Yes it is, and I wish them the best.
You did answer your own question, what will stop them from leaving or where will they go?
18 months is a long time in this industry, who knows what will happen.

Re post #81
 

Bear

Really?

Execujet and Jetgo at least already successfully operate the types they are said to have bid and they would have a pretty good idea of the true operating costs.

Challenger vs Legacy both have been previously modified for SAR (or the EMB145 has), so not much risk for AMSA. Both have similar range, but the Embraer would be quite a deal cheaper to run and would carry nearly double the Challenger in the cabin which some ex AR guys I know reckoned was a stretch at times in the 328 with all the stuff they need to carry, so will be tight in the Challenger.

How slow can those jets fly?

Stores delivery over terrain and some coastlines can sometimes need a bit of agility.

More to the point is what type of search radar will they be useing ????

Might depend on the variant, though it seems there is not a huge payload at max fuel...


Loading

A. Maximum ramp weight: 48,300 lb (21,909 kg)

B. Maximum takeoff weight: 48,200 lb (21,863 kg)

C. Maximum landing weight: 38,000 lb (17,237 kg)

D. Maximum zero fuel weight: 32,000 lb (14,515 kg)

E. Standard basic operating weight: 27,185 lb (12,331 kg)

F. Maximum fuel weight: 20,000 lb (9,072 kg)

Payload – full fuel (A-E-F): 1,115 lb (506 kg)

Maximum payload (D-E): 4,815 lb (2,184 kg)

Fuel with maximum payload: 16,300 lb (7,394 kg)



Range

Maximum range at M 0.74: 4,027 NM 4,634 SM 7,458 km

Maximum range at M 0.80: 3,714 NM 4,274 SM 6,878 km

(NBAA IFR Reserves, ISA, with 5 pax/2 crew and maximum fuel)

Remember range is calculated on a no pressurize case on the return.

Im guessing they will use the Same Raytheon SV-2022 Search Radar, Wescam MX-15 electro-optics and Surveillance information Management system as the current Dash -8's, would make it way cheaper and easier by purchasing a few more of these with the existing spares they already have in stock along with training packages for their use.

Then it has to be mounted. Big job

Here's your answer. They will use a derivative of this. Field of Canada has done the mods to the Dash 8's...

Only 3 for Australia wide coverage? Surely that cuts in on response times

Wonder if they will combine coast watch and amsa aircraft in some bases with the dash 8. That then will give them greater coverage maybe.

Cobham started modifying their Dash 8s a couple of years ago so that they were capable of making air drops.

Wouldn't be hard to equip the Coastwatch aircraft with SAR gear just in case.

Reasonably simple matter to re-deploy a SAR equipped Coastwatch aircraft to a nearby SAR incident to begin a search and then organise replacements for both missions if necessary.

No need for a large fleet of specially modified SAR aircraft when there are already plenty of SAR equipped aircraft out and about around the coastline already. The new jets would be able to fill any gaps.

The existing Coastwatch Dash 8s have all the necessary search equipment fitted already. Add the SAR gear and air drop capability and there is a reasonably large fleet of SAR capable airframes and crews available.

Probably more than any other tenderer could have offered for the price?

The catch is that Customs may not be happy having "their" aircraft retasked for a SAR for too long. I'm sure any dual use of aircraft has been negotiated with both agencies though.

Common sense tells you they would have the aircraft and track record to preform the job in the best possible way.

MB rumoured to have resigned from PAA/Aerorescue.

Is this the end?

I guess he'll be heading to Cobham to oversee the installation of his industry-leading search radar system to the new airframes.

There will no doubt be a few ex Surv Aust crew now with AR who try and rebuild the bridge they torched............