[email protected] said:
Jknife - if your attitude is that profit is all that matters and that therefore all civ companies will operate in the same cut-throat manner then it is hardly an advert for civvy SAR. Capability comes at a cost and if you are not prepared to spend that money then your true capability (rather than what you claim to have) will suffer.
Actually I am saying that to an extent. Unless you know of some other source, the MCA will be paying for the 5-year contract. Based on your 4hrs per shift, that works out to approximately 120 hours per month (assuming a 30-day month) for a RAF SAR unit. I bet all of the MCA units would love those hours to play with, because the MCA only pay for 45 hours per month - about
one third of what you claim to get!
Now, I agree with HF that it would be nice for the company to provide all that he as suggested, but someone has to pay for it all. The MCA will not pay for that much (unless they have changed their policy for this new contract, and no doubt you can ask crabette about that!); therefore hours are cut back. This is so the provider can at the very least break even, but preferably make a small profit. It is a commercial world and despite what you would like to see, it ain't going to happen. Why do think the military are trying to civilianise lots of their work? It's because they can get companies to bid for the work, and the bids will be at a considerably lower cost than the RAF (or other service) can do that work at. In addition, the civil companies will do it with a leaner support system, which includes less manpower and spares support to suggest just a couple of items. Unfortunately, one fault of military life is that it protects you from the real world of commercialism.
If you leave and work for CHC SAR (or someone else), be prepared for an almighty shock based on what you think at the moment. Mind you, you can expect an easier life style, about 8 shifts per month, no seconds, maximum 2000hours duty per year to comply with the Working Time Directive - oh and not much flying, about 15-20 hours per month including jobs I would guess! So over 8 shifts per month you are probably looking at about 1.5 hours per shift for training. That's what the MCA units have to put up with now, and they would love more. Problem is, where is the money going to come from? It wont be the provider nor the contractor, therefore no more hours.
Perhaps you should ask crabette what extra money the MOD/Government are going to put towards the SAR contract? That's if she knows. No doubt all those civil servants in the MOD are keeping those figures very quiet!
I hope you will reflect on the comments posted by many on here when you get to civvy life. Many of the names here have done both military and civil SAR for many more years than you probably have total in the military !