S92 - Fit for purpose - YES!
Guys
As any of you who have operated this patch of sea will know:
Channel 0 and Aberdeen Information are available most of the way from Sumburgh to Stornoway in addition to Scottish Information as an alternative. Trust me - speak to Aberdeen Info if you do not beleive!!!
And indeed on this very mission the S61 was in comms with Aberdeen Info until the final 40 miles to vessel and in contact witht the Coastguard on Channel 0 throughout the whole mission!!!!!
Depending on your view of what you want HF for - I would much prefer the SKYTRACK real time display of location (GPS & sat link) together with the sat phone link. ie if the worst should happen then the RCC, Coastguard and indeed anyone with access to the internet and the appropriate password can see the precise location of the aircraft etc etc.
Indeedd although no-one (including the S61) could talk to the S92 the Coastguard passed an accurate Lat and Long of the S92 from their Skytrack display which allowed the S61 to track direct to the vessel.
The S92 was eventually raised by the S61 on channel 67 with 15 miles to run and it subsequently transpired that the S92 wasn't listening on any other channel despite many incoming calls on the sat link phone (HF replacement) from the coastguard!! so where is the failure of the kit!!! Imagine the worst - S61 140 miles out - major emergency - whats the chance that someone would get out a Lat and Long on HF prior to ditching???
The previous few posts hit the nail on the head - the S92 were not able to get a highline on the boat (for whatever reason - certainly not radios!!)and were big enough to give the S61 crew a go before the S61 needed to depart for fuel - the S61 captain happened to be an extremely experienced Ex RN SAR Captain who was familiar and comfortable with his machine and a bloody nice bloke as well!
Lets not knock the S92, the kit or indeed CHC! chances are the S92 may have also got the hi-line down on the next go but they WERE professional enough to pull away, have a rest and let another crew have a go!!!
Thats the point of SAR and experienced SAR operators at that - get the job done - egos later!
To the Luddites amongst you - ask what you want HF for and ask what can't be done by the currently fitted Skytrack system!!!!
Oh and for the dis-believers amongst you - Aberdeen information stayed open to oversee the return of the S61 back to Sumburgh in the early hours and were spoken to all th eway home!!!
Long Live the S61!!!!!!
And for Crab - be very careful if you are even thinking of slagging off civvy SAR - the particular details of the personnel in this episode may just bite you in the arse mate!
Regards