To be brutally honest.
This incident is a poor example of how air support is utilised/judged.
This type of incident is in the one percent of high profile/high publicity type jobs, that with or without NPAS (without as it stands at the mo) a/c would be tasked to attend from wherever.
It's a sad fact, but true, that the a/c in attendance in wales are highly unlikely to find this child, whatever the circumstances are there. And it's down primarily to police work and boots on the ground to resolve it.
Yes there's a role for a/c, and yes the crews will be trying their utmost in the search. But we all know how difficult it's going to be.
The inefficiencies mentioned by PA should've been ironed out years ago. We need to judge the success of a unit, and in the future, NPAS, not just on how many searches are "attended".
Not how many incidents are "attended"...
But on actual results.
ie. direct ARRESTS
Vehicles LOCATED
Missing persons FOUND
not on how many boxes get ticked.