Hi,
I have a few questions for current Aero Rescue pilots please. If anyone currently flying for them is able to answer these, I'd appreciate it:
How many captains/FOs does AR run per aircraft or per base?
Typically 5 Capt/5 FO, but recruiting more at the moment
Is there a crew on standby at each base office every day during daylight hours or is it home standby?
Yes on Shift during Daylight you are at the base, Shift changeover is around Lunchtime. After dark you are on STBY at home.
If the standby crew is required to be at the base, how is the time spent?
Study, relaxing, watching the box, study etc.
How many standby days in a row is typical?
In a 28 day period you have 8 RDO's, Shifts are Morning/Evening with the odd STBY period where you maybe required to step in if someone goes sick.
Is a low flying qualification a requirement? If so, is it an employment prerequisite or is it covered in the Aero Rescue training?
Yes, not sure about if it is a prerequisite.
Do the pilots form a formal part of the search team during flight, IE: do they just get told to keep their eyes open and stay awake during a search or is there any formal training for this?
formal training, everyone has a job, crew operate as a team, very involved with lots of checks and balances.
All help is greatly appreciated.
Good Luck.