then had to subject the crew to a risky trek over the ridge with all the kit. The casualty then had to await a land team for extraction
Instead of all this palaver, why did the AA crew in this case not just call for a SAR a/c to resolve this incident?
Of course there will be a delay while it turns up (so call it sooner!), but no more delay than a risky trek over the ridge carrying kit and extraction by a land team. Also would save the casualty the discomfort of a long carry, and save the rescue personnel the risks of trekking over the ridge and carrying the cas out over awkward terrain. And the SAR helo wouldn't have gone home when it got dark!
Team Crab missed a priceless early comment by Russell, perhaps the most untrue statement on this whole long thread:
As for All weather Op's, SAR can not provide anything more than a AA can when the weather sets in apart from operating over the sea where there is nothing to bump into. If anyone can explain how IFR hill side rescues work then please crack on......
Sorry but this is total bolleaux. It would take a while to explain IFR hillside resuces, but it happens frequently. An AA proponent on another recent thread stated that the day wx limits for AAs are 3000m/300', and suggested that surely noone would want to go flying in worse than that - SARBoys train daily in worse weather than that at night, over land and sea! And on a rescue, should the situation demands it, will operate in horrendous weather. This is why Sea Kings often get sent to incidents which an AA has tried and failed to get to due to poor weather. Ho hum...