Originally Posted by
Hilife
... Noting current basing plans for the AW189 at LoS, Manston, Cardiff, Prestwick and Inverness, will BHL actually require aux fuel options to cover the UKSRR from any of these bases? ...
Originally, there was no DfT spec for the number of aircraft but there was an availability requirement.
The rescue capabilities and RoA were as follows.
Lot 1: "... minimum rescue capacity per aircraft of 8 casualties/survivors (2 of which are stretchered) and a minimum radius of action of 200nm (250nm at Stornoway)".
Lot 2: "... minimum rescue capacity per aircraft of 4 casualties/survivors (2 of which are stretchered) and a minimum radius of action of 170nm"
Amongst the bidders it is understood that there were proposals for 7 aircraft per lot, probably consisting of one servicing spare and one accident spare.
Then the DfT got cold feet (around the time of the 2 Super Puma ditchings). The spec then became 2 aircraft per base with the theory being that if one type was grounded then the other type could provide coverage.
Bristow now state the S-92 RoA as 250nm and the AW189 as 200nm. The interactive coverage map on the Bristow SAR website shows the coverage.
SAR Coverage Map | Bristow Search and Rescue
At least 70% of UK SAR helicopter jobs are land jobs. Full tanks are unhelpful for Land SAR search jobs since aircraft turn up unable to deploy enough searchers. First indications are that the AW189 may be less prone to this drawback than either SK or S-92 but the proof of the pudding is in the eating.