There is much that can be done to improve safety on these type of operations, in this day and age having friends die and calling them brave or hero's is not good enough for them or their poor families.
These service do provide a medical life line but for Goverment its just another way of avoiding providing local facilites in rural areas and the excecutive should hang their heads in shame.
Scotland needs proper funding for these types of operations and whilst Islanders and Twotters are excellent for what they were desgined for Scotland sometime dangerous weather requires proper respect and equipment.
In this day and age we can make Zero vis landings at places like MAC at least as safe as the current ops given the GPS technologly available and aircraft with first rate a/p systems else where we can do much the same with the latest choppers
If we can afford to fund traffic police to fly choppers with FLIR &NVG to take pictures that they can flog to BRAVO we should start by funding a dedicated LAND & air sea resucue that can provide this type of cover and not rely on Civi's no matter how dedicated.
Sure it will cost money (a lot) but a fraction of the cost of the new Scottish Parliament and dare i say it provide more benifit for the people of Scotland who have been shafted by their politicians.
I would gladly pay the extra to bring those guys back RIP
I see that Gamma are shortly to take over the provision of air ambulance support for Scotland using a pair of King Airs and Choppers.................ironic
please note i am in no way pe judging the out come of the AAIB investigation nor questioning LoganAirs equipment,proccedures or indeed the pilot, just frustrated at another sad loss to our industry.
Cheers
Burt