Of course the Dark side is in Black!
The poor old RN boys only spend a dog’s watch on SAR and then some ‘dis-appointer’ sends them packing off to a dull front line job so they run off to Civilian Street and the wage of a Group Captain after a short spell. Probably ex 771 NAS SAR crew, who don’t get a lot of eye opening SAR
, unlike the PWK lot. So yes, easily impressed. Especially by the cushiness of the RAF aircrew life and the way everything is geared to look after the aircrew…the RN are poor cousins in that respect.
I implied perhaps not clearly enough that the usefulness of obtaining experienced ex-mil crews was an asset (as that’s the area that in the past most Civ SAR crews came from) It saves time and money whilst providing a rapid increase in numbers to fill all the vacancies that would be created by the Mil SAR demise, if the powers to be wanted to axe it completely. There would be a need for many crews that wanted to join, we don't have to have you but it is commercially sensible to use a valuable asset, yes even you my crustacean friend, ahh the banter we could have.
As for the new kit appearing nearby to you/now in use up north. Well, full digital moving nautical charts & Aeronautical maps + OS mapping down to 1:25K scale, AIS display so you can see every AIS registered vessel with all the info, all for front and rear crew. Skytrac, forward facing radar, EGPWS, MX-15i FLIR with slaved Nightsun (FLIR can be presented in the cockpit, TCAS, 4 axis A/P (We would have liked NVG but that’s will be a SAR-H perk) blah blah drool!
3D can elaborate on how the front seat crew are able to defied the laws of IMC and get on down to do the job over water (probably with a combination of smoke and mirrors) Some of the ‘Masters’ use the Force
.
Must dash now but please don’t let the hook go, the fishing is bloody brilliant here.
