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Volunteer Positions With CASARA:
 CASARA is always looking for committed people to fill our volunteer roles.
Each role carries a special set of duties, training and physical requirements.
We provide regular training exercises and academic training to ensure that you’re fully qualified to go out into the field for us.


Find the role that’s a perfect fit for you:
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Pilot:
 Pilots fly the planes that help save lives in CASARA’s search and rescue operations. 
Pilots are required to have a private licence and at least 200 hours total and 150 hours PIC. Pilots new to CASARA will first be assigned to a trainee navigator’s role to learn how to plan search assignments, and how to safely and accurately manage the progress of a search flight.

Key Duties

  • Responsible for safety of aircraft
  • Calculating weight and balance of aircraft
  • Acquiring weather information
  • Acquiring active NOTAMs
Minimum requirements

  • 18 years old
  • Private pilot licence
  • Minimum of 150 hours pilot-in-command time with not less than 50 hours on a single-pilot performance single-engine land airplane
  • Current Licence Validation Certificate
  • Valid Restricted Radio Operator Certificate
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 Navigators:
​Navigators must be aware of the aircraft’s position at all times. You’ll help with the flight plan, advise the pilot on destination and ensure that all flight hazards are avoided. Navigators may be pilots (current or not) or non-pilots with training and/or aptitude for airborne navigation. Non-pilot members with an aptitude and interest in becoming search navigators will be provided the training required to start the search navigation training. All navigators are provided with search navigation training to meet operational requirements.

Key Duties

  • Accurately navigating aircraft along assigned search patterns
  • Determining search patterns
  • Map preparation
  • ELT homing procedures
  • Time calculation
Minimum requirements

  • 18 years old
  • Private pilot licence (preferred), or considerable air crew experience and/or training
  • Current Licence Validation Certificate or Medical Self-Declaration
  • 20/20 vision (natural or corrected)
  • Good concentration
  • Good VFR chart skills
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Spotter:
 Spotters are the search team’s “eyes in the sky,” responsible for visually finding the targets of a search operation. Your training will include how to conduct yourself safely around small planes and how to search for visual clues from a moving airplane. Advanced training is available from CASARA to fly on military SAR aircraft, including the CC-130 Hercules, the CCH-149 Cormorant and the CC-115 Buffalo.

Key duties

  • Learning emergency signs/signals and sighting reporting
  • Acquiring target information
  • Acquiring target survival gear information
Minimum requirements

  • 18 years old
  • Current Licence Validation Certificate or Medical Self-Declaration
  • 20/20 vision (natural or corrected)
  • Good concentration
  • Ability to guide pilot onto sighting
  • Some body weight restrictions.
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Support Team:
 If you aren’t cut out for 
flying or hacking your way through the brush, we have             other places for you on                                                                            the CASARA team.
 
Volunteers are always needed to assist with administration and other office duties – a major component of our operations.

If you would like to join a Casara Nova Scotia zone near you, just fill out the form below and we will be in contact with you.
CLICK HERE IF INTERESTED IN JOINING CASARA