Vie, Soteria were looking at the 25 year contract which did require some self-generated training scheme as the pool of experienced operators would eventually dry up.
This 10 year contract could just about get away without a full-on training system and just do what was required on the flights - the following 10 years however........but that will be someone else's problem and everyone is too concerned with the short-term view.
The next question to be asked is what will be the public's reation to all the bases being changed and many communities losing their 'local' SAR helicopter? If Chivenor, Portland and Boulmer are anything to go by there will be a lot of flak in the press and many more questions in the house.
If, as rumoured, the Culdrose flight might move to St Mawgan and Chivenor to Swansea, Valley to Caernavon, Prestwick to Glasgow, Lossie to Inverness, Lec to Humberside and Wattisham to er...Wattisham, you will be replacing purpose built SAR flights with portacabins and just make life completely miserable for those that have to work there, especially for overnight accommodation.
I know, man up, it's the future and it's cheap
