Why standby aircraft still earn their keep

Equipment can be valuable while it waits for an emergency. A hammer may sit unused for most of the year, but it is needed immediately when a storm knocks down a fence. Keeping it ready requires checks, cleaning, and maintenance between uses. Renting or borrowing one could appear cheaper for such infrequent work, yet immediate access matters when a storm creates an urgent need. The same reasoning applies to US-2s that spend most of their time patrolling or standing by. A city watch reporting that all is well describes a system doing its job, while a watch running constantly from crisis to crisis would signal an overworked force and a deeper problem. Maintaining readiness preserves a response for the moment it is suddenly needed.