PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Rescue choppers in the UK
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Old 6th Aug 2009, 18:38
  #65 (permalink)  
scottishbeefer
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: UK
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Don't be too quick to write-off the Sea King...

Agree with previous posts about the idea of lifting MRT. The north side of Ben Nevis is hard enough without having to do it 3 times instead of 1 - you need a big cab for that work. Interestingly, all the MR's I've worked with who have had experience of the odd S-92 assisting instead of a SK, have all agreed 2 things:

1 - the downwash from a highly loaded disc like an S-92 makes for hard work during winching - the relatively gentle SK is easier on the troops.

2 - With the best will in the world, the Coasties are not well versed in mountain ops, (I stand by for the Cuillins argument). Lochaber and Glencoe MRs struggle to get the service they've been used to from the mil boys simply because it's not the CG's bread and butter. I take my hat off to their maritime skills but experience counts - hopefully enough mil boys will make the jump to SAR-H from Lossie/Gannet/Valley/Boulmer/Chiv to bridge the experience gap, otherwise the concept of having no less a service will be a bit of a porkie pie.

Finally, someone posted earlier that 200nm+ rescues are few and far between. Not sure the 771/Chiv boys would agree with that one.
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