Having read prune for many years this is the first time I have felt so incensed that I have needed to post.
As someone who knows a number of the AW139 SAR crews I feel it is necessary to defend them; despite the fact that I may be rising to the bait.
Crabette's comments are extremely offensive. All the crews are, already, highly embarrassed by this state of affairs. It would appear that the post serves no purpose but to fulfil an incomprehensible desire to release a vitriolic attack on the aircrew involved. Why? (See below).
Perhaps it would assist all those reading this to assess the validity of the aforementioned post, if I were to point out just one example (of the many) as to why these crews are so keen to return to night service.
Almost all of them have been resident within the vicinity of their bases for a period of many years. As a result they are a part of the local community. Their friends and families use the local beaches, cliffs and sea, for recreation and work. By their actions they have directly removed a vital level of safety cover from their nearest & dearest. I doubt very much this would have been done unless there was a valid, carefully considered, reason?
Most of the crews have both military and civvy experience and have been in the business of SAR for tens, if not scores, of years. Many hold some form of 'recognition' in the form of awards; and all are used to providing the SAR service in conditions where normal a/c are grounded.
All are making every effort to work with the employer and get back to providing some sort of night service. The question is not; 'why don't the crews go back to work?'; it is:-
How was this state of affairs allowed to come to being in the first place? What is being done to prevent a re-occurrence for SARH?
Any answers?
I can only surmise that the rumour that Crabette was closely involved with the selection of this airframe in the first place, and is currently involved with the CHC SARH bid, is accurate.
