Precision In Practice: ARS Conducts SAREX Operations in Ashland, Oregon
ast August, the Air Rescue Systems (ARS) crew participated in a Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) in Ashland, Oregon. The goal: to conduct multiple real-world rescue simulations that tested both personnel and equipment in complex, high-fidelity environments.
The ARS team executed a series of hoist evolutions designed to simulate realistic field conditions and patient profiles. Two mock patients were used throughout the exercise, one secured in a litter and one in a rescue basket, each representing common extraction scenarios faced in actual missions.
The exercise environment offered ideal conditions for operational realism: variable winds, uneven terrain, and limited clearings. These factors provided valuable opportunities to evaluate both procedural discipline and equipment performance under dynamic loads.
Central to each hoisting evolution was the Vita Rescue System (VRS), integrated into both the litter and basket configurations. The VRS provided active load stabilization and rotational control throughout the lift sequence, allowing the crew to maintain precise orientation during vertical and transitional phases of flight.
Crews noted the VRS’s consistent response in mitigating pendular and rotational movement, particularly during hover transitions and at the critical point of patient recovery. The result was smoother, more controlled hoists, reducing pilot workload and enhancing overall operational safety.
Each evolution followed ARS’s established hoist protocol, emphasizing communication discipline, mechanical precision, and real-time assessment. Ground personnel handled packaging and rigging while maintaining visual and radio coordination with the aircrew. Once connected, the aircraft executed a vertical lift to clear obstacles, followed by lateral repositioning for simulated evacuation.
In both patient scenarios, the VRS’s adaptability to varying rigging configurations proved essential. Whether stabilizing the litter through confined terrain or maintaining the basket’s orientation during crosswind recovery, the system performed reliably and predictably.
Post-mission debriefs focused on refining communication flow, optimizing rigging configurations, and assessing equipment performance under different load conditions. Data and observations gathered from the SAREX will inform future ARS training modules and continue to validate the operational advantages of the VRS in complex hoisting environments.
The Ashland SAREX reinforced what our training philosophy has always emphasized: precision through realism. Every simulated mission is an opportunity to validate technology, reinforce crew proficiency, and prepare for real-world rescue operations.
For ARS, exercises like these are data-driven training evolutions designed to make the next rescue faster, safer, and more efficient.
