Concur Tourist's comments re all RN SAR capable - all helo crews can have a go at rescuing someone, the RN are SAR at sea on AL60 or as reqd because they're the only SAR asset in the middle of the oggin. Likewise the AAC do similar in Belize etc; not the same as a dedicated, worked up SAR crew with appropriate kit.
Droopystop - didn't know that - ta. Hopefully the crew wouldn't feel any commercial pressure to stop before they felt they'd actually hit the limit of the a/c + crew, especially since they've mainly been on mil side of the fence.
Airborne artist's idea has merit I think - as ever I guess money will drive the issues.
But, what will happen if/when all SAR is civ and all the ex-mil SAR types have withered on the vine? I guess the civ's will need to grow their own experience from within - however, my gut tells me the accident rate is bound to go up at that point. It's been a long running debate on another thread about the amount of hours the mil/civs get for training. The accidents will probably come from the crew getting out of their depth when inevitably they act with the casualty's best interests at heart. Alternatively they might call it a day (night?) when a mil crew (or civ of old) could have found the way to skin the cat.
Is there a thoroughbred civvy SAR driver out there who can advise on how their operation is going?
Any SAR service is better than none of course. But wouldn't it be ironic if some civil servant who's signed off to kill mil SAR was the bloke left on the side of mountain because of the reasons above?
Perhaps we've shot ourselves in the foot by not taking such decision makers out on a few more dark and scary nights (pref. a real job) - they might see it differently.
Any SABR/SAR(H) experts who could enlighten us on the gen rationale behind the decisions?