Every patch has extremities and if you happen to be in need of rescue in one, then that's just bad luck, just like it's bad luck if the weather's sh!t or if the helicopter's engaged in another rescue. The word on the street is that it'll be 12 bases come 2012 so there's always going to be somewhere that has marginally poorer coverage - that's just a fact of life. You can't base aircraft everywhere. Does little Johnny in Dorset have more right to be saved than little Jimmy in East Kent? Of course not and when you look at the present geographical spread of bases, especially in southern England, it makes no sense at all. Face facts, either Portland or Lee will have to shift eastwards. My money's on the one that's only needed 50% of the time at the moment. Bye bye Portland.