"Souls" on board

[CUZ]

Souls on board is also meant to encompass the many infants and toddlers that dont have seats and ride on laps.

 

[atrdriver]

Souls on board is also meant to encompass the many infants and toddlers that dont have seats and ride on laps.

Generally they ask you for an infant count if you have time to get them one.

 

[avbug]

You may have touched upon what I understood to be the reason for color of aircraft being reported. Particularly in remote areas or after freshly fallen snow. Depending on the color of aircraft and the conditions under which the search and rescue takes place, the grids flown by search and rescue teams varies. Maybe you said this in not as explicit a manner.

Search patterns are terrain-dependant, and generally at the discretion of the crew assigned the grid. Search patterns are not determined by the color of the aircraft.

Reference AC 150/5210-7C, "souls on board" specifically means "Passengers and crew."

(b) The following elements should be included in the transmission from ATC directing the Emergency Aircraft to the discrete emergency frequency (DEF):
• The frequency.
• A statement that ARFF will be on the frequency with transmit and receive capability.
• That the ARFF IC call sign is "[Airport Identifier] Command".
• When time permits, the following minimum information should be passed to the ARFF IC by ATCT or Emergency Aircraft:
• "Souls on Board" - total number of passengers and crew.
• "Fuel on Board" - total quantity in pounds or kilograms. (see Table 1).
• Location on aircraft and type of any known dangerous goods/HAZMAT on board.

Appendix 5 of the same publication, listing Standard Aviation Pronunciation and Responses for Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Communications defines "souls on board" as:

"SOULS ON BOARD"
Total number people on aircraft (passengers and crew).

"All Souls on Board" is a maritime term, which came to us long before we had airplanes. Souls is specifically meant to address the issue of the living. Theologically, it is said that the Body and the Spirit is the soul of man. The body lacking spirit, or life, is not the soul, and is therefore not counted among the souls on board.

 

[Icelandair]

We should include one more soul for a pregnant woman though since a growing baby has one.

 

[FN FAL]

We should include one more soul for a pregnant woman though since a growing baby has one.

Yes, but in order for the pilot to actually count that one, he'd have to maintain visual contact.

 

[A Squared]

Search patterns are terrain-dependant, and generally at the discretion of the crew assigned the grid. Search patterns are not determined by the color of the aircraft.

Reference AC 150/5210-7C, "souls on board" specifically means "Passengers and crew."

(b) The following elements should be included in the transmission from ATC directing the Emergency Aircraft to the discrete emergency frequency (DEF):
• The frequency.
• A statement that ARFF will be on the frequency with transmit and receive capability.
• That the ARFF IC call sign is "[Airport Identifier] Command".
• When time permits, the following minimum information should be passed to the ARFF IC by ATCT or Emergency Aircraft:
• "Souls on Board" - total number of passengers and crew.
• "Fuel on Board" - total quantity in pounds or kilograms. (see Table 1).
• Location on aircraft and type of any known dangerous goods/HAZMAT on board.

Avbug,

Not to dispute your post, but I've had controllers specifically ask for fuel on board in time. I guess not everyong got the memo. I suppose form a controllers viewpoint, endurance is more relevant, while from a firefighters perspective the pounds of fuel is a more interesting number.

 

[Vector4fun]

Avbug,

Not to dispute your post, but I've had controllers specifically ask for fuel on board in time. I guess not everyong got the memo. I suppose form a controllers viewpoint, endurance is more relevant, while from a firefighters perspective the pounds of fuel is a more interesting number.

Our Handbook tells us to ask for fuel remaining in time, but as Avbug says, ARFF will want to know fuel in lbs or gallons. So depends on the situation. If we're working an airborne aircraft in distress, we'd like to know how much time the pilot has to remain airborne, but if the pilot's making an emergency landing, then we ask for lbs to forward to ARFF...

FAA 7110.65

10-2-1. INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS​

a. Start assistance as soon as enough information has been obtained upon which to act. Information requirements will vary, depending on the existing situation. Minimum required information for inflight emergencies is:
NOTE-
In the event of an ELT signal see para 10-2-10, Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) Signals.​

1. Aircraft identification and type.
2. Nature of the emergency.
3. Pilot's desires. ​

b. After initiating action, obtain the following items or any other pertinent information from the pilot or aircraft operator, as necessary:
NOTE-
Normally, do not request this information from military fighter-type aircraft that are at low altitudes (i.e. on approach, immediately after departure, on a low level route, etc.). However, request the position of an aircraft that is not visually sighted or displayed on radar if the location is not given by the pilot. ​

1. Aircraft altitude.
2. Fuel remaining in time.
3. Pilot reported weather.
4. Pilot capability for IFR flight.
5. Time and place of last known position.
6. Heading since last known position.
7. Airspeed.
8. Navigation equipment capability. ​

9. NAVAID signals received.
10. Visible landmarks.
11. Aircraft color.
12. Number of people on board.
13. Point of departure and destination.
14. Emergency equipment on board. ​

 

[El Bucho]

If you are flying around a body/bodies, and you crash and die, they aren't counted in the casualty report.

 

[avbug]

Not to dispute your post, but I've had controllers specifically ask for fuel on board in time. I guess not everyong got the memo. I suppose form a controllers viewpoint, endurance is more relevant, while from a firefighters perspective the pounds of fuel is a more interesting number.

No dispute. I can't imagine why a controller would be interested in knowing the fire potential for an aircraft, where the fuel in terms of time is a very critical piece of information.

From a crash rescue point of view, of course, how long the airplane can fly is relatively meaningless, while the scope of potential fire, and the hazmat situation is a critical, life or death issue.

From a pilot point of view, of course, I'm keenly interested in both...how long I can stave off impending disaster, and then how bad it's gonna be when I get there.

 

[A Squared]

From a pilot point of view, of course, I'm keenly interested in both...how long I can stave off impending disaster, and then how bad it's gonna be when I get there.

I'm calling bull$it on this avbug, you know you're just itching to get to the scene of the crash so you can play in the fire. :laugh:

 

[avbug]

There's nothing wrong with enjoying one's work :nuts: . It's okay to like an emergency, so long as you're not the one who caused it. :angryfire

Then again...