The Sea King: Britain's flying past
Discussion
FIK said:
What's replacing the Sea King?
The Anti-Submarine variants have already been replaced by Merlin HM1/HM2.The Airborne Surveillance and Control version is apparently going to be replaced by spare Merlin HM1s that weren't in the HM2 conversion programme.
The Commando/Junglie requirement will be met by taking the RAF's Merlin HC3s off them, navalising them and giving them to the Fleet Air Arm as HC4.
The two SAR types will not have a military replacement as HM Coastguard is taking over responsibility for unified SAR under the Department of Transport. A mix of Sikorsky S-92 and AgustaWestland AW189 seems to the frontrunners at the moment.
I had the pleasure of flying its cousin the Sikorsky S61N.
Very civilized aircraft, walk up steps to get on it, a large cockpit you could stretch your legs out in, windows you could open to hang your arms out of, and the machine never caught you out, always did everything slowly with no surprises.
Very civilized aircraft, walk up steps to get on it, a large cockpit you could stretch your legs out in, windows you could open to hang your arms out of, and the machine never caught you out, always did everything slowly with no surprises.
ninja-lewis said:
The two SAR types will not have a military replacement as HM Coastguard is taking over responsibility for unified SAR under the Department of Transport. A mix of Sikorsky S-92 and AgustaWestland AW189 seems to the frontrunners at the moment.
Don't hold your breath; there's room in the budget in about 2030. 
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Wing Commander said:
Brilliant little episode showcasing the SK.
Just a shame how John Sargent (sp?) kept calling RNAS Culdrose "Culrose" without the "d"
Makes me wonder about his assertion about "being mad on 'planes". He seems to get simple little pronunciations or phrases wrong all the time. In the Spitfire documentary he made a few years back he kept referring to Focke-Wulfs as "Fockes" - which they never were.Just a shame how John Sargent (sp?) kept calling RNAS Culdrose "Culrose" without the "d"
Good programme but a couple of points stood out.
As has been mentioned already there was footage of a Wessex used while the voiceover was describing the Sea King in action.
I can't help but feel the aircraft is American - don't get all pedantic on me it's just the way I feel.
Speaking of pedantry, when is the BBC going to accept there is only one 'u' in Agusta?
Good though.
As has been mentioned already there was footage of a Wessex used while the voiceover was describing the Sea King in action.
I can't help but feel the aircraft is American - don't get all pedantic on me it's just the way I feel.
Speaking of pedantry, when is the BBC going to accept there is only one 'u' in Agusta?
Good though.
I had never looked in to the heritage or even knew where they were built, but growing up in Falmouth and being always out on the water, or somewhere on the Cornish coast you get very used to the noise and shape and diversity of roles that they are used for. Many of my school mates had connections with Culdrose and a few of them their fathers were pilots, plenty of local people were involved in the Falklands and a neighbour was interviewed on that programme due to his role out there.
I will be very sad to see them go, the Navy is constantly practice landing Merlins on the Helipad outside my office with lots of noise and drama but when one of the 771 Sea Kings stops by its always worth a look.
I consider the Sea King to be very much a part of "Britain's flying past" and incidentally the SAR Sea King in the Maritime Museum is my 4yo daughters favourite thing to play in.....along with the inflated life raft. ( She also will sit in the pitch black mock up of the upturned hull of Tony Bullimores boat and watch the dramatisation of his rescue on loop for ages, totally fascinated )
I will be very sad to see them go, the Navy is constantly practice landing Merlins on the Helipad outside my office with lots of noise and drama but when one of the 771 Sea Kings stops by its always worth a look.
I consider the Sea King to be very much a part of "Britain's flying past" and incidentally the SAR Sea King in the Maritime Museum is my 4yo daughters favourite thing to play in.....along with the inflated life raft. ( She also will sit in the pitch black mock up of the upturned hull of Tony Bullimores boat and watch the dramatisation of his rescue on loop for ages, totally fascinated )
They are part of "Britain's Flying Past" the way a FIAT 127 is part of Britain's motoring past.
Of course Westland did work on the development of the Sea King for Britain (and some European and other overseas operators) but the design is an American one and was built by Westland as part of their copping out of indigenous helicopter design and the abandonment of a true UK helicopter industry.
Westland only got the gig because they promised the UK government that they would shut down all indigenous British helicopter design work once they got their hands on the projects being run by Bristol and Fairey.
This they summarily did.
Of course Westland did work on the development of the Sea King for Britain (and some European and other overseas operators) but the design is an American one and was built by Westland as part of their copping out of indigenous helicopter design and the abandonment of a true UK helicopter industry.
Westland only got the gig because they promised the UK government that they would shut down all indigenous British helicopter design work once they got their hands on the projects being run by Bristol and Fairey.
This they summarily did.
Just watched it. Not a bad programme, though the presenter was a bit irritating, and I thought the content was skewed too much to the "stories" with almost nothing illustrating the actual operation of the aircraft, showing how it's so great. But maybe that's just the aircraft geek in me.
God forbid they tell you anything technical these days. I mean, if they mention the word "horse power", I'd be reaching for my remote in a flash.
You have to remember that programmes these days are usually made by people who on the whole lack knowledge of or are disinterested in technology. They are happy to use it but have no real interest in how it works. And all they want to do is talk about emotions - and try to evoke emotions in the viewers.
Giving the viewer a hard fact might make their brains explode.
You have to remember that programmes these days are usually made by people who on the whole lack knowledge of or are disinterested in technology. They are happy to use it but have no real interest in how it works. And all they want to do is talk about emotions - and try to evoke emotions in the viewers.
Giving the viewer a hard fact might make their brains explode.
mattdaniels said:
Just watched it. Not a bad programme, though the presenter was a bit irritating, and I thought the content was skewed too much to the "stories" with almost nothing illustrating the actual operation of the aircraft, showing how it's so great. But maybe that's just the aircraft geek in me.
I thought it was also too skewed to the Royal Navy. To the general public, surely a Sea King is 'that big yellow rescue helicopter'. Or maybe I'm just biased from a childhood of personal flypasts and 202 squadron popping in for tea.Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff