issue. Can you get them out as well as their equipment?

Will the area require a multi-mile walkout with gear? Am I fit enough to walk that distance with or without motor? Is the local animal wildlife such as snakes, alligators, coyotes, bears, spiders, scorpions, etc. going to create a risk without additional preparation? Does cell phone or radio coverage reach into your intended search area? Will I need survival gear such as water, food, or other equipment if I land away from my intended LZ? Will I have to cross bodies of water such as creeks or rivers if there are motor issues?

These are all very important questions that must be asked. Solutions must be worked out to insure safety. In some cases, issues can be mitigated by flying with other pilots. Two is good, but three or more is better giving everyone an opportunity to look after one another. In addition, all pilots should be flying with some kind of communication gear. Be it FRS/GMRS radio, cell phone, or some other radio, communication must be mandatory. In addition, GPS is highly desirable. If you find something, or need to relay your location, GPS coordinates will tell everyone where to go. One man’s description of “not far” may mean 1000’ to one person, or 2 miles to another.

What do you do if you find something? Well, with most agencies, taking pictures is a no-no. This is especially important for a crime scene, evidence recovery, or body recovery. Nobody wants to find a morbid photo of a loved one on the internet, or learn of such photos or evidence available to the general public’s eyes.

Finally, what if you do find a body? If you have never lived on a farm or been in a rural area where large animals or game have died and baked under the sun for days and weeks, you will never appreciate the stench of death. Nobody wants to be the one that first comes upon a scene, but each person wants the family to find closure. If you ever participate in a search and recovery incident, you must be prepared as the situation could be bad. And should you find someone deceased, avoid contaminating the scene. The police may need to conduct forensics to learn as much as they can for their investigation.

While our involvement here in the Houston area with Texas Equusearch has been short, there is an obvious need and opportunity for our pilots. After discussions with Texas Equusearch and the president of USPPA, Jeff Goin, I will begin the development of a program with other volunteers to establish a national USPPA PPG Search and Recovery team that local agencies and law enforcement can utilize and can request assistance. We can’t help every situation, but we may be able to make a difference in some people’s lives. Watch on the USPPA website as well as the PPGBigList group on Yahoo for more details as they emerge. If you are a part of another group supporting search and rescue, or have ideas with the development of a program, we need volunteers and we need your input.

What are the rewards? Going to sleep one night knowing you made an imprint on someone else’s life!!!

Photo by Beery Miller as the TXWingNuts cross paths with other ultralights searching for a missing boater south of Freeport, TX.