Marco Civil Air Patrol Conducts Successful Over-Water Survival Course

On Saturday, November 18, 2023, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), Florida Wing, Marco Island Squadron (MICAP) held an Over-Water Survival (OWS) in-class and pool session. Several member-volunteers from squadrons in Southwest Florida completed the requirements to earn this certification, which includes classroom training, an aircraft egress exercise, an online test, and a practical exercise in a pool. The Marco Island YMCA graciously provided the pool and lifeguard. The instructors, Captains Mark Senda and Robert Boone, veterans of many OWS courses, provided interesting and effective presentations and guidance. 

All aircrew personnel (mission pilots, observers, and scanners) who will be operating outside of gliding distance of land are required to complete this training every three years. Many of CAP’s pilot training missions in cooperation with the Air Force require flights over the Gulf, beyond gliding distance of our Cessna aircraft.

The presentations detail proven procedures and techniques that the aircrews should know and follow before, during, and after the ditching. The practical exercises focus on applying those processes and assimilating the steps until they become second nature. Egress from the airplane is one of those exercises where the raft is thrown out of the aircraft, and the crew members exit the plane in a minimum amount of time. Teamwork and shared experiences from the rest of the squad help accomplish the training successfully.

Safety is one of CAP’s top priorities, so this training is critical because using the techniques included in this training offers an expected 88% survival rate in the event of a ditching (water-landing). Practicing the skills in a pool, wearing a flight suit, shoes, and a personal flotation device (PFD) or life preservers, helps reinforce esprit de corps as aircrews work together to demonstrate treading water, swimming (together) 50+ feet, and climbing into a raft, which is harder than it sounds. Most importantly, participants can experience the effectiveness of a PFD, particularly when their clothes and shoes are soaked and feel quite heavy.  

All participants completed the program successfully and demonstrated that we are proficient and ready for over-water missions. This is just one of the many training programs Civil Air Patrol uses to stay proficient and to mitigate the risks inherent in flying missions for America. 

The Marco Squadron meets every 1st and 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30 PM. Everybody can attend and learn about our missions and activities – you do not have to be a pilot to join and be active in search and rescue, cadet programs, aerospace education, and cyber sciences.