Geoffers, I don't think Jim was washing over simulators as a valuable training aid but, once you accept their limitations on the sort of training Jim has in mind, you are left with the fact that you need to train with the real aircraft - and that means flying hours.
The new DfT/MCA SAR Force runs the risk of re-inventing the wheel if they don't learn from what exists at the moment and how much liaison and mutual training is required between agencies.
I do have my constant message, and that is that SAR cannot be done 'on the cheap' no matter what the bean counters believe.
Out of interest, our current 6-monthly simulator package includes all the emergency stuff you would expect but much of it is set within SARexs both day and night with rig landings, mountain flying, deck landings, multiple aircraft ops etc etc etc. Now, will the new contract ensure such high-quality training is conducted or will they just tick the required contractual boxes.
I think Jim's (and my) underlying point is that if the contract isn't perfectly written to ensure corners can't be cut, then the SAR service as a whole in UK will suffer.