Coast Guard, partner agencies assists disabled, overdue vessel west of Caladesi Island

MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, Air Station Clearwater, Florida. 
U.S. Coast Guard photo (archive).

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Coast Guard assisted a disabled and overdue vessel Monday off the coast of Caladesi Island.

Four children and four adults were assisted.

FWC located four children and two adults on Caladesi Island. They were transported to Seminole boat ramp.​

At 9:37 p.m.,​ Coast Guard Sector​ St. Petersburg​ command center watchstanders were notified of an overdue 21-foot vessel with two people aboard who went offshore fishing after dropping six people off on Caladesi Island.​

A Coast Guard Station Sand Key​ 45-foot Response Boat – Medium​ (RBM) crew, an​ Air Station Clearwater​ MH-60 Jayhawk​ aircraft crew, FWC boat and Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office helicopter launched to search and assist.

Sector St. Pete watchstanders received a mayday call from the​ vessel and directed the RBM crew to the location.

At 10:54 p.m., the RBM crew located the two people on the disabled vessel​ and towed them to Seminole boat ramp.

"The boaters used their VHF marine radio to contact our watchstanders who then notified us of their location”​ said Petty Officer 2nd Class Casey Goward, the officer of the day on the case.​ “The boaters were well prepared and our partner agencies played a vital role in reuniting both parties."

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U.S., Canadian Coast Guard crews rescue man from capsized vessel near Sekiu

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer David Mosley (archive).

SEATTLE --- U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard crews rescued a 60-year-old man from a capsized vessel near the Hoko River in Sekiu, Washington, Sunday night.

The man was wearing a life jacket and was able to survive 45 minutes in the water before help arrived.​

Watchstanders from Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a report at 5:42 p.m. of a capsized 12-foot aluminum rowboat.​

A U.S. Coast Guard Station Neah Bay 47-foot Motor Life Boat crew and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Port Angeles assisted in the rescue.

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship John P. Tully and crew diverted to assist and recovered the man at 6:36 p.m.​

The Canadian crew transferred the man to the 47-foot MLB crew, who then brought him back to emergency medical service technicians waiting at Olsen Marina.​

The man was reported to be alert, responsive and uninjured.​

"This rescue highlights the absolute necessity for mariners to always wear personal floatation devices while on the water," said Petty Officer Alexander Polyak, an operations specialist at Sector Puget Sound. "Additionally, our joint coordination with the Canadian Coast Guard demonstrates how maritime safety transcends national boundaries; this case provided a unique opportunity to work directly with our international partners for a rapid, successful response."

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Coast Guard locates four people, overdue vessel offshore Orange Beach, Alabama

HC-144 Ocean Sentry pilots from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala. 
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nick Ameen (archive).

NEW ORLEANS —​ The Coast Guard located four people aboard an overdue vessel approximately 54 nautical miles offshore Orange Beach around 9 a.m., Monday.

Hunter Mccutcheon, Butch Mccutcheon, Cary Miller, and Brent Baker were located without reported injuries.

The people were stranded after their vessel’s battery died.

A Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew launched from Aviation Training Center, Mobile, located the vessel Monday morning.

A Sea Tow boat crew transported the vessel and people to shore.

“Boaters are reminded to file a detailed float plan with a responsible party on shore,” said Paul Barnard, the recreational boating safety specialist at the Eighth Coast Guard District. “The float plan should include an anticipated time of departure and return, as well as an intended route and destination.​ That information will help searchers more quickly locate the vessel if it doesn’t return on time.”

A downloadable float plan is available here: http://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/download/USCGFloatPlan.pdf

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Aer Lingus takes delivery of its first A321LR

Ireland’s national carrier Aer Lingus has taken delivery of its first of eight A321LR aircraft, becoming the first airline in International Airlines Group (IAG) to operate the type. The aircraft on lease from Air Lease Corporation (ALC: NYSE: AL) is powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines and configured in a two-class layout with 16 business and 168 economy seats.

The Dublin-based carrier will deploy the aircraft on transatlantic routes to the U.S. East Coast.

Aer Lingus currently operates a total of 50 Airbus aircraft, including 13 A330s and 37 A320 Family aircraft. The A321LR and the A330 combined within the same fleet is a powerful lever to cover the needs of the medium to long haul markets.

The A321LR is a member of the A320neo Family, with over 6,600 orders by more than 100 customers. It delivers 30% fuel savings and nearly 50% reduction in noise footprint compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. With a range of up to 4,000 nm (7,400 km) the A321LR is the unrivalled long range route opener, featuring true transatlantic capability and premium wide-body comfort in a single-aisle aircraft cabin.

