▁plus ▁direction ▁finding . ▁The ▁crew ▁may ▁also ▁use ▁night ▁vision ▁g og g les . ▁ ▁The ▁aircraft ▁has ▁no ▁f laps ▁and ▁instead ▁retain s ▁the ▁top ▁and ▁bottom ▁surface ▁d ive bra kes ▁of ▁its ▁sail plane ▁ancest ors . ▁Max imum ▁take - off ▁weight ▁of ▁the ▁R U - 3 8 A ▁is ▁ 5 3 0 0   lb ▁( 2 4 0 4   kg ) ▁ ▁The ▁R U - 3 8 A ▁is ▁designed ▁to ▁trans it ▁to ▁its ▁oper ational ▁area ▁with ▁both ▁engines ▁operating . ▁Once ▁in ▁the ▁surve ill ance ▁area ▁the ▁rear ▁engine ▁would ▁normally ▁be ▁shut ▁down ▁and ▁the ▁aircraft ▁operated ▁in ▁" qu iet ▁surve ill ance ▁mode ". ▁The ▁second ▁engine ▁would ▁be ▁available ▁for ▁use ▁in ▁an ▁emer gency ▁and ▁for ▁return ▁to ▁base ▁at ▁faster ▁speed . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁R G - 8 A ▁was ▁returned ▁to ▁Schweizer ▁for ▁conversion ▁to ▁R U - 3 8 A ▁status ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁The ▁initial ▁plan ▁called ▁for ▁the ▁conversion ▁of ▁two ▁R G - 8 As ▁and ▁then ▁fabric ation ▁of ▁one ▁new ▁R U - 3 8 A . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁flight ▁of ▁the ▁converted ▁aircraft ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁The ▁second ▁US CG ▁R G - 8 A ▁aircraft ▁that ▁was ▁ear mark ed ▁for ▁R U - 3 8 A ▁upgrade ▁crash