View Full Version : 78 Sqn/SKIOS in the Falklands
country calls
20th Sep 2007, 15:31
Anyone got any information on the Sea Kings going civvy in the Falklands? I have an interview soon for a maintainers job down there, so welcome any gen available from engineers or operators on the set up etc.
And yes I know it gets cold!
Mr-AEO
20th Sep 2007, 15:46
Why not phone the SKIPT and ask the IOS team direct? I'm sure that they will be able to give you a reasonably confident steer. This assumes you are Service?
And while you're at it, ask why the aircrew jobs down there can't be civilianised as well - it's all turned into SH tasking since the Chinook left and is a pointless waste of time for UK SAR crews.
Winch-control
21st Sep 2007, 12:54
A pointles waste of time for the aircrew? Yep largely, however, along with the green tasking, that actually keeps the SAR crews up to speed with normal heli-ops, There is still a job to do. Yep it could be done by civvies easy. All you need is a heli, paramedic qualified crew and an airframe...oh and a viable contract...for that airframe and the crews...and people prepared to work 24hrs on / 24 hrs off, oh and live in the FI, oh and get messed around by a military system that changes every 4-6 months (unless it is completely civilianised): aah so easy!
SARREMF
22nd Sep 2007, 23:19
Crabb, did I just hear you say civilianise something? I think the reason you chaps are still going there - and i oh so sympathise having spent far too many times there myself! bet the code on the O'mess door is still the same!
But chaps I think the point in this modern day and age is that that is the military bit of your tour! And lets face it, your not getting shot at and mortars are not landing near your tents! Get rid of that military element and you might as well get rid of the rest? At least SAR-H recognised this and retained that glorious posting for you! And lets face it, people pay good money to lock themselves in the Betty Ford clinic. Think of the Falklands as the reverse! A sort of alcoholics are us rather than anonymous
SARREMF - I think the problem is that it isn't very military - peacetime SH work is tedious at best and in a no-threat environment isn't any sort of real tactical SH flying at all. The FI gets us current on USLs and makes you very 'pub-fit' but that's about it.
I know I said privatise....I couldn't help myself:) It's about time we stopped trying to justify the existence of the SARF with military pretensions - we don't send a stream of crews to SH (especially not rearcrew) and we don't need to be in the FI. We do an outstanding job in UK and that is all that needs to be said. We will be sold down the river because the big RAF doesn't care and doesn't want us (we are not core business) and the only losers will be the British public.
Winch control - why do you need a paramedic in the FI - any ejectees would be a scoop and run to the hospital and there is a medical center full of medics with not much else to do for other jobs (infrequent as they are).
Brintel could take it over tomorrow.