Crab, you may just be right about standards dropping somewhat old boy. Rumour has it that the current SAR providers (and maybe hot favourites for SAR-H). No names, but initials sound like C*C, are about to take a paramedic off the street and ‘train’ up to be a winch man.
All this ‘training’ will happen on a current SAR base with an in house training package using current allocated aircraft training hours.
Cost cutting the extensive (expensive??) route of RAF Valley training and its proven training methods?. What sort of starting salary is on offer I would hate to think! Anyone know?? I have a few old contacts in Eastern Europe keen for work in the UK doing something that doesn’t require too much knowledge/training to replace the aging very experienced but obviously expensive burden to the current and maybe next SAR-H providers.
How do the current crews feel about this proposal and the effect on their terms and conditions not to mention the ‘specialisation’ that was the hallmark of professional helicopter operations. Very sad to hear that the standards are being lowered in these cost cutting moves. Did the hard hit operators ‘Management’, get the Interim contract figures so wrong? Is it true that a ballot for strike over pay/erosion of terms and conditions is being undertaken as I go to print?
DOES NOT BODE WELL FOR SAR-H. Shame really, to see all those years of a job so well done by the Old providers undermined by the ‘Mismanagement’ of the current ones. Does the DFt/MCA/public accept this reduction of training standards with possible casualty, aircrew and aircraft flight safety implications; hmm one does wonder.
Fly Safe you SAR boys & girls. x