Mt. Airy cadets tour Trooper 3

1st Lt. Stacey Bowen, CAP

Public Affairs Officer

Mt. Airy Composite Squadron, MD

5/06/2009 – Frederick, MD – Members of the Civil Air Patrol Maryland Wing’s Mt. Airy Composite Squadron accepted an invitation from Maryland State Police (MSP) helicopter pilot David Delisio, and joined him in the MSP hangar at Frederick Municipal Airport on Sunday, May 3rd, for a tour Trooper 3 – one of twelve in the MSP’s Dauphin medevac fleet.  The invitation was a follow-up to Delisio’s squadron visit back in January.  MSP Flight Paramedic Trooper First Class Greg Lantz accompanied Delisio during the tour.

Delisio provided some demonstrations, beginning with the flexibility of the rotor blades, explaining that in gusty conditions they can drop down about five feet – a hazard for egress and ingress of the medic.  He tilted the rotor disk to show how the pilot controls direction with the rotor blades, comparing the pull to that of the propeller on the front of a CAP Cessna aircraft.  Cadets were interested in the hoist, which Delisio also demonstrated.  It was learned that during flight, in order to protect the medical equipment on board, the doors of the helicopter are only opened if it is hovering, and the hoist is being used.  The winch is capable of supporting six hundred pounds.

Lantz said that all Trooper paramedics receive some flight training as well.  They learn how to land the helicopter since there is no co-pilot to take over if something should happen to the pilot.  The tour offered cadets perspective on the small amount of interior space in which medics must maneuver when caring for a patient during transport. 

Before leaving, cadets were given the chance to climb into the front seats of the Dauphin and inspect the cockpit.

The Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U. S. Air Force, was founded on Dec. 1, 1941, less than a week before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U. S. into World War II. CAP is a nonprofit organization with more than 56,000 members nationwide. The organization’s members perform 95 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, and were credited by the AFRCC with saving 103 lives in fiscal year 2007. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counterdrug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies.

Members take a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to the almost 25,000 young people currently participating in the CAP Cadet Program. CAP’s cadet programs provide young men and women with a safe and motivating environment in which to grow and explore opportunities in the military and aviation industries. CAP has been performing mission for American for more than 63 years.  There are approximately 1,300 members of CAP in Maryland. Last fiscal year wing members flew 42 search and rescue missions and were credited with 31 finds. For more information, visit www.mdcap.org .

The Mount Airy Composite Squadron meets at 7p.m. Thursdays at the Mount Airy Senior and Community Center, 703 Ridge Ave., Mount Airy.  Prospective cadets, ages 12 to 18, and their parents are always welcome.  Adults seeking mentoring opportunities are invited as well.  For more information, e-mail contactus@mtairy-cap.org , call 301-829-9057, or visit www.mtairy-cap.org .

Any comments and/or suggestions: webmaster@mtairy-cap.org.