Why do MIL SAR have to practice NVG when the Civ SAR don't?
...because the civvies do not fly on NVGs. Mil SAR helos conduct around 50% of jobs overland and away from coastal areas, compared with the MCA helos who conduct exceptionally few rescues inland. Stornoway is the only MCA flight that carries out mountain flying training and this only happens during the day.
A rescue or search in the hills at night will only be carried out by military crews and, funnily enough, these skills require training!
This is the side of SAR that the treasury fails to comprehend. The civvies could do a very good job of taking over UK SAR
BUT they would need a massive amount of training in skills they do not currently possess. They would also require continuation training to maintain these skills. Current MCA SAR helo costs cannot be used to project future SAR-H budgeting because their tasking is significantly different from that of the RAF and RN.