SarOwl - your maths is too simplistic because we don't use constituted crews(and I don't think the CG do either). Therefore each shift is likely to be with a different co, radop or winchman who may or may not have done the same training as you and the rest of the crew. Therefore there is much duplication, hence the extra hours.
Previous threads have stated that MCA crews train 1 hour a day which is where my 4 to 1 (and I did say approximately) came from - if they do 1.5 hours a day then it is 3 to 1 for some flights and slightly less than that for others. (Some flights are allowed 4.5 hours trg per day)
Now to put things into perspective, we don't actually fly 4 hours a day every day on training - that is what we are allowed to do unless jobs, serviceability, weather etc get in the way. Most RAF SAR flts average 100-110 ish hours a month with about an 80/20% split of trg to jobs but that still leaves about double the amount of trg compared to an MCA flt.
But, you have to remember that our crews include a radar operator who has radar skills to keep up, as well as FLIR/MSS and his winchop duties. Then factor in that we expect a new pilot on the Sqn (straight from training) to achieve Operational captaincy in about 18 months which takes loads of training and you start to see why we look so much more expensive.
SARREMF - your comments regarding experienced crews not needing as much training are bo88ocks - ALL flying skills are perishable with IF and night flying being the most fragile. I fly less of my own training because I am always training or checking others and I am painfully aware of my own skill fade.
Having lots of flying experience does not make you a good SAR pilot/winchman/winchop - it helps in some situations but is not a replacement (however cheap) for quality SAR training.
Unfortunately you are typical of the non SAR aviators who think they know best about a job they have never done and get all their top info and opinions from crew room chat.
I am not trying to cause angst - change will come, I am sure of it - but when that change comes it needs to be right, not just cheap. Therefore I will continue to fight our corner and highlight where the 'we are cheaper and therfore better' argument is flawed.
PS - over a 30 year contract, if you don't train your SAR co-pilots up to be SAR captains, where are your SAR captains going to come from?