Wiretensioner - I have no Merlin time at all but you should know better than to use your experience on the end of the wire over an airfield as a basis for stating it will make a good SAR machine in all environments.
I didn't say it couldn't get into the mountains or land MR but with a downwash like that it is unsuitable for a lot of cliff and mountain rescues. You'll be saying we should do SAR on the Chinook next.
I had a cliff faller last Wednesday who was stuck on a ledge 100' down from the top and 150' up from the bottom of a very steep climbing area. It was interesting enough getting the winchman safely onto the ledge without the added embuggerance of introducing more downwash and turbulence to the area.