Air OperationsAir OperationsBranch Director CourseBranch Director Course

Status Boards Status Boards &&

Situation Situation MapsMapsU.S. AIR FORCE

AUXILIARYU.S. AIR FORCE

AUXILIARY

Running a Professional Running a Professional OperationOperation

Fundamental Importance of Status Boards and Fundamental Importance of Status Boards and Situation MapsSituation Maps– Visualization of complex and changing informationVisualization of complex and changing information– Information sharing among staffInformation sharing among staff– Safety and resource accountabilitySafety and resource accountability– Continuity: passing information on to staff in charge Continuity: passing information on to staff in charge

of next operational periodof next operational period

Importance grows with larger, more complex, Importance grows with larger, more complex, longer lasting missionslonger lasting missions

Status boardsStatus boards

Maintained all day long, with up to the Maintained all day long, with up to the minute infominute info

Typical boards maintained at a mission:Typical boards maintained at a mission:– Air Ops Status BoardAir Ops Status Board– Ground Ops Status BoardGround Ops Status Board

Air Ops Status BoardAir Ops Status Board

SORTIESORTIETAIL TAIL NUMBERNUMBER CALLSIGNCALLSIGN

ATD ATD (Z)(Z)

ETA ETA (Z)(Z)

ATA ATA (Z)(Z)

LAST LAST CONTACT CONTACT (Z)(Z) ASSIGNMENTASSIGNMENT

11 N1974FN1974F CPF CPF 21412141

11101110 13001300 12101210 Grid SearchGrid SearchTC 375 A&BTC 375 A&B

22 N9546XN9546X CPF CPF 21502150

Route Search Route Search STC - AXNSTC - AXN

Air Ops Status BoardAir Ops Status Board

Additional places this same info goes:Additional places this same info goes:– WIMRS (financial view)WIMRS (financial view)– Flight Ops Log Form CAPF 107 Flight Ops Log Form CAPF 107

(permanent record for mission file)(permanent record for mission file)

CAPF 107CAPF 107

Situation map (or maps)Situation map (or maps)

Search area segmented Search area segmented Plot mission critical informationPlot mission critical information– Clues (flight plans, historical weather, etc.)Clues (flight plans, historical weather, etc.)– Searches completedSearches completed– Searches underwaySearches underway– Planned searchesPlanned searches– POD and POAPOD and POA– TFRs and other important NOTAMsTFRs and other important NOTAMs

Some of these items (like clues and POD/POA) Some of these items (like clues and POD/POA) might get tracked on a Planning Section map, might get tracked on a Planning Section map, while others should appear on the Ops Section while others should appear on the Ops Section map.map.

Situation Map (or maps)Situation Map (or maps)

TC 280TC 280 TC 281TC 281 TC 282TC 282 TC 284TC 284TC 283TC 283

TC 314TC 314 TC 316TC 316 TC 317TC 317 TC 318TC 318 TC 319TC 319

35%35%PODPOD6% 6% POAPOA

45%45%PODPOD8% 8% POAPOA

20%20%PODPOD13% 13% POAPOA

35%35%PODPOD13% 13% POAPOA

0%0%PODPOD2% 2% POAPOA

35%35%PODPOD8% 8% POAPOA

35%35%PODPOD15% 15% POAPOA

35%35%PODPOD15% 15% POAPOA

0%0%PODPOD8% 8% POAPOA

0%0%PODPOD2% 2% POAPOA

ROW:ROW:20% 20% POAPOA

Should ideally post on a wall for all mission staff to see

Might have one map for POD and POA and another map for current SRU assignments

Situation MapSituation MapKeep a record of what Keep a record of what searches have been searches have been accomplished so that accomplished so that POD can be POD can be determineddetermined