Forgive me if my figures are out, as I actually gave my handcuffs, bullet proof vest and machine gun (
) back a while ago, but the CAA minimum hours for police ops (laid down in the PAOM) are something like:
1500 hrs total
500 hrs captain
50 hrs night
A significant amount of low flying.
These are the CAA minima. I think the requirement is also for the time to be on twin engined helis, quite a lot of self improvers don't fly twins before moving to the north sea and that therefore can be a problem on the captaincy time.
It's the last bit that also catches out the north sea chaps.
Some units do require significantly more than this and lay down additional experience requirements, sometimes at least double these figures. However, they are all subject to the usual problems of supply and demand so some units might be flexible, others stand absolutely firm on the minima.
Most units are manned almost entirely by ex-mil pilots as they tend to have more relevant "bread and butter" experience.
Standing by for incoming flak from the north sea area