Chapter 11 — Annex 12 · AIP India · CAR Section 9 Air Space & Navigation Standards · Series 'S', Part I Issue II
Contracting States shall, individually or in cooperation with other States, arrange for the establishment and prompt provision of search and rescue services within their territories to ensure that assistance is rendered to persons in distress. Such services shall be provided on a 24-hour basis.
Those portions of the high seas or areas of undetermined sovereignty for which SAR services will be established shall be determined on the basis of Regional Air Navigation Agreements.
An area of defined dimensions associated with a Rescue Coordination Centre within which SAR services are provided.
The boundary of the Indian Aeronautical SRR coincides with the Indian FIR boundary, excluding the portion of FIR over the sovereign territory of the Kingdom of Bhutan.
A unit responsible for promoting efficient organization of search and rescue services and for coordinating the conduct of SAR operations within a SAR region.
A unit subordinate to an RCC, established to complement the latter according to particular needs of the SAR authority.
Airports Authority of India (AAI) coordinates SAR services through four Rescue Coordination Centres established at:
Indian Government has assumed the responsibility of providing Search and Rescue (SAR) cover in Indian Search & Rescue Regions (SRR).
The following departments and organisations are also available for SAR missions when required:
Search and rescue units shall be provided with equipment for:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Communications | Equipped to communicate on the aeronautical distress and on-scene frequencies, and on such other frequencies as may be prescribed. |
| Homing Device | Equipped with a device for homing on distress frequencies. |
| Maritime Communication | When used over maritime areas — equipped to communicate with vessels. |
| International Code of Signals | When used over maritime areas — must carry a copy of the International Code of Signals to overcome language difficulties with ships. |
Many vessels can communicate with aircraft on:
⚠️ NOTE: These frequencies, and in particular 121.5 MHz, may NOT be routinely monitored by vessels.
Survival equipment dropped by SAR containing food and water will be packed in containers and indicated by streamers of Blue colour.
If the first aircraft to reach the scene of an accident is NOT a search and rescue aircraft, it shall take charge of on-scene activities of all other aircraft subsequently arriving until the first SAR aircraft reaches the scene of the accident.
Remember the mnemonic: A-R-B-I-P — Acknowledge · Record position · Bearing · Inform RCC · Proceed (at discretion).
The key qualifier is "if feasible" — the pilot must do all five actions if feasible, but is not obligated if they genuinely cannot.
The following manoeuvres performed in sequence by an aircraft mean that it wishes to direct a surface craft towards an aircraft or a surface craft in distress:
Due to high noise levels on board surface craft, the sound signals in (2) and (3) may be less effective than the visual signal in (1) and are regarded as alternative means of attracting attention.
Repetition of such manoeuvres has the same meaning.
Crossing the wake of the surface craft close astern at a low altitude, and one of:
| For Acknowledging Receipt of Signals (Meaning Understood) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hoisting the "code pennant" (vertical red and white stripes) close up — meaning: understood |
| 2 | Flashing a succession of "T's" by signal lamp in Morse code |
| 3 | Changing heading to follow the aircraft |
| For Indicating Inability to Comply | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hoisting the international flag "N" (a blue and white checkered square) |
| 2 | Flashing a succession of "N's" in Morse code |
| No. | Message | Code Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Require Assistance | V |
| 2 | Require Medical Assistance | X |
| 3 | No or Negative | N |
| 4 | Yes or Affirmative | Y |
| 5 | Proceeding in This Direction | ↑ |
Symbols shall be at least 2.5 metres (8 feet) long and shall be made as conspicuous as possible. Provide as much colour contrast as possible between signals and background.
| No. | Message | Code Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Operation Completed | LLL |
| 2 | We have found ALL personnel | LL |
| 3 | We have found ONLY SOME personnel | ++ |
| 4 | We are not able to continue. Returning to base. | XX |
| 5 | Have divided into two groups. Each proceeding in direction indicated. | ⇄ |
| 6 | Information received that aircraft is in this direction. | → → |
| 7 | Nothing found. Will continue to search. | NN |
LLL = All done (3 letters = Complete) · LL = Found ALL (2 = complete set) · ++ = Partial (plus signs = something, but not all) · XX = Cannot continue (X = wrong/stopped) · NN = Nothing found, keep going
The following signals by aircraft mean that the ground signals have been understood:
Rocking the aircraft's wings
A clear, visible acknowledgement that ground signals are understood.
Flashing on and off TWICE the aircraft's landing lights, or if not so equipped, by switching on and off TWICE its navigation lights.
Lack of the above signals indicates that the ground signal is NOT understood.
India has evolved a Satellite-aided Search and Rescue programme by participating in the COSPAS/SARSAT system. It is a SAR satellite-aided tracking system that helps locate distress beacons.
The system detects transmissions throughout the Indian SRR and also SRR of:
The following 17 questions are sourced directly from the textbook. Correct answers are highlighted in green. Explanations drawn from the regulatory text are provided below each question.
| Topic | Key Fact |
|---|---|
| SAR Service Hours | 24 hours — no exception |
| SAR Regions | Must NOT overlap · Must be contiguous |
| India Aeronautical RCCs | Delhi · Mumbai · Kolkata · Chennai (4 total — AAI) |
| India Maritime MRCCs | Mumbai · Chennai · Port Blair (3 total — Indian Coast Guard) |
| Indian Aeronautical SRR | Coincides with Indian FIR boundary (excluding Bhutan) |
| Land SAR Authority | NASARCC — Secy, Ministry of Civil Aviation as Chairman |
| Maritime SAR Authority | NMSARB — DG, Indian Coast Guard as Chairman |
| COSPAS-SARSAT Frequency | 406 MHz |
| COSPAS-SARSAT Accuracy | Normally within 5 km |
| LUTs (Local User Terminals) | Bangalore and Lucknow |
| INMCC Location | Bangalore |
| SAR Dropped Container Colour | Blue streamers — food and water |
| Survivor "V" | Require Assistance |
| Survivor "X" | Require Medical Assistance |
| Survivor "N" | No / Negative |
| Survivor "Y" | Yes / Affirmative |
| Rescue Unit "LLL" | Operation Completed |
| Rescue Unit "LL" | Found ALL personnel |
| Rescue Unit "++" | Found ONLY SOME personnel |
| Rescue Unit "XX" | Cannot continue — returning to base |
| Rescue Unit "NN" | Nothing found — will continue to search |
| Air-to-Ground (Day) | Rock wings = ground signal understood |
| Air-to-Ground (Night) | Flash landing/nav lights TWICE = understood |
| Symbol Minimum Size | 2.5 metres (8 feet) long |
| SAR Agreement | India has arrangement with Royal Government of Bhutan |
| Vessel Comms Frequencies | 2182 kHz · 4125 kHz · 121.5 MHz |