TC - you of all people should know better! Op Captaincy in the RAFSARF is exactly that - and there are no filters protecting a new Captain, he or she could be on shift with the least experienced co-pilot the day after being awarded captaincy - it's one of the reasons the Sqn Cdrs make such a big deal about it.
And, to be clear, SAR is not a black art but it requires lots of training to be good at it and 'run of the mill' it certainly isn't but only people with TC's background insist on thinking like that
