FYI March11 MISSING PILOT Joe Radford - Grand Canyon Village
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 7:28 pm
Hi PNP Pilots below is very sad news I am not sure if any of you know Joe Radford or have worked with him, but the news below is very sad. I do hope he is safe and is found safe. Please if your in the area that he is missing and able to help there are numbers below this is feared by all of you I am sure and by those of us that ask you all everyday to assist in our rescue efforts. I pray every time when a pilot assists me with a transport that they make it safely to and from their mission.
Please read the below if there is any help you can offer that would be great, even if only in prayer.
The Pilots Prayer
Lord of Air and the Earth,
You made the whole world with creatures of the seas, earth and skies.
After the great flood you made a bird the first witness of the new order;
You have shown us your Spirit on wings of dove:
I ask you to bless me as I take off to the skies.
Make me a humble pilot, who marvels at the beauty of your creation;
Save me from turbulences of the air and my spirit,
Give me strength and full control over the plane,
send your peace to the hearts and minds of all traffic controllers,
show me your path in my life,
and lead me safely to the runway,
so that I could praise you safely back on earth.
I make this prayer through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Our Lady of the Skies—pray for me.
Cheryl
Roads of Hope
http://www.roadsofhope.org
The National Park Service and the Coconino County Sheriff's Office are searching for a missing airplane that was last seen at the Grand Canyon Airport on Friday, March 11.
A pilot flying over the canyon called the airport after detecting an emergency locator transmitter about 30 miles northwest of the Grand Canyon Village in a remote region of the park. The airport then notified the NPS, which immediately deployed a helicopter to investigate. When the helicopter pilot found no evidence of an aircraft crash or an emergency beacon, the NPS called off its search because they had no notice of a missing plane.
On Monday, the family of 47-year-old Joseph Radford, of Glendale, called the Glendale Police Department to report that he was overdue. The Coconino County Sheriff's Office was then contacted and began an investigation into his whereabouts. They were able to determine that Radford had taken off from the Glendale Municipal Airport at 6:30 a.m. on March 11 and flew to the Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan, where he stopped to refuel and took off again at around 8:30 a.m.
On Monday, the NPS redeployed a helicopter and plane into the area around Scorpion Ridge, in the Dragon Corridor, which was Radford's last known location over the park. The aircraft flew search patterns in both the Fossil Corridor and Scorpion Ridge areas on Tuesday and again expanded their operations on Wednesday. The sheriff's office has also been contacting backpackers known to have been in the area to see if anyone heard or saw the aircraft.
According to a media release on Wednesday, the total search area now encompasses more than 600 square miles of the park. Search and rescue has yet to find any sign of Radford or the missing plane. Park service officials said the area is too remote to make a foot search reasonable at this point.
"It's an extremely backcountry area and we have no indication in terms of vertical relief where this plane went down -- or even if this plane went down," said Shannon Marcak, spokesperson for the Grand Canyon. She also said that search and rescue had yet to locate the emergency beacon that was first detected by a private aircraft pilot on Sunday.
As of Wednesday evening, the NPS said it was unclear if aerial search and rescue operations could continue on Thursday due to deteriorating weather conditions.
Radford is described as a white male, with blue eyes, graying hair and a receding hairline. He is 5'11" tall and weighs approximately 190 pounds. His plane is described as an RV6 Kit Built, cherry red airplane with tail number N650RV.
Anybody who has seen Radford or his aircraft since Friday at 8:30 a.m., is asked to contact the National Park Service at (928) 638-7805.
Eric Betz can be reached at [email protected] or 556-2250.
Please read the below if there is any help you can offer that would be great, even if only in prayer.
The Pilots Prayer
Lord of Air and the Earth,
You made the whole world with creatures of the seas, earth and skies.
After the great flood you made a bird the first witness of the new order;
You have shown us your Spirit on wings of dove:
I ask you to bless me as I take off to the skies.
Make me a humble pilot, who marvels at the beauty of your creation;
Save me from turbulences of the air and my spirit,
Give me strength and full control over the plane,
send your peace to the hearts and minds of all traffic controllers,
show me your path in my life,
and lead me safely to the runway,
so that I could praise you safely back on earth.
I make this prayer through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Our Lady of the Skies—pray for me.
Cheryl
Roads of Hope
http://www.roadsofhope.org
The National Park Service and the Coconino County Sheriff's Office are searching for a missing airplane that was last seen at the Grand Canyon Airport on Friday, March 11.
A pilot flying over the canyon called the airport after detecting an emergency locator transmitter about 30 miles northwest of the Grand Canyon Village in a remote region of the park. The airport then notified the NPS, which immediately deployed a helicopter to investigate. When the helicopter pilot found no evidence of an aircraft crash or an emergency beacon, the NPS called off its search because they had no notice of a missing plane.
On Monday, the family of 47-year-old Joseph Radford, of Glendale, called the Glendale Police Department to report that he was overdue. The Coconino County Sheriff's Office was then contacted and began an investigation into his whereabouts. They were able to determine that Radford had taken off from the Glendale Municipal Airport at 6:30 a.m. on March 11 and flew to the Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan, where he stopped to refuel and took off again at around 8:30 a.m.
On Monday, the NPS redeployed a helicopter and plane into the area around Scorpion Ridge, in the Dragon Corridor, which was Radford's last known location over the park. The aircraft flew search patterns in both the Fossil Corridor and Scorpion Ridge areas on Tuesday and again expanded their operations on Wednesday. The sheriff's office has also been contacting backpackers known to have been in the area to see if anyone heard or saw the aircraft.
According to a media release on Wednesday, the total search area now encompasses more than 600 square miles of the park. Search and rescue has yet to find any sign of Radford or the missing plane. Park service officials said the area is too remote to make a foot search reasonable at this point.
"It's an extremely backcountry area and we have no indication in terms of vertical relief where this plane went down -- or even if this plane went down," said Shannon Marcak, spokesperson for the Grand Canyon. She also said that search and rescue had yet to locate the emergency beacon that was first detected by a private aircraft pilot on Sunday.
As of Wednesday evening, the NPS said it was unclear if aerial search and rescue operations could continue on Thursday due to deteriorating weather conditions.
Radford is described as a white male, with blue eyes, graying hair and a receding hairline. He is 5'11" tall and weighs approximately 190 pounds. His plane is described as an RV6 Kit Built, cherry red airplane with tail number N650RV.
Anybody who has seen Radford or his aircraft since Friday at 8:30 a.m., is asked to contact the National Park Service at (928) 638-7805.
Eric Betz can be reached at [email protected] or 556-2250.