Thank you AngelonaWire for your georgraphy lesson - I admit, I was totally caught out on that one, but still can't believe that the BBC would use such an insignificant, unknown location, with so many better known towns in that area. I stand corrected, and thank you for your wisdom. I assume from your title, that you are a winchman, and if so, you have my every respect, and of course, eternal admiration at your geography knowledge - I will fall on my sword in due course !!
Back to the subject .... What are the typical statistics for the Northern Coastguard SAR bases - Surely they typically only lift one or two casualities at a time. Sumburgh, the odd fisherman caught up in some machinery, and the same for Stornoway, with the occasional pair of mountain climbers, yet they will get the benefit of the S92. Is this due to the increased range of operation, or are they deemed to require more lifting capacity ??
I agree with JKnife, you can't base the requirement on a typical useage, you have to look at the maximum expected requirement. Lee covers pretty much the whole of the English Channel including most of the primary ferry routes (I'm not sure of the coverage provided by mainland Europe), so I would hope that the 'Disaster Scenario' planners must have had some input into the descision to downsize the helicopter requirement ?? But then when has common sense played any part ...... 1987 - 190 people die in the Zeebrugge ferry disaster, ........ 1994 - RAF Manston SAR base closed and relocated about 75miles further north !!!