Your CAP Needs You

[Ed O'Brien]

I just got back from a Fly-in. A Civil Air Patrol Advisor said that they really need pilots bad. Since 9-11 CAP has become part of Homeland Security. However they're getting little help from the Feds or the Air Force due to those institutions having numerous other duties... which are always in the news. SO -- They have planes, gas, money for gas but no (few) pilots. These guys do 85 percent of the General Aviation Search and Rescue. The life you save might be you own. Volunteer!!!

I'm signing up. Do that and give blood and figure that your serving all you can. Think about it. Do it!!!
With regards;
ED OBRIEN

[M Towsley]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

Ed,

So now you have that wonderful little L-2 with all that glass around for great visibility and millitary paint and your are feeling all patriotic....... Just kidding, thanks for the information, I was unaware of CAP's predicament. We have a couple active pilots at our airport, so I will find out what our CAP's situation is.

[cpirrmann]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

I tried to sign up (10 years ago) but they didn't act interested at all They were mostly looking for ground pounders for SAR. Appears things have changed.

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

Marty;
The L2 makes everybody Patriotic. I'm sure you've noticed the same. In that respect I think of my Army Painted L2 --not like a Fighter, Bomber, or Tank... the L2 didn't kill for a living... but served as faithfully as an Army Mule. It prepared and trained young pilots and observers then went battle as naked as a baby. The L2 wasn't a King on the battlefield -- But it was a hell of a worker worker bee.

Cpirrman;
I did the same as you about 20 years ago. I tried to sign up but the CAP had plenty of pilots and acted like it. I'm going to my first meeting on Thursday night. I hope their attitude is better. I know a little more than I knew 20 years ago too... so let us see if we get along better this time.
With regards;
ED OBRIEN

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

I served my 20 w / Civil Air Patrol, in a Captain out a Captain.
I have four find ribbons and had a lot of fun as A Cadet Squadron Leader, Aerospace Education Officer & Testing Officer.
On the Senior side I was a Wing Chief Check Pilot , Mission Pilot, and all around fun guy!! I thought everybody had done this sometime in their life. I might just see about going back in. Back then , 70's, 80's, beginning 90's they paid up to $1.86 per hour PLUS fuel ; ah what a great life, free food on SARCAPS & Missions....

[Dan Mahalak]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

well, not in alaska. THey still are a bunch of self righteous pricks. At least in Seward, Alaska.

My favorite quote from the local squadron leader when asked about pilotage for the CAP...."the CAP is not a flying club." Yeah, good luck flying missions without flying many hours....

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

I too agree that there were a lot of the above described in our local Squadrons also , but at least we ahd a few good ones. Nothing beats flying time & experience, that is why three of us from my airport did quite well on Search and Rescue.

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

There's a lot of people with authority and no leadership quality. It takes anyone about 10minutes to figure this out. You did it in high school with every teacher you ever had. It's the fundemental premise of the first week or two of the school year. When you did decide... when you figured which teacher was just a blowheart, let's say... the authority was tolerated but their chance to lead was muted, perhaps even lost. I teach this to executives as a managment consultant. If CAP doesn't figure out this issue, then it won't survive. This is one of the reasons that the military draft didn't survive. This is the reason
Jim Crow cultural laws in the south, didn't survive. At a certain point -- when authority makes no sense and serves no purpose -- authority is lost. It's a simple formula. You can plot it on graph paper.

Although this is off the original topic... it is an item of concern for the thread members... so, in this case, it's best to respond quickly, address the matter directly, satisfy the questioner without promising action, and move forward to execute the agenda as expressed. Like I said some of this is my job. BUT, I personally think if you haven't talked to CAP lately... you're hashing an old grief which you should
now let go. I don't have the authority to make you do this, of course... but I can call your attention to it. In this way people without authority can wind up leading... like I said some of this is my job.
With regards;
ED OBRIEN

[cpirrmann]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

[QUOTE=Forrest Barber;31823]Wing Chief Check Pilot [QUOTE]

Say that fast three times !

[dedrekon]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

I thought CAP stood for: "Can't Afford Planes"

[Forrest Barber]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

I love you All! a bit of humor on a hot day in Ohio is good.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

Can an average airport bum even fly for the CAP without going through their whole quasi-military thing and marching around in the parking lot in uniform? I'd be glad to fly their planes on search and I'd even sit through all their flight and SAR training, but I'm simply not up for the Gomer Pyle routine.

They have a nice new Maule parked here at the local airport, and if I could saw off that !($#*# nosewheel I'd be really interested in hearing about flying opportunities.

However, a dear friend of mine once volunteered for the Confederate Air Force. He had dreams of flying their airplanes (he was highly qualified, a senior 767 captain for Delta, left seat AC-47 gunships in SEA, USAF T-38 qualified, etc.) After a month or so it was apparent that the CAF had two sets of rules for two different "strata" of members. "Everyone in the CAF is a Colonel"... but some colonels flew the planes and some did not.

I have no time whatsoever for any of that kind of nonsense or David Copperfield 'comeuppance' with the CAP. I gots mine own airyoplane

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

Bill (victorbravo)I asked about that. I'm not interested in marching. I've done my salute-and-stomp-my-boot time. There are Senior and Cadet branches. Cadet's march. Senior's, may, or may not march. The Seniors where I'm going can join with others and go parade and march. Go and ask THEM (meaning the CAP recuiter near you). Do what you like. But don't assume and therefore deny yourself or deter others from joining and participating.

I got to my first meeting on Thursday. I'll try and give an account. If they make me march... I'll tell you.
With regards; ED OBRIEN

[VictorBravo]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

But don't assume and therefore deny yourself or deter others from joining and participating.

ED OBRIEN

Sorry, I had no intent whatsoever of deterring anyone. Airborne SAR is an honorable thing that we all may need at one time or another.

I'll ask the local CAP squadron at my airport next time I see them.

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: Your CAP Needs You

Bill;
The recruiter I talked to said SAR is a once a year thing now in Colorado. Being the Russian Satelittes and our own radio gear makes finding downed planes easy... there's more often a lost hiker or something of the sort to SAR. Mostly what they do, at least around here, is support for homeland security. While I suppose that doesn't include intercepting an errant GA plane with an F16, (Although I'd love to see the Bonanza Pilots face as you came in close. Actually his wife's face and the subsequent pummeling of the husband would be fun too) I suppose this new mission could be interesting. So, I plan to attend the meeting on Thursday and find out more. I'll let you know provided I'm not sworn to secrecy or made to march.
All the best and with regards; ED OBRIEN