Re: UK Coastguard SAR - Bristow out??
Running In,
Firstly, do we know if the GC want to go beyond the Isle of Wight. What is their requirement on the south coast?
Secondly, the Agusta website gives a useful load of 2778Kg in the standard aircraft(this is up to MTOW of 6400kg).
The following weights should be in the ballpark:
Hoist: 70Kg
FLIR: 50Kg
SAR Kit Allowance: 200Kg
4* SAR crew at 100Kg each: 400kg
odds and sods allowance: 100kg
This still leaves a payload of 1958KG.
As the Max fuel with Aux tank is 2062L or 1608 Kg the aircraft can take off fully equipped with full fuel at approx 6050 kg. I need to check but I believe the fuel burn at MTOW SL is about 400 kgs / hr. Assume 30 mins reserve and 30 mins on scene that leaves 1.5 hrs each way at approx 160 Kts. I know this is overly simiplfied but thats a range of 250 Nm with b**lls to the wall not to mention Vbr. That doesnt seem to bad to me! Even if the fuel burn is 500kg/hr (which I doubt as a Blachawk burns about 550/600Kg/Hr) thats still about 185nm radius of action!
The Sim is due to be operational in Milan Malpensa (sorry if thats spelt wrong) by years end. As for the HUMS I do not know. As already said the SAR avionics are under development for UAE. When they will arrive Im afraid I dont know.
Aser,
It is my understanding that the CCRR is just a fitting to allow gravity refuelling in afore mentioned conditions and is not pressure refuelling. The catch however is the the bowser must have the same CCRR attachment. It may be possible to fit a pressure refuelling hose to the CCRR and limit the pressure of the fuel uplift but I dont know if bowsers have that capability.
ST