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25 February 2022
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Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) hosts aircraft crash simulation: Exercise Phoenix

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The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) hosted an aircraft crash simulation on 11 and 12 February 2022, namely Exercise Phoenix. Kyle Grove, ARCC assistant, writes, “Together with SARZA and Kitty Hawk Airfield management, we were able to draft up a mid-air collision simulation to test all government, private and volunteer rescue organisations to their limits”
 
“Exercise Phoenix commenced on 11 February 2022 at 18h01 when ZS-ARCC was reported overdue to the ARCC as overdue. During this phase, it was up to the on-duty search and rescue mission coordinator (SMC) to draw up search plans along with tasking of the search and rescue units (SRUs). Based upon information along with the diminishing daylight, it was decided to deploy the SRUs to Rhino Park Airfield, the departure and destination point for ZS-ARCC, at 05h45am on 12 February 2022.”
 
“On 12 February, further information was provided to the SMC, which now indicated the aircraft could have crashed at Kitty Hawk Airfield or surrounding areas. The SRUs redeployed to the new airfield and began their search. Once the search was well underway, further information was passed on that indicated there was a second aircraft involved and that a mid-air collision occurred.”
 
Both wreckages were quickly discovered and our casualties rescued.
 
Organisations involved in the Exercise Phoenix included:
SARZA
Mountain Club of South Africa Search and Rescue
Hamnet Gauteng
Gauteng Emergency Medical Services
Rocket HEMS
Netcare911
South African Police Service (SAPS)
SAPS Airwing Pretoria
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI)
Gauteng Forensic Pathology Services
Bidvest Protea Coin Aviation
Air Traffic and Navigation Services SOC Limited (ATNS)
Kitty Hawk Airfield
South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA AIID)
 
Observers from the following organisations and departments were also in attendance
National Department of Transport (South Africa)
National Department of Health (South Africa)
eSwatini CAA
Ground SAR South Africa
K9 Search and Rescue Association of the Western Cape
Western Cape Disaster Management
Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (BARSA)
Airlines Association of South Africa
Mayday-SA
 
“The events of Exercise Phoenix showcased the outstanding work conducted by all of those involved and provided valuable feedback to help improve the SAR system in South Africa. We may hold our heads up high knowing that despite all uncertainties as of lately, there are organisations out there that will endeavour to continue rise from the ashes - Exercise Phoenix.”
 
The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) was established in terms of the South African Maritime and Aeronautical Search and Rescue Act No.44 of 2002 as amended. The ARCC is the aeronautical branch of SASAR which took on its current form as a result of the SASAR Act, previously being PERSAR. The primary function of the ARCC is to search for, assist, and where appropriate effect a rescue operation for the survivors of aircraft accidents and forced landings; the crew and passengers of vessels in distress; and the survivors of any military aircraft and vessel accidents or distress, provided these craft are not engaged in any act of war.
 
The ARCC is staffed by qualified SMCs and ARCC Support staff and is manned 24 hours a day. During the previous year (2021), the ARCC dealt with 1388 SAR matters ranging from inflight emergencies, non-cancellation of SAR, COSPAS SARSAT detections, to aircraft accidents. There were 181 942 flight plans filed for this period. The ARCC provided assistance at 106 accidents through which a 134 persons survived and sadly, 33 persons were fatality injured.
 
South Africa has adopted a multi-agency approach to SAR and thus does not have a dedicated SAR unit. This multi-agency approach is made possible by having agreements with state, commercial, private and volunteer organisations. The state resources and permanent members of SASAR include the SAAF, SAPS, Various government departments and state owned companies (SOC). The volunteer members of SASAR are the Mountain Club of South Africa’s, Mountain SAR, HAMNET, SARZA, K9SARA, and soon GroundSAR and Mayday will be joining the organisation. These organisations are all members of SASAR and work together through joint training exercises to make SASAR a world-class SAR organisation.
 
South Africa also hosts a Mission Control Centre (MCC) as part of the COSPAS SARSAT system. The MCC receives Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) ), Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) and Person Locator Beacon (PLB), detections in our Search and Rescue service area, which includes 13 Southern African countries and St Helena. These distress beacons operate on 406MHz and are detected by one of the several Space segment providers and thereafter relayed to the global network of MCC’s as a free to use SAR alerting system worldwide.
 
“Joining hands so other may live” is SASAR is tagline.
 
Written by Kyle Grove, ARCC assistant
Photographs: Arnold Dippenaar
 
Quote of the week
“Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do.” ~ Voltaire, French philosopher
 
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Lee Raath-Brownie
Managing director
Cell: 082 371 0190
 
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