uk94
1st Jul 2002, 22:22
IAIN MACIVER NEWS AND PICTURES STORNOWAY
Office 01851 703000 (24 hours)
Mobile 07010 711999
by Iain Maciver filed July 1, 2002
AS a coastguard rescue helicopter crew waited to be called out on their 2,000th mercy mission, the company they work for won the contract for another five years.
Bristow Helicopters of Redhill in Surrey were officially told by the Maritime Coastguard Agency that they had won the race to continue to be responsible for saving lives and vessels the busy north-west maritime patch until June 2007.
Last night their duty crew at Stornoway were waiting to be scrambled on what would be the 2,000th rescue mission since the first rescue helicopter was based in Stornoway in 1987.
The company also won extensions until the same year for two other contracts for the 24-hour search and rescue (SAR) helicopters at Sumburgh in Shetland, which expires in May 2004, and at Lee-on-Solent in Hampshire, which expires in May next year.
The future of its other contract, at Portland in Dorset, is currently held up because of discussions concerning the redevelopment of the old Royal Naval Air Station.
Other bidders for the rescue contracts were known to include Scotia Helicopters, which also have a base in Aberdeen.
The familiar red and white liveried Sikorsky S61Ns have been operated by Bristow since it won its first contract in Shetland in December 1983.
Since then, there was a persistent campaign for the same facility in Stornoway culminating in success not long after the tragic loss of the crew of the trawler Bon Ami which many said proved the need for a helicopter based in the islands.
In 1987, the first helicopter based in Stornoway was G-BBVA. It later became a standby aircraft giving way to G-BDII. However, the service of that aircraft - affectionately known as Beady Eyes because of its registration letters, ended when it crashed into the sea off Wester Ross during a night-time rescue mission in 1989.
Amazingly, the number of jobs for the Stornoway helicopter, currently G-BIMU or Mike Uniform, is on the increase each year. It took almost 11 years to reach the first 1,000. Yet the next 1,000 were completed in about four and a half years.
In the last year, it was called out 152 times - 103 day missions and 49 at night.
Maurice Storey, the chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, said:
"Our distinctive red and white helicopters will continue to provide search and rescue in these operational areas, in which such activities as the off-shore oil and gas industries, ferry and cruise ships, and a prominent fishing workforce operate, not to mention ever increasing tourism, which can attract thousands of visitors to our busy coastline, during the summer months."
He paid tribute to the crews of the helicopters based in Stornoway and Shetland for their "reassuring presence" far out into the Atlantic and the North Sea. They had pulled off some of the most dramatic search and rescue episodes in recent years, he said.
Bristow Helicopters chief executive Keith Chanter last night said: "We are delighted to have won these contracts against strong competition. The awards reflect not only the professionalism, expertise and commitment shown at each of the four bases over many years but also the high level of specialist logistical and maintenance support given to the bases by the teams at Aberdeen and Redhill."
In the next few years, a new generation of SAR helicopters will be developed the MCA will be looking closely at these new aircraft as they become available.
The UK currently has 12 helicopter bases fitted out for search and rescue. The
four which are operated by the coastguard, and all operated by Bristow, are at Stornoway, Shetland, Lee-on-Solent and Portland.
There are also two Royal Navy bases and six for the Royal Air Force.
The Sikorsky S61N helicopter are continuously upgraded to ensure they remain among the most effective SAR helicopters in the world. They are equipped with two fully capable winches, in case one is damaged during a rescue attempt, and the data display in the cockpit is state of the art.
Infra-red cameras help search for casualties by comparing body temperature with sea or ground temperature and night vision goggles, worn by the on-board search team, turn night into day.
The coastguard service lays down that the prime objective for a SAR helicopter is to reach survivors in any part of the UK as quickly and as safely as possible.
They have to take off quickly, normally within 15 minutes by day and 45 minutes by night, of a call for help.
Ends
Office 01851 703000 (24 hours)
Mobile 07010 711999
by Iain Maciver filed July 1, 2002
AS a coastguard rescue helicopter crew waited to be called out on their 2,000th mercy mission, the company they work for won the contract for another five years.
Bristow Helicopters of Redhill in Surrey were officially told by the Maritime Coastguard Agency that they had won the race to continue to be responsible for saving lives and vessels the busy north-west maritime patch until June 2007.
Last night their duty crew at Stornoway were waiting to be scrambled on what would be the 2,000th rescue mission since the first rescue helicopter was based in Stornoway in 1987.
The company also won extensions until the same year for two other contracts for the 24-hour search and rescue (SAR) helicopters at Sumburgh in Shetland, which expires in May 2004, and at Lee-on-Solent in Hampshire, which expires in May next year.
The future of its other contract, at Portland in Dorset, is currently held up because of discussions concerning the redevelopment of the old Royal Naval Air Station.
Other bidders for the rescue contracts were known to include Scotia Helicopters, which also have a base in Aberdeen.
The familiar red and white liveried Sikorsky S61Ns have been operated by Bristow since it won its first contract in Shetland in December 1983.
Since then, there was a persistent campaign for the same facility in Stornoway culminating in success not long after the tragic loss of the crew of the trawler Bon Ami which many said proved the need for a helicopter based in the islands.
In 1987, the first helicopter based in Stornoway was G-BBVA. It later became a standby aircraft giving way to G-BDII. However, the service of that aircraft - affectionately known as Beady Eyes because of its registration letters, ended when it crashed into the sea off Wester Ross during a night-time rescue mission in 1989.
Amazingly, the number of jobs for the Stornoway helicopter, currently G-BIMU or Mike Uniform, is on the increase each year. It took almost 11 years to reach the first 1,000. Yet the next 1,000 were completed in about four and a half years.
In the last year, it was called out 152 times - 103 day missions and 49 at night.
Maurice Storey, the chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, said:
"Our distinctive red and white helicopters will continue to provide search and rescue in these operational areas, in which such activities as the off-shore oil and gas industries, ferry and cruise ships, and a prominent fishing workforce operate, not to mention ever increasing tourism, which can attract thousands of visitors to our busy coastline, during the summer months."
He paid tribute to the crews of the helicopters based in Stornoway and Shetland for their "reassuring presence" far out into the Atlantic and the North Sea. They had pulled off some of the most dramatic search and rescue episodes in recent years, he said.
Bristow Helicopters chief executive Keith Chanter last night said: "We are delighted to have won these contracts against strong competition. The awards reflect not only the professionalism, expertise and commitment shown at each of the four bases over many years but also the high level of specialist logistical and maintenance support given to the bases by the teams at Aberdeen and Redhill."
In the next few years, a new generation of SAR helicopters will be developed the MCA will be looking closely at these new aircraft as they become available.
The UK currently has 12 helicopter bases fitted out for search and rescue. The
four which are operated by the coastguard, and all operated by Bristow, are at Stornoway, Shetland, Lee-on-Solent and Portland.
There are also two Royal Navy bases and six for the Royal Air Force.
The Sikorsky S61N helicopter are continuously upgraded to ensure they remain among the most effective SAR helicopters in the world. They are equipped with two fully capable winches, in case one is damaged during a rescue attempt, and the data display in the cockpit is state of the art.
Infra-red cameras help search for casualties by comparing body temperature with sea or ground temperature and night vision goggles, worn by the on-board search team, turn night into day.
The coastguard service lays down that the prime objective for a SAR helicopter is to reach survivors in any part of the UK as quickly and as safely as possible.
They have to take off quickly, normally within 15 minutes by day and 45 minutes by night, of a call for help.
Ends