B-52 flight performs new mission, Search and Rescue

A pair of B-52s flying over Alaska were tasked with an unusual mission on November 10th. Search and Rescue of a Cessna pilot who was lost in bad weather and couldn't hear ATCC.

Hail 13 and Hail 14 were the callsigns of a pair of B-52s flying out of Barksdale on a flight that would take them over Alaska and back to Barksdale. While over Alaska they received word of a Cessna that had lost contact with ATCC after flying into clouds and getting disoriented. After checking fuel levels to confirm they could still make it back to Barksdale, they went looking for the pilot.

They found the aircraft still flying, but too low to hear ATCC. He had dropped to low levels to keep visual contact with the terrain in the area he was flying in. Hail 13 acted as a radio relay for the pilot and ATCC, passing information back and forth. They also were high enough to activate the airport lights at the field the pilot was flying into.

Who knew the B-52 could perform SAR missions as well?

theaviationist.com...

reply to post by Zaphod58


They built them to last back in the day. Maybe the best plane to ever fly - the B52.

reply to post by FyreByrd


I've handled many of them (15 in one night once). Great airplane, almost never bothered to break. I can count on one hand the number of times they had to cancel, or even delay a departure because of a problem.

reply to post by Zaphod58


The old girl just keeps going no matter what, they don't build em like that anymore!

Aren't they being kept in service another 20 years or something?

reply to post by Stealthbomber


A lot more than that. Current plan has been leaving service around 2040-2048.

Alaska and back huh? Sounds like a little SIOP/8044 ORI action to me...

reply to post by boomer135


Yeah, that does sound suspiciously like a SIOP/Global Strike mission doesn't it. Pretty impressive to hit all your points on time, AND pull off a SAR during the mission though.