Why wasn't I at the SARF conference? Oh yes, I remember I was on shift
My attendance had to be cancelled at the last minute due to shift plot faffs.
Senior Trooper - it's not a question of moving on from a golden age, all things change - I accept that as part of life. But when you get to my age and have seen some of the 'changes' that have been implemented, for what seems like all good reasons at the time, but are often the result of 'empire building' and ambitious individuals rather than through a real need for change, one can be rather cynical about claims made to support such change.
Unfortunately the senior guys in the MCA know very little about helicopter SAR - strangely enough the main reason the MoD got involved with SARH - and that attitude of 'with us or against us' is not the way forward. The MCA care about things maritime and coastal, as they should, but have minimal experience of inland/mountain/urban SAR - SARH helicopters will be tasked to lots of stuff the big MCA don't understand so they need to bring that experience into play not alienate it.
Pasptoo - there is lots of NVG experience out there, some relevant, some not - some current, some not - but in order to operate safely and with no loss of capability, a robust, well structured and monitored training scheme will be required and there is not a huge time frame available to organise it. Time spent on goggles is no guarantee of capability.
Yes well done to Gannet - we are running second to them as usual but the 'inflatables off Chiv' remark is a cheap and pathetic shot
Forgot to mention - with 66 mil pers remaining in SAR all on pensionable service and plenty with kids at boarding school that will still be picked up by the taxpayer and the operators profit goes on top - no savings I'm afraid