NAV EX 3rd QTR. 2017 NavEx 3rd Qtr 2017 - FINAL Draft | Page 4

Auxiliary Aviators
Support Coast Guard Efforts for
Hurricane Harvey
Story by Robert A. Fabich, Sr.
On the morning of August 26, 2017 Coast Guard Air Station (CGAS) Savannah launched a
MH-65D helicopter and a full crew to CGAS Houston to support Hurricane Harvey rescue
efforts. Concurrently, Auxiliary Aviation (AUXAIR) in District 7 was activated. Auxiliary
aircraft support lasted nine days and included 20 missions totaling 25.8 flight hours.
The Scramble
On Saturday, August 26, an Air Station Savannah call from CDR Drew Behnke, Operations
Officer, for transport missions to Aviation Training Center Mobile, found Doug Armstrong,
Aircraft Commander in Augusta, GA, with his flight gear in Asheville, NC, and his aircraft
in Morganton, NC. A series of prepositioning flights in Aircraft Commander Ken Plesser’s
facility along with additional road miles resulted in Armstrong’s Citation Mustang twin-
turbojet facility, Armstrong pilot-in-command, and Plesser second-in-command, all in
Columbia, SC by nightfall for an early morning launch. (3.5 flight hours)
First Transport success leads to more requests
On Sunday, August 27, Armstrong and Plesser flew to Savannah-Hilton Head Airport
to meet two USCG pilots, LT Sam Pemberton and LT Nate Brock and two maintainers,
AET2 Brett Eisenberger and AMT3 Melanie Carter. The mission was to transport these
four personnel to ATC Mobile, AL for further transport downrange, before returning to
Columbia. Upon landing, the Air Station requested Armstrong and Plesser for two more
flights the next day. The AUXAIR pilots, determining that doing so would exceed limitations
of the duty-day if begun in Columbia, flew back to Savannah to remain overnight (RON).
5.0 flight hours)
More missions catch attention of the media
The mission was to trans
President Trump and oth
(Harvey) and hundreds m
USCG Aux Photo
On Monday, August 28, Armstrong and Plesser met one rescue swimmer,
AST2 Wesley Price, and three flight mechanics, AMT2 Robert Reddit,
AET3 Taylor Wolf, and AMT3 Lorenzo Leon in Savannah and transported
them to ATC Mobile. After a quick fuel turnaround, they returned to Air
Station Savannah (Hunter Army Airfield) to pick up more USCG crew for
transport. WTOC-TV, Channel 11, was on the ramp for their arrival and
the re-launch. Video about the mission, AUXAIR, and an interview with
Captain Marshall Branch, USCG Commander was aired on the evening
news in Savannah.
Captain Branch personally expressed his appreciation to AUXAIR. “Ken,
can’t thank you and Doug enough for your support of getting our aircrew
and support personnel to the fight in D8. They’ve been incredibly busy
4
A successful AUXAIR mission always begins
with proper preparation.
NAVIGATO