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NOAA Aviation Safety Program

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Minimum Training Standards

Aviation safety training is an essential component of the NOAA Aviation Safety Program.  The Aviation Safety Training table outlines training requirements for qualified non-crewmembers participating in Mission Operations flights for NOAA.

In addition to aviation safety training requirements, NOAA has a requirement for use of Aviation Life Support Equipment (ALSE). NOAA ALSE or equipment of similar design should be used in the training environment whenever possible.

To qualify as an approved aviation safety training course for water survival and cold weather survival, at a minimum, the following subjects must be covered:

Water Ditching Safety and Survival

Water survival training must include hands-on training in a swimming pool or in open water.  Each student must participate in the water-portion of the training.  

  • Basic survival swimming skills
  • Emergency landings     
  • Crash survival  
  • Ditching at sea 
  • Emergency egress
  • Survivor Emergency First-Aid
  • Survival vest
  • Utilization of life preservers
  • Utilization of flares & signaling devices
  • Operation of personal locator beacons
  • Survival in open water
  • Hypothermia prevention
  • Utilization of signal mirrors
  • Utilization of Survival radios
  • Utilization of dye markers
  • Utilization of life rafts and contents

Additional requirements for cold water (<59F water temp and/or <32F air temp)

  • Anti-exposure systems 
  • Cold water survival skills

Cold Weather Land Survival

  • Survival psychology
  • Clothing & footwear requirements
  • Cold weather injuries
  • Winter shelters
  • Water location
  • Snowmelting devices
  • Cold weather survival kits
  • Signaling methods
  • Using aircraft and equipment as tools for survival
  • Animal predators
  • Firemaking skills
  • Food Requirements for cold weather
  • Priorities in a cold environment
  • Travel considerations
  • Avalanche Hazards

See the training vendors table to see the list of known companies who offer these courses

 

 

 

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