Section 5. International SAR

1. ALERTING SERVICE

1. FSS must provide alerting service:

1. For all aircraft provided with ATC service.
2. To all other aircraft having filed a flight plan or otherwise known to an air navigation service provider, when practicable.
3. To any aircraft known or believed to be the subject of unlawful interference.

1. Additional information related to ICAO SAR procedures can be found in ICAO ANNEX 11, Chapter 5, Alerting Service.
2. Apply domestic SAR procedures for the U.S. portion of the flight.

1. ALERTING PHASES

1. ATS units must notify RCC immediately when an aircraft is considered to be in a state of emergency in accordance with the following:

1. Uncertainty phase when:

1. No communication has been received from an aircraft within a period of 30 minutes after the time a communication should have been received, or from the time an unsuccessful attempt to establish communication with such aircraft was first made, whichever is the earlier.
2. An aircraft fails to arrive within 30 minutes of the estimated time of arrival last notified to or estimated by air traffic services units, whichever is later, except when no doubt exists as to the safety of the aircraft and its occupants.

1. Alert phase when:

1. Following the uncertainty phase, subsequent attempts to establish communication with the aircraft or inquiries to other relevant sources have failed to reveal any news of the aircraft.
2. An aircraft has been cleared to land and fails to land within five minutes of the estimated time of landing and communication has not been reestablished with the aircraft.
3. Information has been received which indicates that the operating efficiency of the aircraft has been impaired but not to the extent that a forced landing is likely.
4. An aircraft is known or believed to be the subject of unlawful interference.

1. Distress phase when:

1. Following the alert phase further unsuccessful attempts to establish communication with the aircraft and more widespread unsuccessful inquiries point to the probability that the aircraft is in distress.
2. The fuel on board is considered to be exhausted or thought to be insufficient to enable the aircraft to reach safety.
3. Information is received which indicates that the operating efficiency of the aircraft has been impaired to the extent that a forced landing is likely.
4. Information is received and it is reasonably certain that the aircraft is about to make or has made a forced landing.

1. In addition to the initial notification, RCC must, without delay, be furnished with:

1. Any useful additional information, especially on the development of the state of emergency through subsequent phases.
2. Information that the emergency situation no longer exists.

1. ALERTING MESSAGE CONTENTS

1. The notification must contain as much of the following information as is available in the order listed:

1. INCERFA, ALERFA, DETRESFA, as appropriate to the phase of the emergency.
2. Agency and person calling.
3. Nature of the emergency.
4. Significant information from the flight plan.
5. Unit which made last contact, time, and frequency used.
6. Last position report and how determined.
7. Color and distinctive marks of aircraft.
8. Any action taken by reporting office.
9. Other pertinent remarks.

1. The cancellation of action initiated by RCC is the responsibility of that ARTCC.

1. For supplemental flight plan information, transmit a request supplementary flight plan (RQS) message, which is used in the transmission of the INCERFA.

1. CANADIAN TRANSBORDER FLIGHTS

1. Assume SAR responsibility on transborder aircraft upon acknowledgment of the inbound flight notification message.
2. When SAR action is initiated, the destination and departure facilities are responsible for all communications search actions within their respective countries and for alerting their respective RCC.
3. For inbounds from Canada, apply standard U.S. SAR procedures contained in this chapter for the U.S. portion of the route. Include the Canadian departure facility as an addressee on all SAR messages since that facility is responsible for initiating SAR action for the Canadian portion of the route of flight.
4. Canadian communications search procedures and action times are similar to U.S. procedures. They will address all SAR messages to the U.S. departure FSS, which is then responsible for initiating SAR action for the U.S. portion of the route of flight.
5. Upon receipt of a Canadian QALQ, the departure FSS must take the following actions:

1. Check history files for any information about the aircraft.
2. If unable to obtain additional information, or within 15 minutes after receipt of the QALQ, transmit a message to the destination facility containing all flight plan information not previously sent.

1. Upon receipt of a Canadian INREQ, the departure FSS must transmit an INREQ for the U.S. portion of the route of flight and reply to Canada within one hour in accordance with standard INREQ procedures.
2. Upon receipt of a Canadian ALNOT, the departure FSS must transmit an ALNOT for the U.S. portion of the route and reply to Canada within one hour in accordance with standard ALNOT procedures.

1. MEXICAN TRANSBORDER FLIGHTS

1. For inbounds from Mexico, the departure station in Mexico is responsible for initiating SAR action until an acknowledgment of the flight notification message is received.

1. Once SAR is initiated by Mexico, provide SAR service in accordance with standard format/time increments listed in Section 5, International SAR, and Section 4, Overdue Aircraft, of this chapter.