Tuckunder
I grabbed the figure of 20 hrs out of the air but is it unrealistic? I am talking about experienced pilots not abos. My Seaking conversion and SAR course at Culdrose was 90hrs and this included type conversion, cliff and situation winching, mountain flying, deck landing practice all day and night, along with wets/drums and decks. I estimate less than 20hrs of my 90hrs was on wets and decks.
I had flown SAR in the Wessex but this was really only day VFR.
The term "simple" didn't refer to the act of wet/deck winching but more to the fact they wouldn't be required to do the full range of SAR tasks.
As for the quote by Lord Melchet enough said
SAR is a challenging and demanding role which I thoroughly enjoyed but too many people try and attach mystique to it. Running In's comment sums that up.
Even the RAF didn't give us 20 hrs a month to train with.
As I said in an earlier post I wish them success but it will be a steep learning curve for them and if the wrong people are recruited or selected then it has the recipe for disaster and BP will expect management heads to roll.
HF
(latest offshore rumour is that they will have to be in immersion suits while on shift and take meals in their office
)