JP 3-50 National Search and Rescue Manual Vol I - US Navy

1. Trained scanners are less subject to fatigue, and experience
with the appearance of a type of visual target increases POD.
Scanners should receive training in their duties and in the
appearance of common SAR targets as seen from their assigned
SRU type. A scanner who has never seen a raft on the water
from altitude, or a person in the water supported by a
lifejacket, is at a disadvantage. Life rafts, small boats,
and persons in the water may resemble flotsam, lobster
pot/diving buoys, or other non-search objects. Figure 6-8
illustrates this problem. Sun elevation, cloud cover, search
altitude, and sun bearing relative to the target position all
can affect the appearance of the search object.
2. An individual's SAR experience is not a clear indicator of
target detection performance. However, experience does appear
to improve the ability of lookouts and scanners to judge
distances, recognize and identify targets, and
6-9