and will probably be very creative with their serviceability stats eg it says serviceable on the ops screen right up until you want to launch it and then it mysteriously wont start (often cos it's got no engines or gearbox in).
Crab, do you have documentary evidence of this or could this just be another of the legendary mil SAR stories that has been heard for years? Is this a slur on the professionalism of the civvie SAR crews? I think you will find that it is your own house that needs closer scrutiny when it comes to having any serviceable aircraft to declare - and yes, I do have documentary evidence of the amount of occasions that MOD SAR cannot produce the goods because it available to the public.
In terms of hours for training you are quite correct, there won't be as many as the military have now but I think that with modern aircraft and better reliability the hours will be better utilised.