By Charlotte Morritt-Jacobs - (@morrittjacobs on Twitter)

RCAF Search and Rescue Squadrons Take Flight In Lethbridge

Oct 3, 2016 | 6:35 PM

LETHBRIDGE – Each year 17 Wing Winnipeg’s 435 “Chinthe” Transport and Rescue Squadron completes its annual search and rescue (SAR) “CHINTHEX” training exercise.

This year the training will take place in and around Lethbridge.

Sixty-eight Royal Canadian Air Force personnel will look to sharper their skills with true-to-life rescue scenarios.

Dennis Scharf, CHINTHEX Detachment Commander, said that southern Alberta will provide ample opportunity for the squadron to strengthen rescue skills in remote mountainous terrain.

“We use these skills every day. This way we will be able to experience a variety of weather phenomenon and practice how to cope with that.”

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Commander Scharf said that the squadron covers 10 million square kilometers extending east to Quebec City and west to the Alberta-B.C. border and from south to north extending from Canada-U.S. border to the North Pole.

“Based out of Lethbridge we will do the same exercises such as patterns, look for downed aircraft or people missing.” We will gauge the performance of our crews.”

Scharf said that the public can expect to see the CC-130 planes get down to 130 ft. for messenger radio drops and parajumpers jumping from anywhere between 1500 ft. to 10,000 ft.

Glenn Hood, Warrant Sar Tech Leader with 435 who specializes in the medical field covering diving, parachuting and mountaineering said that the hands on training is important as technologies have shifted rescue techniques over the years.

“There was the elimination of the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system and that signal did not specify who was in distress. Now we have better beacons that give off a name and a registration number of an aircraft. We also have patient monitors now that you can bring in the field.”

Warrant Hood noted that the training will see many newcomers and help extend experience for posting-season personnel.

Squadron 435 will be joined by personnel from 440 Transport Squadron Yellowknife with training will running from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Oct. 3 until Oct. 7.

Training flights will mostly start and end at the Lethbridge Airport, and those flights will be closely coordinated with air traffic control there.

Actual exercise areas will be closed to the public.

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