Lal Steady.
You have to understand that Bristow is the leader in the civil helicopter world as far as it's crew training is involved. When the new offshore co-pilots come through the system they have to be mothered for the first couple of months but after that it's a coast. The quality of co-pilots is so good that being an offshore captain is probably one of the easiest jobs in the business. I know, because I am a bone idle sod. There is absolutely no doubt that the training for SAR co-pilots will be of the same standard.
Way back with the S61s there wasn't a lot of equipment on the aircraft so there was not so intensive to carry out the job ie, on a Wessex there was only one jockey., so low hour co-pilots could be fed into the system without jeapadising the operation, as did the military.
Years and years ago a Chinese helicopter company joined forces with Bristow to start offshore and other flying in China. This was to reassure western passengers that they were in safe hands over the South China Sea. This continued for years even after they had sufficient crew trained to North Sea standards; the Chinese captains gaining CAA licences and flying from Aberdeen. They still required Bristow to stay on because of the standard of training which they thought might slip in it became an all Chinese operation.
For various reasons I will not go in to but nothing to do with aviation Bristow pulled out of China, quite suddenly. I, and three others, were approached by COHC has asked to stay on on OUR T&Cs because they valued the quality of our (Bristow) training so highly.
This we did and to keep me on they moved heaven and earth to keep my Chinese licence going until I was nearly sixty nine. They are now by themselves with the standard offshore work plus the SAR contract in Shanghai and I am proud of what I have contributed to that organisation.
Don't knock Bristow, I may have worked for them but I have seen others in the world and they are the best.