Droopystop
"Virtually all the civvie crewmen have a full military service behind them"
So this is where the civvies beneift by not having to train virually all their rearcrew; a massive cost saving. If the mil give up SAR for good, then what will happen to the cost of civvie SAR as they will have to expend hours of training for rearcrew? It will undoubtedly rise. Then apples will be apples.
"They [CG machines] are already manned by a significant number of civvie trained crews up to the highest level.
The CAA are already involved - how do you think Bristow's and CHC have been providing civillian based SAR since the 70s?"
I do not dispute that Civvie SAR sometimes works overland, but only when the CG releases them to work for another agency. But are they trained to the highest level? Which of the CG SAR crews is authorised to work below 500ft agl overland at night on NVG? Yes the CAA are involved, obviously, but have they given SAR operators the remit to use NVG overland?
Oh and by the way to keep the current discussion in context, I have not said civvies could not provide the same service as Mil crews currently do. Civvies could, but it will cost them a lot more and I'm not sure they're willing to do this.