UK Search and Rescue sold to Bristows

[Siko]

Just been announced on Sky that Bristows has won the UK SAR contract with a mix of S92 and AW189 aircraft.


Edit: so err as it says on the tin then

[Simpo Two]

I'm not up to speed on this - is 'UK SAR' the same thing as 'big yellow jobbies that rescue people from cliffs'?

[ecsrobin]

SAR - Search and Rescue.

The yellow aircraft are seakings operated by the RAF based at Wattisham, Leconfield, Chivenor, Valley, Boulmer, Lossiemouth.

Then you have the grey and red seakings operated by the navy based at culdrose and prestwick.

The seakings will be retired 2015/2016 and the MOD are not planning to replace the SAR equipped aircraft. And so the maritime and coastguard agency (MCA) will take over the operation of SAR in the UK.

They already operate at Lee-on-Solent, Portland, Stornaway, and Sumburgh and they are the white and red aircraft you may see out and about or on TV

[Siko]

Simpo Two said:

I'm not up to speed on this - is 'UK SAR' the same thing as 'big yellow jobbies that rescue people from cliffs'?

Not much I can add to the previous post other than that the usual people are decrying the civilianisation of SAR as being the end of the known world. However as SAR was started to lift fighter pilots out of dinghies and the vast majority of work is now civilian jobs, rather than military, seems sensible to me

Of course this has nothing to do with me recently getting a job with the same company and really fancying doing it for a living

[williamp]

so those "al the gear no idea" yacht owners wont ever meet Price William. Whatever will the yacht club say...

[anonymous-user]

Certainly feels like the end of an era, but has been an inevitable decision for some years now. When the RAF Search and Rescue flight moved from Manston there was uproar, but of course the clue was in the name.

I imagine that at some point we'll see a newspaper story about somebody dying because they wouldn't take risks in bad weather or something, but generally I doubt anyone will notice the difference in day to day reality.

Most UK air ambulances are operated by private companies and most would agree that they do a pretty fine job.

[matchmaker]

The S92 is a far superior aircraft to the Sea King. And in any event, Bristow operated the SAR from Sumburgh, Stornoway and Lee on Solent for many years.

[2fast748]

So will Prince William be getting a P45 or will he TUPE across?

[anonymous-user]

2fast748 said:

So will Prince William be getting a P45 or will he TUPE across?

He'll be long gone by the time this kicks in, either in a mor senior staff job or back to polo clubs, charity balls and trips to Africa.
Ho well, athe end of SAR.....as others have mentioned it seems an obvious step. Not sure there's much an MOD Sea King does that a Civvy S92 can't.

[andym1603]

It was noted in the local paper recently that at Dalcross (Inverness Airport) there is 4 of the new S92 based there
for training. They will be there until they are due to take over the SAR role.

[Simpo Two]

There seem to be two ways to run things - either the Government does it and is incompetent and slow, or private enterprise does it and prices rise and standards fall as the directors fill their bank accounts. Option 3 - military seemed to work quite well as far as I could tell.

[Siko]

Not necessarily so IMO, without getting into a civilian v military bunfight there are plenty of reasons why the taxpayer may get a better deal commercially than through the state. We're fairly expensive in the military

Don't think Bristows crews will be off work for 2 months to learn how to speak England, get gassed, shoot guns, organise parades etc or get sent on ground tours in Afghanistan. All while they could be at work.

Hopefully

[scubadude]

ecsrobin said:

They already operate at Lee-on-Solent, Portland, Stornaway, and Sumburgh and they are the white and red aircraft you may see out and about or on TV

"At the moment" The Goverment (in their wisdom) want to do away with Portland and cover it from the stations either side.... Yes, Portland, in the heart of the UK South Coast with its fishing, sailing and diving fleets, huge commercial yard, covering the 50mile wide stretch of channel down to the Channel Islands covered by Helicopters at least 40minutes away- Genius.

Its so daft even our MP is fighting to keep it!

I don't give a toss who runs it, but we want to keep one here!

[Simpo Two]

Siko said:

Not necessarily so IMO, without getting into a civilian v military bunfight there are plenty of reasons why the taxpayer may get a better deal commercially than through the state. We're fairly expensive in the military

And I thought you did it for free for the practice



Perhaps in a few more years ASR will be down to charity like the air ambulances?

[matchmaker]

Simpo Two said:

Perhaps in a few more years ASR will be down to charity like the air ambulances?

Doubt it.

http://shetlopedia.com/Coastguard_Rescue_Helicopte...

and

Shetland website said:

Papa Stour's most recent shipwreck occurred on 9 December 1977 when the Aberdeen trawler Elinor Viking A278, skipper Alec Flett, foundered on the Ve Skerries. The Aith Lifeboat came to the scene but was unable to get near enough to rescue the crew because of the sea conditions. At the request of Alec Webster, Coastguard Station Officer, Lerwick, a volunteer crew in a British Airways Sikorsky S61N helicopter from Sumburgh Airport was scrambled. They managed to winch all the boat's crew to safety within hours of the grounding, despite the storm force winds. The helicopter crew later received a number of awards for bravery. There was no loss of life, but this incident prompted the building of a lighthouse on the skerries in 1979, and may also have been the example required for the formation of the present Search and Rescue helicopter unit, based at Sumburgh Airport.

So there has been a dedicated SAR chopper at Sumburgh since at least 1983.

[Fishtigua]

Here in the Channel Islands, we have to run our own search plane. On a tiny budget, we manage to run an Islander as a spotter plane. This is because the helicopters of the UK and France are just that bit far away for swift response. You've got to be there very quickly in an emergency, first responce and all that. It's run along the lines of the RNLI, from donations.

http://www.ci-airsearch.com/

Edited by Fishtigua on Tuesday 26th March 13:15

[PeteS2k]

I assume that the commercial operator will have a ready supply of ex-RAF/RN SAR crews for the first few years at least. Do they have their own training system for pilots/winchmen etc for when that source dries up?

[Dr Jekyll]

PeteS2k said:

I assume that the commercial operator will have a ready supply of ex-RAF/RN SAR crews for the first few years at least. Do they have their own training system for pilots/winchmen etc for when that source dries up?

I think Bristows already train SAR crews for the RAF.

[Geneve]

Apparently Bristows will be doing the basic training at Gloucestershire Airport.

[Taffer]

PeteS2k said:

I assume that the commercial operator will have a ready supply of ex-RAF/RN SAR crews for the first few years at least. Do they have their own training system for pilots/winchmen etc for when that source dries up?

Combat SAR is still taught to military rotary aircrew and the skills are transferable to civilian SAR ops, so the drip feed of ex-mil pilots will continue for quite some time. Most of the RN SAR crew have worked in front line squadrons before transferring, rather than being in SAR the majority of their flying career:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west...