NAV EX 3rd QTR. 2017 NavEx 3rd Qtr 2017 - FINAL Draft | Page 6

AUXAIR
Continued from page 5
USCG Aux Photo
A USCG flight crew conducts a pre-flight departure procedure prior to taking off.
Since incident de-mobilizing had begun, the mission
on Saturday, September 2, was to take one flight
mechanic, AMT2 Alan Smith, to CGAS Houston, and
meet four personnel there for the return to Savannah:
one pilot, LT Jon Magin, two rescue swimmers, AST2
Wesley Price and AST2 Jason Flynt, and one flight
mechanic, AMT2 Josue Valentin. Armstrong and
Plesser arrived at 10:30AM local time, just prior to the
closing of Ellington Field for the arrival of President
Trump. The President’s meeting with survivors and
greeting of responders at CGAS Houston took longer
than expected, and the field was under a Temporary
Flight Restriction closure the entire time. Finally, with
active duty loaded, AUXAIR launched at 5:00PM,
returning to CGAS Savannah at 7:30PM.
There they were met by media from three Savannah
area TV stations: WTOC, WSAV-TV, Channel 3 (NBC),
and WJCL-TV, Channel 22 (ABC). WTOC reported
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that some of the crews were delayed due to the
President’s visit in Houston. WSAV interviewed active
duty, showing Armstrong and Plesser in the coverage.
WJCL focused on the rescues performed by active
duty returned by AUXAIR. (5.6 flight hours)
An MH-