"Souls" on board

[EagleRJ]

To summarize Avbug's dissertation, it's to let rescue personnel know how many people to look for.

The term 'souls' is used purposely, to ensure any corpses being transported are excluded from the count.

 

[SkyBoy1981]

The term 'souls' is used purposely, to ensure any corpses being transported are excluded from the count.

Ah hah, now that sounds like the right answer....

 

[Occam's Razor]

To summarize Avbug's dissertation, it's to let rescue personnel know how many people to look for.

The term 'souls' is used purposely, to ensure any corpses being transported are excluded from the count.

Sort of....

In the 50's there was a lot of confusion when pilots were asked how many people there were on the aircraft. They would respond with a pax count, or a crew count. The term "souls" is meant to imply all persons on the aircraft...crew and pax.

FYI, the ARFF folks expect us to include any intact corpses in the S.O.B. total. To do otherwise (according to them) would invite responders to count a charred corpse as one of the official S.O.B. count...and subsequently not continue to search for a missing person.

The Fuel On Board statement for ATC purposes is supposed to be in hours/minutes until fuel exhaustion.

 

[Diesel]

A couple years ago i had to pick up a passenger who had been shot by this deranged lunatic in NH. I landed at this dirt strip in NH and picked up the body. (i had to provide my own backboard and neck brace from the local undertaker) I thought the boss was joking when he told me to go pick up the stuff at the "spring planters".

Anyways when i was filing a flt plan from NH to NYC it got to souls on board. I put only 1 soul on board since the other guy was stiff as a board (and naked).

While flying down to NYC in 100 degree weather the controller asked me if it was true what I had put in the remarks section. (1 dead body) I said it was. He gave me direct and said, "I bet you want out of that plane." As I looked at the sheet covering the body and his feet sticking up between the seats i realized he couldn't have been more right.

Unloading a naked man is a different story. But yes there was only one "soul" on board that flight.

 

[FN FAL]

"...I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier..."

 

[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.