Necessary or good to have, either way we mostly don't have it now!
The focus of my original question was on what additional capability would be brought by a top cover MPA over and above that of a modern SAR helo. Clearly you've interpreted it as a demand that a lone helicopter ought to be sent off to do its own thing without back up; perhaps I ought to have worded it more precisely. I have since learned that at the time of the tragedy, Rescue 116 (an S92) was in fact acting as top cover. This surely tends to confirm that there is no issue of capability? Alternatively, is it being suggested that the fact it was performing this role (because of the IAC crewing issue) was in some way contributory to the accident?
Last edited by ShotOne; 12th Apr 2017 at 18:07.