Crab.
£75k? Not
all civvy pilots are on anything like that figure. Granted though,
some probably are. SFO's, who make up a good proportion of the crews, are nowhere near even your Flt.Lt.'s figure.
Anyway, judging by an article in today's Torygraph, "10per.cent shortfall in aircrews for Iraq/Afghanistan,"I would say that their airships are looking for bums on seats from the SAR force. If not now, then certainly in the not too distant future!(Keep a low profile and they might not notice you all!)
Update the Sea King? To quote yourself, "Are you mad."
More money down the Wasteland drain!!
This is supposed to be a 20/30 year project so spend a lot of money now and that saves having to do it later, once at least!!
BTW. a source within the
new MCA contractors was heard to say that maybe the 139 is perhaps not the right choice afterall!!
A bit late for that I would suggest! Also the first 139 will be at Portland
not Lee!! Evidently the full autopilot/autohover will not be certified in time to provide full 24hr. cover for Lee. Keep the S61's at Lee until it becomes available.
To judge by the same Torygraph article,(and I can only take it at face value, though they are allegedly MOD figures), the money would be better spent on getting the frontline aircraft sorted out first. "Tommy" would rather see a Chinnook coming over the horizon than know that the folks back home have got a nice updated "Yellow peril".