SAR- Search and Rescue

24h Emergency Hotline +43-1-798 8380

If an aircraft is overdue, the alarms are activated...

According to the aviation regulations, aircraft with a MTOW of less than 20 tonnes must be equipped with an emergency location transmitter (ELT).  This ELT is automatically activated in the case of an accident, thereby assisting SAR (Search and Rescue) ground staff to locate the distressed aircraft via the COSPAS/SARSAT system.  

The SAR staff is primarily responsible to locate the distressed aircraft and to coordinate rescue activities for the crew and passengers.

Whenever the time of last contact between an aircraft and ATC exceeds 30 minutes, or if an aircraft hasn't landed 30 minutes after the pilot has received landing clearance at an airfield and no other contact was established, a level 2 alarm internationally known as 'ALERFA' (alert phase), is activated.  The rescue coordination center requests the flight plan of the particular aircraft via the FIC (Flight Information Center), from which details such as the aircraft type, registration, persons on board, route, alternate aerodrome or endurance can be taken. 

If the evaluation of this data does not give any adequate information confirming the safety of the aircraft, and if further investigations were unsuccessful, a level 3 alarm, internationally known as 'DETRESFA' (distress phase) is activated.  An extensive search procedure begins, whereby Austro Control has the possibility to utilize two company owned aircraft specially equipped with homing equipment.  At the same time, assistance is requested from the Federal Ministry of Interior and the Austrian Armed Forces.  Additionally, the general public may be requested, via the television or radio, to provide any information that may assist the search.

The aircraft registered OE-FSR, is one of the two search aircraft owned by Austro Control.  It is specially equipped with homing equipment to locate emergency location transmissions of missing aircraft.

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