Airbus A220 embarks on demonstration tour across Asia

An Airbus A220-300 flight test aircraft will visit six Asian destinations as part of a demonstration tour across the region. After a stopover at Seoul’s Incheon Airport the aircraft heads to Yangon (Myanmar), the first location of the demonstration tour. The aircraft will then visit Hanoi (Vietnam), Bangkok (Thailand) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) before heading north to Nagoya (Japan).

The A220 is the most modern aircraft in the 100-150 seat market. It delivers unbeatable efficiency and passenger comfort in its size category, with 20 percent lower fuel consumption than previous generation aircraft. The A220 being used for the demonstration tour in Asia is an Airbus flight test aircraft fitted with a typical single class passenger cabin.

During the A220 demonstration tour, customers and media will be offered a close up view of the aircraft’s outstanding characteristics, comfort and performance that benefit both operators and passengers alike.

The A220 delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and true widebody comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20 percent lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. With a range of up to 3,400 nm (6,300 km), the A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft.

British Airways takes delivery of its first A350-1000

British Airways (BA) has taken delivery of its first A350-1000 at Airbus Headquarters in Toulouse, France, making it the first operator of the larger A350-1000 in International Airlines Group (IAG). In total, BA has ordered 18 A350-1000s. Iberia which is also part of IAG already operates  five of the smaller A350-900s.

BA’s A350 with its modern and comfortable Airspace cabin will usher in new levels of comfort with the launch of the Club Suite, the first new business class seat for British Airways in 13 years. The airline's sophisticated and newly-branded 'Club Suite' offers direct-aisle access, a suite door for greater privacy and luxurious flat-bed seats in a 1-2-1 configuration.

The three class layout includes 56 Club Suites, 56 World Traveller Plus and 219 World Traveller economy seats.

BA, celebrating its 100th anniversary, will initially use the aircraft to fly between London and Madrid prior to flying long-haul routes from September.

BA operates a fleet of over 150 Airbus aircraft from the smallest A318 to the largest A380.

The A350 XWB offers by design unrivalled operational flexibility and efficiency for all market segments up to ultra-long haul (15,000km). It features the latest aerodynamic design, a carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions. The A350 XWB’s Airspace by Airbus cabin is the quietest of any twin-aisle and offers passengers and crews the most modern in-flight products for the most comfortable flying experience.

At the end of June 2019, the A350 XWB Family had received 893 firm orders from 51 customers worldwide, making it one of the most successful wide-body aircraft ever.

F-22 and F-16 Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex JPARC Flight in Formation (photo gallery)

By Staff Sgt. James Richardson | 673 Air Base Wing | July 23, 2019.

U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, fly in formation over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, July 18, 2019. The JPARC is a 67,000 plus square mile area, providing a realistic training environment commanders leverage for full spectrum engagements, ranging from individual skills to complex, large-scale joint engagements. (Photo by Staff Sgt. James Richardson).

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and F-16 Fighting Falcons from Eielson Air Force Base fly in formation over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, July 18, 2019. The JPARC is a 67,000 plus square mile area, providing a realistic training environment commanders leverage for full spectrum engagements, ranging from individual skills to complex, large-scale joint engagements. 

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and an F-16 Fighting Falcon from Eielson Air Force Base fly in formation over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex. (Photo by Staff Sgt. James Richardson).

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor. (Photo by Staff Sgt. James Richardson).

U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons fly in formation over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex. (Photo by Staff Sgt. James Richardson).

U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors. (Photo by Staff Sgt. James Richardson).

-United States Air Force-

Coast Guard Station Pensacola assisted Orange Beach Fire Department

Smoke from a charter vessel fire is seen off the bow of a 45-foot rescue boat dispatched from Station Pensacola near Perdido Pass, Alabama, July 27, 2019. The crew worked with the local fire department as well as good samaritan mariners to put out the fire. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Cassandra Castillo.

NEW ORLEANS -- The Coast Guard responded to a vessel that caught fire approximately 4 nautical miles south of Perdido Pass, Alabama, Saturday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a report at approximately 2 p.m. that the charter vessel Hoss Fly III was on fire off the coast of Perdido Pass.

All eight passengers aboard were transferred to a good Samaritan vessel. There were no injuries reported.

Sector watchstanders directed the launch of a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Pensacola to assist Orange Beach Fire Department in the response.

