Pictures of SAR flare path?

[MarkJJ]

Just readings few threads here and remembered article I read years back in pilot magazine. Seem to remember a guy flying a jet stream or such having to divert to a base up in Scotland, he advise a low fuel state and that he would most like ditch just short of the coast. The base advised him that if that was the case they would but up an aircraft to put in a flare path on the approach path extended out to sea for him as the vis was down. Buddy made it safe and sound in the end with 5 mins of fuel left. But I wonder if you guys have any photos of what these paths may look like from the air from training ex's ECG? Kind regards to all.

[MarkJJ]

no takers?

[Sandy Parts]

Perhaps nobody can recall it being done? If the base was Lossie, I suppose the SAR Seaking 'may' have been able to drop some flares into the Moray firth - never heard of it happening though and (no offence to ATC or Base Ops), I doubt they would be able to get such a plan in place at short notice.
The mighty MR2 did drop many a 'flare-path' , usually at some distance and a random orientation from the survivor :p Just kidding - having manned the bomb-bay periscope many times, I can testify to the often uncanny accuracy of the flare-path to lead us back to an on-top.
Sorry - no pictures.

[MarkJJ]

Thanks for the reply Sandy Parts,

I'm really after a shot of what these flare paths may look like from the air or water.
Sound very interesting on how they are deployed. Spending my time over a fair bit of water I was interested in the process and what it may look like. How long do the flare last?

[Og1]

... the RN had a procedure when the visibility was pants/scoshie/not very good, for helos returning to Mother. Normally used when the ship entered a fog bank, for example, as the helo was on finals. It was called Low Visibility Approach. This involved the aircraft engineers grabbing hold of an item called 'Smoke and Flame Float' (SFF). When the Helo Controller said so, a SFF was launched over the stern. It was every 30 seconds or so? The helo was radar vectored dead astern of Mother and flew at 50 feet radalt IMC (?) and Vmin until the crew picked up the flares, which lasted for 5 minutes or so, followed them in, and then gained visual with Mother and landed. Sorry, no pics. Too busy trying to find Mother!

[Yellow Sun]

MarkJJ,

The reason that you are getting so little response is that there was no such thing. An ad hoc line of smoke markers would be all that it amounted to. The problem with these is that the load was finite and the most plentiful marker; launched from the retro; had a short life (10 minutes?). I cannot recall how many of the long life markers were carried but it wasn't a lot.

The Ocean Weather Ships (OWS) did have a "capability" to lay an "emergency flare path" to help aircraft ditch. But they are long gone along with the procedure.

YS

[Shackman]

I remember discussions about laying a flare path during training, but it was never part of any flying exercise.

As YS said - the burn time for the ubiquitous flame float, which can be carried by both rotary and fixed wing, was about 5 mins, so by the time you had laid sufficient to make one, they were going out at the other end. Of course the 'marker marine' was a much better option - burns for 60 mins, easy to throw out of the launcher (or even bomb bay) and all our MPAs carry them.

Oh....

[MarkJJ]

Much appreciated for the infow guys

[taxydual]

OK, not a 'flarepath' as such.

But..... Many years ago I was an Air Trafficer at Lossie.

One night, a Bucc and a Seaking were night flying (keeping me from the bar) when the weather unexpectedly clamped. Cloudbase on the deck, vis less than 100m.

I was dispatched to the RVR Tower to count the number of runway lights I could see, as the only Bucc airborne was attempting a PAR to land.

The down the runway view was dogsh*t, so the Bucc decided to stooge around (loads of fuel) to see if an improvement happened.

Then, the Seaking began a PAR.

It took for ages. Forward speed 20, maybe 30 knots. Eventually a single headlight was seen and a Seaking (more or less) hover taxyied past me and did a full run down the runway.

What was amazing (at least, I'd never seen it before) is that the Seaking, on the PAR flightpath, had 'bored' a tunnel through the murk. The Bucc took advantage of 'the clear tunnel', and did a rapid PAR to land.

He commented, on taxying in, that he got full visual length of the runway at 7 miles on the Glidepath, but up, down, left, right the vis was dog.

A SAR 'flarepath'? Maybe.