North Sea SAR - Project Jigsaw

[ttthompson]

Heard sketchy details today of a plan to scrap Rig Support Vessels and replace them with dedicated SAR Helo's on oil rigs. Good salaries, offshore rates, civvies needing 15 or so crews.

Does anyone have any more details, or is this just another cynical ploy to get our hope's up of a job outside?

[Oh I See]

The scrapping of all the rig support vessels will not happen; far too risky although VERY cost effective (money not lives).

PROJECT JIGSAW, however, is very, very real. If the hierarchy need any justification to extend/ re target the FRI then they had better start thinking about this v soon. Combine it with the pathetic state of the sea queen fleet (about 50% us each day [front line ac only]) and the Air Farce probably won’t have a SAR Force (bar MRT).

Truly sad bit is they won’t even notice.

[In Tor Wot]

Word is we won't have a SAR force at all shortly - watch this space

[Cabe LeCutter]

Hey Retard. .You better be careful when listening in on fishing expeditions.

[cyclic]

ITW

What could you possibly mean? Has the recent increase in PR traffic anything to do with this?

[Catt]

In Tor Wot

EXCUSE ME!? <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

What do you mean no SAR force?! - that's the primary reason I'm joining!! I know you said watch this space but this is crucial stuff (for me anyway, sorry everyone else!)

Please tell me this is just a wind-up

[ttthompson]

ITW

Are you sure you aren't getting the possible PFI initiative for the Sea Queen replacement mixed up with privatising SAR.

If you believe all the rumours, it should have gone 15 years ago!!!

[Gen. Bombdabastards]

I heard about this early last week, so I decided to give BHL (Bristows) a long shot e-mail. They put me in touch with thier senior SAR aircrewman instructor and standards officer. It's a trial initially then if all goes well they may expand sometime during 2004. To register your interest e-mail Mr S Grinney his address is [email protected]. .Might cause a wee bit of a unappreciated airman aircrew retention problem.. .Best Wishes . .The Gen

[dopeonarope]

Gen you're right I know the Chief pilot on the trial.

[ttthompson]

Mr Bristow, He say "YES!!"

Trial starting summer 02 for 15 months, providing that goes well, North Sea SAR should start Jul 04.

Bristows would need to recruit 48 rearcrew with SAR experience.

3 a/c in Northern N Sea( + spare in Aberdeen), 1 a/c Southern N Sea (+spare at Gt Yarmouth).

Salaries expected to be £36K, offshore allowance(£25 per day), plus allowance for paramedic, instructor and fire fighting quals.

Add that to your pension, and it seems v attractive.

Start calculating your NGR dates now!!

[ 19 February 2002: Message edited by: retard rearcrew ]</p>

[2STROPS]

Hi RR. .Just a few points to help you make a decision. Firstly Bristow only have the contract for the trail and not the full coverage. Scotia will be bidding for that as well. Don't sell yourself short for a measly £36K the Captains will be on £100,000 as there is a shortage of SAR qualified Captains and anybody who agrees to do it for less does not realise that life on a rig is akin to prison. No booze, no popping out to the shops, very little privacy and lots of rules. You will be doing very little flying (maybe a max of 1 hr a day) and very few rescues to enliven what will be a monotonous existence.

[ 19 February 2002: Message edited by: 2STROPS ]</p>

[ttthompson]

2S's,

Thanks for that, I'd got that from Bristow's as well, but thought I'd just post the juicy bits.

£50k ( once you add allowances and pension) & getting hold of your £30k gratuity sounds pretty good to me! It's got to be better than £33k and an annual shafting as we have at present!!

Life offshore maybe boring (not too dissimilar to FI!), but working 2 wks on, 2 wks off, gives Johnny plenty of time off not to become too boring.

And then, of course, the less you fly, the less chance you have to crash and burn (or should that be ditch).

:)

[ 20 February 2002: Message edited by: retard rearcrew ]</p>