Made my way through what was not a very professional looking or sounding presentation or Q and A.
My first question is why are the MCA not the experts in this field? They state that themselves!
I must say that I do from time to time get concerned about the MCA's grasp on some matters. For instance, two of the questions from me during the Q&A went straight to the heart of their understanding of how SAR aviation is regulated. If they don't make prescriptive requirements in the contract about matters that require regulatory approval (as they failed to do 1971 to 2006+) then it does not get translated into an Operating Manual and ultimately an AOC and appropriate secondary regulation. They need to pay attention in class.
Lots of buzzwords about innovation and specifying effect not solutions which is the same crap that happened last time - 'blue-sky thinking outside the box' - does anyone really think there will be an alternative to helicopters for rescuing people by 2024? They are frightened to commit to the realities of life in order to make themselves look progressive.
They did however end up with a world class service the last time. I agree that no alternative to the helicopter is likely to exist by 2024, or probably 2035. I have a suspicion that as the contract process moves forward, even without Richard Parkes to make incisive statements about helicopter operations, reality will sink in and the big beast rip-off merchants and the half-price dreamers will be turfed out and we'll be left with the usual suspects. I hope I'm not wrong.
It seems pretty obvious that you need mostly smaller aircraft for bases since 87% of jobs are within 100nm of base and then perhaps 2 long range assets (both West facing, one North and one South) for long range stuff. You can supplement this with FW and UAVs as much as you like but you will still need to rescue people.
My feeling is that we are in the right place already. I understand what our friend John Foster says about the number of quick jobs not far from base but my feeling is that there is a reason that as one moves further into the 45+ degrees 'hostile environment', all around the world the SAR aircraft get bigger. Could be coincidence but I don't think so. I think that if we end up with a contractor with S-92 and another contractor with maybe H145 then whatever you do it's likely to turn into a sh1tshow with everybody in the wrong place.
They wouldn't specify bases or equipment, why? If Bristow don't get the contract does that mean all their expensive infrastructure would have to be replaced elsewhere as part of the bill to the UK taxpayers? How is that value for money?
Nice little earner for Bristow renting those out? Business collaboration is more profitable than business competition after all (that's why we have laws against some forms of it!). Maybe not the best for the taxpayer certainly, although we don't know how the bidders might account for commercial property investments.
The stats on jobs show again what a land grab MCA made in the past, a full 50% of jobs are inland with the rest spread between maritime and coastal - how is that all MCA territory when the police have primacy inland?
The police have been pussies and let the Coasties elbow in on things. It is not helped when some police think that anything that doesn't involve baton-wielding or battering down doors as the sun comes up isn't worth their while. The broad view of public safety that many of us are used to is wasted on them. The Coasties on the other hand may feel a need to bolster their position since their importance in the Civil Contingency hierarchy is not as clear cut as police and fire for instance.
There seems to be an acknowledgement that the present contract wasn't well thought out - the implication that stakeholder training is currently inadequate, no-one thought about carriage of rescue dogs and problems with increasing capability or adding new technology.
One issue the director acknowledged was cross-governmental department work is difficult due to contract issues and turf boundaries - something the military never had a problem with and one of the strengths it brings to the party.
Govt strategy should be to incorporate Air Ambulance, Police and inland SAR work into one outfit and leave the coastal and maritime stuff to MCA or just hand back UKSAR to the military so you can include all surveillance and intelligence gathering as well as retaining the best aircrew training playground available. The UK military is dropping below critical mass without a war to fight and having surplus manpower in flying jobs means less lag when you have to ramp up (inevitable at some time in the future). Now I know that will seem like pie in the sky but thinking outside the current 'get a new MCA contract sorted, like the current one but somehow better' box doesn't seem what the MCA want to do. Not innovative or forward thinking, just more of the same.
I have always questioned the fitness of MCA to manage aviation and that presentation hasn't changed my mind. The question about the CAA approving the use of UAVs wasn't answered and seemed to be 'well they will have to approve it'.
The stakeholder training matter is as good as fixed. Requirements are being reviewed and the bidder on the new contract will have access to the names and contact details of the stakeholders and thus the ability to go and ask the right questions. If the right questions are not asked then that becomes another measure for the MCA to consider during the competitive dialogue phase.
We should remember that nobody else wanted UK SAR Helicopters. If the military wanted it then it would have all been sorted out at the same time as JHC. There is no other Govt department that wants it or is a good fit. The MCA was doing contract SAR already and could see that bolstering its image in this way was a win-win not least from the point of view of deterring a move to single European coastguard.
Police air support beyond the scope of an economically sensible NPAS should be an RAF SH task and can be based on air support for RAF Police and RAF Regiment. It would be sensible for a variety of reasons to have military helicopter resources more widely spread around the UK.
Air Ambulance? Do NOT start me.