GEN 3.6 SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR)
1. Responsible service(s)
Within the territory and airspace of Hungary (hereafter: Budapest FIR), the organisations operating in the National Air Search and Rescue System (hereafter: NASARS) based on the Government Decree No. 267/2011. (XII. 13.) on the organisational structure of the air search and rescue (hereafter: SAR) service executing the provision of assistance to aircraft in distress, and activities related to protection against disasters and rescue, and on regulation of the bearing of costs related to its operations, maintenance and alerting, and on the rules related to the authorization of such activities: Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Human Resources as well as their designated organisations are responsible.
The above mentioned organisations are obliged to plan, organise, manage and check the air search and rescue as laid down in the National Air Search and Rescue Plan (hereafter: Plan).
1.1 Coordination service
Based on the Plan, to coordinate and control the tasks executed by the air and ground forces of the NASARS, a Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (hereafter: RCC) has been established.
The responsible 24/7 duty service to alert air assets and control their activities:
Hungarian Defence Forces Air Command and Control Centre, Air Operation Centre (hereafter: HDF ACCC AOC).
H-8210 Veszprém, POB. 2710. H
Tel:+36-88-543-081
Fax:+36-88-543-082
Fax:+36-88-543-143
AFS:LHCCYWYX (HDF ACCC MILATMC - MILAIS)
1.2 Relating regulations
The SAR services provide their tasks according to the following national provisions, internal regulations, international and NATO measures:
- Annex 12 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) on Search and Rescue (Announced in the provision of Act of XLVI in 2007 about the announcement of the Annexes of the Convention signed on 7 December 1944 in Chicago on the international civil aviation);
- NATO STANAG 3552 Search and rescue manual – ATP-10(D) (Ed. 10);
- Act XCVII of 1995 on Air Navigation;
- Government Decree No. 267/2011. (XII. 13.) on the organisational structure of the air search and rescue service executing the provision of assistance to aircraft in distress, and activities related to protection against disasters and rescue, and on regulation of the bearing of costs related to its operations, maintenance and alerting, and on the rules related to authorization of such activities;
- National Air Search and Rescue Plan;
- Service Directive of the Search and Rescue Coordination Centre of the National Air Search and Rescue System;
- The 12/2013 Directive of the General Director of the National Directorate General for Disaster Management, Ministry of the Interior (hereafter: NDGDM) on the tasks relating to the execution of what is laid down in the National Air Search and Rescue Plan,
- 121/2012. order of Hungarian Defence Forces Joint Force Command (hereafter: HDF JFC) Commander of concerning of Hungary’s SAR service;
- Hungarian Defence Forces Air Command and Control Centre, Search and Rescue Local Operating Procedures.
2. Area of responsibility
SAR region: Budapest FIR (the territory and airspace enclosed by the borders of Hungary) is divided into two SAR sectors:
- West sector: The Western territory of Hungary from centreline of the river Danube.
- East sector: The Eastern territory of Hungary from centreline the river Danube.
3. Types of service
3.1 Monitoring (Emergency monitoring)
Monitoring 121,5 MHz emergency frequency is continuously provided in Budapest FIR.
3.2 Alert
Alerting the air SAR units is executed by the duty commander or the SAR coordinator of the AOC.
3.3 Search and Rescue
The SAR units designated in the Plan have the following facilities and crew:
- Helicopters of the Hungarian Defence Forces Air Search and Rescue Alert Service (hereafter: HDF ASARAS) or any other available aircraft of the HDF and their crew;
- Available forces and facilities of the Hungarian Air Ambulance Non-profit Ltd;
- Available aircraft and crew of the Contingency Police;
- Aircraft and their crew involved in SAR, operated by non-government organisation or person.
- Units of NDGDM, MI;
- Ground forces of the Hungarian Defence Forces;
- Units of the National Ambulance Service (hereafter: NAS);
- Units of the National Police Headquarters (hereafter: NPH);
- Medical institutions and centres;
- Other search and rescue services or organisations.
| Name | Location | Facilities | Readiness | Remarks |
| RESCUE West | Pápa (LHPA) | Mi-8/17 | 30 min (H24) | Military SAR Service |
| 472150N 0173002E | ||||
| RESCUE East | Szolnok (LHSN) | |||
| 470722N 0201408E |
4. SAR agreements
Out of the neighbouring countries, Hungary has signed an agreement relating to search and rescue only with Romania so far. (Search and rescue supplementary agreement to the agreement between the Ministry of the Romanian National Defence and the Ministry of Defence of the Hungarian Republic about the cooperation of the air forces made in Arad on 17 October 2002)
The AOC is responsible to keep a direct contact with the Rescue Coordination Centres of the neighbouring countries.
5. Conditions of availability
According to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) every aircraft flying within Budapest FIR has the right for SAR service. To facilitate the provision of alerting and SAR services, before entering or flying in the designated regions or routes, the aircraft shall comply with the requirements relating to submitting, filling in, modifying and terminating flight plans according to the Decree 14/2000. (XI. 14.) of the Ministry of Transport and Water Management on the Rules of the Air within the airspace and the aerodromes of the Republic of Hungary.
6. Procedures and signals used
The procedures and signs to be followed by the aircraft participating in SAR operations are laid down in Chapter 5 of Annex 12 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).
6.1 Applied procedures
The RCC subjected to NDGDM MI and HDF JFC is a 24/7 duty service.
The Duty Controller of the RCC - employed by NDGDM and designated by the general director of NDGDM - responsible for controlling the tasks executed by the RCC.
The members of the RCC, apart from the Duty Controller of the RCC, are the Duty Controller of the NDGDM Main Duty Department (hereafter: MDD) and the AOC.
The RCC Duty Controller decides the use of the air forces in accordance with the recommendation of the AOC, the ground forces in accordance with the recommendation of the MDD and the medical assistance in accordance with the recommendation of the NAS. The AOC, the MDD and the NAS define the actual tasks of their air and ground search and rescue units, alert the forces designated for the operation and coordinate their activities.
Codes and abbreviations applied in the operations are listed in publication of the ICAO Abbreviations and Codes (ICAO Doc 8400 - ABC, Eigth Edition 2010).
Transmitting and receiving emergency messages in Budapest FIR is executed according to paragraph 5.3, Chapter 5 of Annex 10 Vol. II to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).
6.2 Ground SAR
In case the position of the aircraft in distress cannot be defined based on the available information following the incident report, the Duty Controller of the RCC mobilises the necessary ground forces through the specified duty-information system after the HDF ASARAS localise it from the air.
After localisation, the ground units arriving to the scene start the rescue operation according to their own regulations.
They will conduct a search for the aircraft in distress and its crew and passengers, examining the scene for other injured persons and assess the collateral damages.In the location of the scene a Managerial Staff shall be formed, which is led by the Incident Commander.
As specified in the provisions of law relating to the police, the tools of organisation regulating public law, and internal regulations, the police forces led by the police on scene commander, securing the location and routes, establishing check and crossing points, and closing down areas as directed by the Managerial Staff.
6.3 Applied signals
Ground-air visual signal code for use by survivors (Symbols shall be 2.5 metres (8 feet) long and shall be made as conspicuous as possible):
Ground-air visual signal code for use by rescue units: