Practice makes perfect

Saturday, the loaded van pulled slowly out of the parking lot of Culpeper Regional Airport. Inside, the faint pulse of an aircraft-distress beacon crackled across the radio. Then the van stopped.

"Right turn," someone told the driver.

Some 45 minutes later, the group found the beacon, hidden at the edge of the woods on the Brandy Station Battlefield.

Thankfully, no aircraft were in jeopardy. The beacon, also known as an emergency locator transmitter, had been deliberately hidden for practice.

"ELT hunting is part science and part art," said Civil Air Patrol Capt. John Jester, a member of the Manassas-Based Prince William Composite Squadron. Nearby, the group paused to record their findings on a map.

A volunteer civilian reserve force of the U.S. Air Force, the Civil Air Patrol dates to 1941, when the earliest members searched for and occasionally destroyed German U-Boats in U.S. coastal waters.

While the CAP doesn't attack submarines anymore, its patrol, search and rescue missions continue. The patrol performs about 90 percent of inland search and rescue missions, according to its Web site.

A training flight originating in Manassas and meant to coordinate with the ground search here was also set for Saturday, but postponed due to a maintenance issue, said Al Bergeron, the squadron's public affairs officer.

Under ideal circumstances, Bergeron explained, once a beacon is activated, crews would first hone in on the signal by air.

Since the general area of the signal is determined, ground crews would use the electronic devices to pinpoint the site.

Members also aid state and local agencies in missing-person searches and by taking aerial photographs after severe weather.

"We can be called out by pretty much anybody," said Jester, who also is a full-time commercial pilot.

While Saturday's search was intentional, CAP crews sometimes make amusing discoveries, Jester said.

Once, a beacon was found in an apartment in a large complex in northern Virginia, put there by a resident apparently unaware the device still functioned. Other times, beacons accidentally are activated during routine maintenance.

Saturday's training also included classroom time on compass and chart reading and reviews of safe search and rescue skills, said squadron commander Jim Covel, a nine year member and retired police officer.

Nate Delesline III can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 110 or .

About the Civil Air Patrol
The Civil Air Patrol is the civilian reserve force of the United States Air Force. Begun in 1941, the Civil Air Patrol's focus today is aerospace education, search and rescue and youth programs. The volunteer organization also assists state and local law enforcement agencies.