Crab,
can you answer the question that you and VSF keep avoiding which is, have you seen a 189 up close in the flesh?
The RAF and RN have done and continue to do a great job providing SAR for the UK which I agree is a gold standard and one which Bristow can aspire to emulate but time moves on. The SK cannot go on forever and thankfully nor can you.
I am not saying that change is always for the better, in fact it is often for the worse when squeezed budgets dictate a new regime but both you and I do not really know how all this is going to pan out.
Introducing a new a/c straight into a harsh environment for state sar is a gamble I know but in time it will develop into a good cab I am sure. You may argue that it should have time in other theatre of operations to iron out it's problems before being accepted for SAR but there was no time for this.
Go back a few years and tell us all how you would have bid for the contract using civvy a/c on a tight budget.
You may not think it's morally right to take SAR away from you and give it to a private operation for remuneration but it's happened and we must accept that.
Now, can you answer my first question please.