aviation2 - it amazes me that someone with clearly no knowledge of the operation can post a load of bull**** like its fact
As CVR stated, all 6 machines that were originally brought over are still here and flying. A 139 in Riyadh, a 412 in Medina and 2 412s in Jeddah are being crewed 24/7 as we speak. The second 139 is waiting to have the medical kit reinstalled after it was used to ferry SRCA VIPs around for the Hajj. The other 412 is waiting on parts for the rotor brake, hardly a major mx issue as you suggest.
Yes, it is true that SRCA has had trouble retaining their expat medics, but this was solved by crewing the aircraft with Saudi doctors. Our lack of flying has nothing to do with aircraft serviceability or crew issues, it is due to the Red Crescent dispatch not utilizing the aircraft.
I was speaking with one of the Saudi doctors a couple days ago who just transferred from ground to air ambulance. He was telling us that all of the ground crews have been instructed not to call for the helicopter because of internal politics within the Red Crescent.