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#298456 - 02/22/21 01:01 PM Re: 2012/10/18 Signal Mirror Success: Off Sydney Aus. [Re: Ren]
chaosmagnet Offline
Sheriff
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/03/09
Posts: 3843
Loc: USA
Originally Posted By: Ren
That's a cool story.

Do wonder how much bureaucracy and red tape had to be dealt with to get a passenger plane involved.


Agreed!

I’m not an aviator, but as I understand the story and how these things work, the rescue authority contacted the aircraft directly, or possibly asked air traffic control to do so. The flight crew, having been notified, decided on their own that they could help without hazarding the aircraft.

What I don’t know is what airlines might have policies about this and what they are.

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#298458 - 02/22/21 01:28 PM Re: 2012/10/18 Signal Mirror Success: Off Sydney Aus. [Re: rafowell]
Ren Offline
Addict

Registered: 11/05/07
Posts: 547
Loc: Wales, UK
Only other time heard passenger planes been told to alter their normal routine was during the Iranian Embassy Siege.

The owner (British Airports Authority) of Heathrow airport was told to get aircraft to fly over the embassy at a lower altitude than normal. Just to create some noise cover.

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#298465 - 02/23/21 06:46 AM Re: 2012/10/18 Signal Mirror Success: Off Sydney Aus. [Re: Ren]
rafowell Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 11/29/09
Posts: 261
Loc: Southern California
Originally Posted By: Ren
That's a cool story.
Do wonder how much bureaucracy and red tape had to be dealt with to get a passenger plane involved.

Me, too, but two airliners from different airlines rerouted in this case - an Air New Zealand Airbus 320 in addition to the Air Canada Boeing 777.

Here are a few of the (many) news stories on the incident, and a few quotes from them:

"An AMSA spokeswoman said it was unusual for commercial aircraft to be called in to assist in a search and rescue effort.

"It's not common, but that's not because we try to avoid doing it," she told the Australian Associated Press. "It's because the nature of the incidents that we have aren't necessarily so remote that we can only rely on the commercial airlines."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/air-canada-flight-helps-locate-sailor-off-australian-coast-1.1146862

"Later, an Air New Zealand Airbus 320 en route to Sydney from Auckland was also diverted before an Australian rescue plane arrived and dropped a life raft and satellite phone down to the stranded seaman."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-19970274

{From the Associated Press:}
“The crew borrowed binoculars from customers and also engaged those sitting on the right hand side of the aircraft to help look. As our aircraft flew over the area at 4,000 feet, a reflection from a mirror shining upwards was spotted and the crew saw the yacht in question, de-masted with a person standing _ which was confirmed by a number of passengers."

https://www.cnbc.com/2012/10/17/air-canada-helps-find-troubled-yacht-off-australia.html

https://www.cnn.com/2012/10/18/travel/australia-yacht-rescue/index.html

https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/air-canada-...tralia-1.997459

https://www.cnbc.com/2012/10/17/air-canada-helps-find-troubled-yacht-off-australia.html
_________________________
A signal mirror should backup a radio distress signal, like a 406 MHz PLB (ACR PLB) (Ocean Signal PLB)

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#299028 - 05/29/21 04:13 AM Signal Mirror Success (Miracle) 3/26/2021 [Re: rafowell]
rafowell Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 11/29/09
Posts: 261
Loc: Southern California
A signal mirror enabled this rescue - but don't count on getting this lucky ...

The fisherman was rescued when the signal mirror suspended from his neck reflected light to his rescuers ... at night! (1:30 AM)

Rescuer quote: “We were under night vision goggles, looking around and we saw a flash of light from his signal mirror that he happened to have around his neck,”

The moon was 88% full that night, so the reflection off the mirror may have been the moon.

I've used a signal mirror to deliberately flash moonlight but this is the first account I recall where an accidental moon reflection was credited.

Full article here: Missing Fisherman Rescued by HSM-37 Helicopter Team in Oahu Waters

The above is the only report I found that mentioned the signal mirror, but here are other reports on the incident:

Survivor located at 1:30AM
US Navy Press Release with video
US Coast Guard News Release
Rescuer Hometown Paper Coverage
US Navy Community Outreach
USCG Bulletin when search in progress

[ UPDATE: This article mentions the mirror, and in the interview recording, the airman mentions the mirror as well:
Article with recorded interview of airman
Here's another article mentioning the mirror
Article about rescue swimmer ]


Edited by rafowell (05/29/21 04:54 AM)
Edit Reason: Another mention of mirror
_________________________
A signal mirror should backup a radio distress signal, like a 406 MHz PLB (ACR PLB) (Ocean Signal PLB)

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#299029 - 05/29/21 06:26 AM Re: Recent Signal Mirror Successes - more wanted [Re: rafowell]
Phaedrus Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 04/28/10
Posts: 3166
Loc: Big Sky Country
Wow! I hope he bought a lottery ticket when he got home! grin
_________________________
“I'd rather have questions that cannot be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” —Richard Feynman

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#299030 - 05/29/21 08:08 AM Re: Signal Mirror Success (Miracle) 3/26/2021 [Re: rafowell]
M_a_x Offline
Veteran

Registered: 08/16/02
Posts: 1208
Loc: Germany
Originally Posted By: rafowell
A signal mirror enabled this rescue - but don't count on getting this lucky ...


It may not be wise to count on it. It surely is worth a shot to keep the mirror suspended as it might help.
Accidental reflection may be seen. By a strange coincindence I recently watched an episode of "SAS - Survival Secrets". A quote from that was "a guy with a wrist watch can compromomise the entire mission". Those blokes do not want to be found. So for our purposes a tuna can sized watch may help to be found too.
The incident also shows how good those resquers are.
_________________________
If it isn´t broken, it doesn´t have enough features yet.

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#299031 - 05/29/21 10:56 AM Re: Signal Mirror Success (Miracle) 3/26/2021 [Re: rafowell]
Ren Offline
Addict

Registered: 11/05/07
Posts: 547
Loc: Wales, UK
Had a recent idea, was to make a phone case with a signal mirror built in.

Could have the mirror facing the back of the phone to protect it. Just take the case off to use.

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#299032 - 05/29/21 07:04 PM Re: Signal Mirror Success (Miracle) 3/26/2021 [Re: Ren]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
While you are at it, make space for a couple of matches, perhaps a ferro rod, tinder etc, but keep it tiny and flat.

Voila! The Ren Rescue Case!
_________________________
Geezer in Chief

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#299033 - 05/29/21 07:45 PM Re: Signal Mirror Success (Miracle) 3/26/2021 [Re: hikermor]
Ren Offline
Addict

Registered: 11/05/07
Posts: 547
Loc: Wales, UK
Yes, space for UCO stormproof refill perhaps

https://www.ucogear.com/firestarting/matches/survival-stormproof-matches-10-pack-in-bag-mt--sv--bulk

There are small ferrorods made to replace the toothpick in Swiss Army knives.

https://tortoisegear.com/product-category/all-products/firefly-fire-starters/

Small but apparently work.


Edited by Ren (05/29/21 07:46 PM)

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#299034 - 05/29/21 09:14 PM Re: Signal Mirror Success (Miracle) 3/26/2021 [Re: rafowell]
Ren Offline
Addict

Registered: 11/05/07
Posts: 547
Loc: Wales, UK
As for flat tinders

There is the old Hammaro fire lighting paper

https://www.lightingpaper.com/

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