Many IMRF members either work with aviation assets in maritime SAR operations or are responsible for providing aviation SAR services. Yet, there is no formal international benchmark to ensure the quality, safety, and consistency of aviation SAR standards. In addition, those who work with aviation assets in SAR operations have not always had any formal training on how to work with those assets safely and effectively.

The establishment of an IMRF SAR Aviation Panel (SAP) to promote harmonised international standards and recommended practices, both for the provision of aviation SAR services and for those who work with or task aviation SAR assets, is designed to address this gap.

The Panel’s main tasks are to identify and address inconsistencies in aviation SAR safety and operational effectiveness and raise awareness of potential weaknesses in SAR aviation operations and organisational structures, to enhance the aviation SAR safety environment.

The Panel meets virtually and provides a forum for members to share their experience of working with SAR aviation assets, operational learning, identify challenges and establish some basic principles as a foundation for safe and effective working practices.

The panel also contributes to harmonising global approaches to the provision of SAR services and sharing best practices for improving SAR outcomes.

The membership is open to aviation service providers (helicopter and aircraft operators), Coast Guard services with aircraft, and Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centres (and Joint RCCs) who task air assets to respond to aircraft and maritime incidents. It was recognised that providing information and knowledge to and from this sector, perhaps developing global guidance for the ARCC role, and sharing experiences, viewpoints, and lessons from ARCC operations would benefit this field of aviation.

The SAP is also able to provide useful SAR aviation information, knowledge, and guidance for maritime RCCs and rescue boats and vessels that work with aviation assets: a key educational issue for many MRCCs and rescue boat operators is understanding aviation and how to make maximum use of SAR aviation assets to ensure the most effective SAR response.

Other benefits from the SAP include providing technical advice to the IMRF on matters under discussion at the ICAO-IMO SAR Joint Working Group and the IMO NavComSAR (NCSR) Subcommittee and on any other IMO and ICAO (maritime) SAR-related issues.

Next Meeting:

The next IMRF SAR Aviation Panel meeting will be on 18 February 2025 from 11:00 to 12:30 (UTC). 

The panel will discuss previous meeting action items, ask attendees to brief the meeting on any updates they have on SAR Aviation matters from their SAR region and their SAR aviation services (for example, ARCCs/JRCCs and SAR aircraft providers), and discuss the possible operational impacts of autonomous and remotely operated ships on SAR aviation missions. 

If you wish to attend this meeting and/or join the panel, please contact [email protected]