I think that if you take on a "risky" hobby, you should be prepared to pay if someone has to come rescue you.

I don't think that flying a plane is considered "risky".

You don't just wake up in the morning and decided to fly a plane.

You spend a certain amount of time doing your ground school, you have to pass a test. THEN you get to spend LOTS of time and money training with an instructor learning how to fly.

It's not a trivial endeavor.

Anyone can decide to climb a glacier. It's not regulated.

But you can't just take a plane out for a spin on a whim.

I just don't see how they can make his widow pay for the search.

The search could have potentially been narrowed if only he had filed a flight plan.


Just thought of a question: If it had been any one of us, would the search efforts persist for a month? or would the search be called off sooner and recovery efforts commence for a ltd. duration, unless private funding is put toward the recovery efforts for limit-less search/recovery efforts?

Flight plans are not required to be filed for every flight. They are only required to be filed under certain conditions. If every flight required a flight plan, the Air Traffic Control system would be so over taxed with pilots/aircraft talking to controllers, it would be virtually impossible to run under the current system we have.

That is why the system we have allows for visual flight rules to exist. If the weather permits, pilots are allowed to take off from uncontrolled/or even certain tower controlled airports without filing a flight plan.

However, it is always a good idea to tell someone where you are going and how long you are going to be gone. Given the type of aircraft you are flying, you can figure out how wide a radius the flight could have taken due to fuel consumption. That's how we figure out the grid for search and rescue operations.

Each aircraft is equipment with an ELT (emergency locator transmitter) that activates upon impact and has a battery. It doesn't always works and has been known to be damaged enough on impact to not activate. It sends out a signal on an emergency channel for radios to pick up. If the beacon transmits in a remote area such as a canyon and is transmitting sideways or at an odd angle, sometimes it cannot be picked up. This has happened in the past. Also, the batteries on these ELT on some older aircraft don't last for very long. The newer ones are better. Technology is catching up.

As for how long does a SAR effort last? That depends on the weather. It has nothing to do with who the lost pilot and/or person (not necessarily a pilot) is. There have been lost hunters being searched for as long as two months...

A lot of the expenses for SAR efforts are borne by volunteer organizations such as local pilot organizations, the Sheriffs Assn, groups of friends, etc. These expenses for this particular mission are not out of line for this effort. A lot of the money was reimbursed to the State.

There is a lot of the story that has yet to be revealed to the public. It's too bad because Steve Fossett's memory is being tarnished by this and it's really sad.

When my husband crashed at sea, I never would have thought for a second that the Navy would have sent me a bill for his rescue efforts.

I am just thankful that he was found alive.

I'm sorry that Mr. Fossett is either deceased or hasn't been located, yet. At the same time, I don't see where or how I have somehow managed to tarnish his memory. I don't think that I have.

I understand that he was not required to file a flight plan; he also wasn't prohibitted from doing so.

This isn't personal, for goodness sake; it's a discussion .


I still sincerely doubt that there would be a never-ending search for me if I were in a comparable situation or any that entailed my disappearance. Same goes for most people I know. Chances are, the search/recovery would be called off in about a week - just as I think it would be for most people - as long as deep- or far-reaching pockets weren't involved or without donors, etc., underwriting the costs.

Cheryl, when did that happen? Was he flying his own plane?

Bobbi

Steve has been declared dead. The search was called off long ago. YOU personally are not tarnishing his memory. Please don't take my comments wrong. I believe what is happening is the Gov of Nevada has taken this a bit too far, IMHO, by asking his widow to reimbuse the State for the SAR expenses when he is committing fraud himself...

Irregardless of that issue, funds have been offered. Funds have been given to the state and it wasn't a never ending search.

This was not an unusual event by any means. SAR efforts go on as long as there is still hope for finding the missing person alive. No matter who or where....it isn't necessarily a pilot. It could be a hiker, a boater, a hunter, a kid lost in the woods on a sunny afternoon. This just happens to be a famous man with lots of money...the deep pocket theory if you wish.

I very rarely file a flight plan when I go out for a flight. There is no reason. I do, however, tell people where I am going. I phone home when I arrive at my destination.

No, he was flying a Navy jet...and it was in 1981.

I bet if it was researched we would find out that Fossit has donated alot of money to different charities. I don't know this for certain but the type of man he was and his relationship with Richard Branson who does give to charities says to me he was probably a very good person.

I think it would have been nicer for Gibbons to privately ask for a donation to the search and rescue organizations rather than send a bill. It is the sending her a bill that I have a problem with. Our government wastes plenty of money so just because someone has money they should not be targeted like she has.

My uncle used to fly with the Civil Air Patrol in Oregon and he flew some search missions in his day. He is no longer with us but I am sure he did it out of care and concern and probably without pay.
...Sue

This billing question wouldn't apply in that scenario, because he was employed by the government (Navy). It was his job- so employer (gov) would pick up the tab.

I'm more thinking about private citizens and their activities.

I've a friend who was killed in an auto accident. Though there was not SAR involved, his family was billed for a tree that made impact with the vehicle. The city likely would have sent a bill if there had also been SAR.