The crew arrived on scene at 2:30 p.m., and the fire was declared extinguished at 2:49 p.m.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

-USCG-

Coast Guard Cutter Eagle returns to New London

USCG Cutter Eagle. Photo by US Coast Guard.

NEW LONDON, Conn — The Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, America’s Tall Ship, returned to its homeport of New London, Thursday. ​

The cutter is returning after completing a major modernization at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore.

The Service Life Extension Project, which began in 2014 and was completed in 2018, included an array of shipboard improvements on the Eagle. The most significant upgrades completed during that time included the replacement of about 3,000 square feet of steel hull plating, installation of a new engine and associated propulsion equipment, complete renovation of all the crew and trainee berthing areas, and a variety of structural inspections.​

The work was scheduled so as not to interfere with the ship’s summer training mission, which continued throughout that time period.

The Eagle’s crew return to its homeport from a European deployment with 10 port visits that included the 75th anniversary of D-Day; sail festivals in France and the Netherlands; and a key Independence Day celebration in the Azores.​ This summer alone the ship and her crew traveled over 15,000 nautical miles, the equivalent of traveling 60 percent of the distance around the Earth.

Royal Australian Air Force and US Air Force technicians on the tools together

Australia Headquarters Air Command SO3 Military Public Affairs

For the first time, No. 36 Squadron (36SQN) has worked to get United States Air Force (USAF) C-17A Globemasters back into the air under a new cross-servicing arrangement. (Courtesy photo)

Australia —

For the first time, No. 36 Squadron (36SQN) has worked to get United States Air Force (USAF) C-17A Globemasters back into the air under a new cross-servicing arrangement.

 

Technicians from 36SQN were able to assist the crews of two USAF C-17As on separate tasks in Australia.

 

The work came following both countries agreeing to a C-17A Aircraft Repair and Maintenance Service - Implementing Arrangement (ARMS-IA), which allows RAAF and USAF technicians to work on each other’s C-17As.

 

On 4 July , ARMS-IA was enacted to help support a USAF C-17A at RAAF Base Richmond.

 

Warrant Officer (WOFF) Pete Ranson, Warrant Officer Engineering at 36SQN, said the request for assistance came via the Boeing Defence Australia representatives at RAAF Base Amberley.

 

“We supplied a co-pilot Multi-Function Control Panel for the cockpit, fitted it and carried out the associated operational checks to verify the replacement,” WOFF Ranson said.

 

“After that rectification, another unserviceability appeared, and was successfully rectified.”

 

This issue related to a Secondary Flight Control Computer, and saw 36SQN engage fellow RAAF technicians at 37SQN for tooling and consumables.

 

Throughout the repair on the USAF C-17A, RAAF and USAF technicians worked side-by-side.

 

“The issues with the affected aircraft were outside the expertise of the USAF maintenance personnel on that task,” WOFF Ranson said.

 

“The USAF aviation technician trades are more specialised than the RAAF, where we stream to either Aircraft Technician or Avionics Technician.”

 

“We carry a broader experience in a range of tasks, and 36SQN maintenance personnel were able to guide the USAF counterparts in rectifying the jet.”

 

The fix at RAAF Base Richmond came just days after 36SQN technicians assisted another USAF C-17A with a suspected fuel leak fault at Rockhampton.

 

“On that occasion, we sent maintenance personnel to troubleshoot the problem,” WOFF Ranson said.

 

“We found it was a faulty valve and not a fuel leak from the tank, which gave confidence to the USAF crew that they could carry on to an appropriate location to replace the valve.”

 

Group Captain (GPCAPT) Steve Pesce, Officer Commanding No. 86 Wing, said the work of 36SQN technicians had immediately validated the ARMS-IA.

 

“The ARMS-IA recognised the close relationship between RAAF and USAF C-17A communities, and the reality that we operate this aircraft a long way from home,” GPCAPT Pesce said.

 

“Both of these examples witnessed a C-17A getting back on a task much sooner than would have been otherwise possible, which is invaluable support.”

 

“I am very proud of the 36SQN team for the assistance it’s rendered to its USAF counterparts.”

 

This article is courtesy of Australia Headquarters Air Command SO3 Military Public Affairs)

Coast Guard aircrew medevac woman off cruise ship west of Port Angeles, Wash.

U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy Sector Field Office Port Angeles (archive).

PORT ANGELES, Wash. — The Coast Guard medically evacuated a 67-year-old woman off the cruise ship Ovation of the Seas Thursday evening 14 miles west of Port Angeles.

A Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew hoisted the woman safely after she reportedly suffered symptoms related to a heart attack. The aircrew transferred her to a LifeFlight Network aircrew at Fairchild Hospital in Port Angeles, who then transported her to a hospital in Seattle for further care.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound command center received a phone call from the captain of the cruise ship at 8:26 p.m. and reported a medical emergency on the ship. The watchstanders diverted the Port Angeles aircrew from training in Neah Bay. The aircrew arrived on scene shortly after 9 p.m. and conducted the hoist.

The condition of the woman is unknown at this time.

​

-USCG-

U.S. Coast Guard, partners conduct mass rescue exercise off Oahu

The 8th Pacific Search and Rescue workshop gathers for a static display of participating assets at Kalealoa Airport on Oahu, Hawaii, July 24, 2019. The United States is hosting this year's event with more than 15 countries to discuss search and rescue throughout the Pacific Region. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Amanda Wyrick/Released).

The Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126) and international partner agencies take part in a search and rescue exercise off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, July 24, 2019. The purpose of the exercise is to improve SAR response capability and capacity throughout the Pacific. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew West/Released).

A Navy MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter crew participates in a mass rescue exercise off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, July 24, 2018. The exercise was a part of the Pacific Search and Rescue Steering Committee's biennial Pacific regional SAR workshop. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew West/Released).

A first responder jet crew conducts operations off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, during a mass rescue exercise, July 24, 2019. The exercise was a part of the Pacific Search and Rescue Steering Committee's biennial Pacific Regional SAR workshop. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew West/Released).

The crew of an HC-130 Hercules airplane from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point drops a life raft kit to a simulated vessel in distress during a mass rescue operation off Waianae, Hawaii, July 24, 2019. The exercise, part of a larger weeklong international search and rescue workshop, simulated a commercial inter-island ferry taking on water and sinking during a 70-mile transit between islands with around 80 people onboard. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Auxiliarists Bill Melohn and Buzz Paxton/Released).

The crew of an HC-130 Hercules airplane from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point prepare a dewatering pump to be dropped to a simulated vessel in distress during a mass rescue operation off Waianae, Hawaii, July 24, 2019. The exercise, part of a larger weeklong international search and rescue workshop, simulated a commercial inter-island ferry taking on water and sinking during a 70-mile transit between islands with around 80 people onboard. On behalf of the Pacific Search and Rescue Steering Committee, the United States is hosting delegations from more than 15 countries this week in Honolulu to discuss search and rescue throughout the region at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Auxiliarists Bill Melohn and Buzz Paxton/Released).

The crew of an HC-130 Hercules airplane from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point drop a dewatering pump to a simulated vessel in distress during a mass rescue operation off Waianae, Hawaii, July 24, 2019. The exercise, part of a larger weeklong international search and rescue workshop, simulated a commercial inter-island ferry taking on water and sinking during a 70-mile transit between islands with around 80 people onboard. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Auxiliarists Bill Melohn and Buzz Paxton/Released).

HONOLULU — As part of the 8th Pacific Regional Maritime Search and Rescue workshop in Hawaii, the U.S. Coast Guard hosted a joint static display and on-the-water demonstration Wednesday on the westside of Oahu.

Partners simulated a response to a vessel in distress during a mass rescue operation off Waianae. Assets included the observation vessel Dolphin Star, the USCGC Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126), and a Coast Guard Station Honolulu 45-foot Response Boat-Medium as well as crews from the Honolulu Fire Department. Aircraft from the U.S. Navy, France, Australia, and New Zealand also participated. 

The workshop will continue Thursday with a review of the MRO, case studies, systems and tools such as the Tsunami warning system and advances in personal locator beacons, and other panels. Friday participants are anticipated to review the team's goals, outcomes, and action items to carry forward for further growth. 

More than 15 different Pacific countries are participating in the workshop. PACSAR 8 is a continuation of the biennial event sponsored in part by the International Maritime Organization, secretariat of the Pacific Community, and Pacific SAR steering committee to build SAR capacity across the Pacific. Every other year, a different country hosts the workshop. Maritime New Zealand hosted the last round, PACSAR 7, in Aukland in May 2017.

The long-term goal of these regular workshops is to further the mission of the steering committee to measurably improve the SAR capability of each of the Pacific Island countries or territories in line with international standards and the PACAR measures of success by 2021. The PACSAR 8 workshop is a place to collaboratively share successes and continue the learning process by assessing strengths, risks, opportunities for partnerships, and to learn from each other.

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