So if Cairns is scheduled for Jan/Feb 2017, when does Essendon start??

Not a lot of people applied for the job because of such poor conditions not to mention the lack of flying. Some of the posts on this thread are not all applicants but those dismayed at such a poor result. Many AR crews moved on to much bigger a better things than Cobham could ever offer. Some commenting may be the very people you work with or indeed the client you work for. There is much concern in the JRCC. There are major questions to be asked especially about safety and I encourage anyone to express their concerns openly in such a forum. To dismiss it as just rejected applicant whinge is arrogant and unforntunate.

Well said, right on the money, why are people so willing to accept this as inevitable.Its ok to make a mistake (selection of aircraft), but to push on regardless and not change the trajectory while you can, well that's just dumb.

You have to wonder what is happening inside the walls of Cobham, still not online in Perth, no flying there for over a week now, and Cairns is only a little over 4 weeks away, and the word is Cairns are already a month late. Hmm

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/VHXND

XND was doing some work off the coast of Adelaide & down to Kangaroo Island today. Not sure whether it was just an exercise or what was going on.

DF.

Only training flights at this stage DF. Way behind schedule to provide SAR coverage.

How come the media hasn't got hold of this yet?

Wasathangi! How dare you hijack this thread! This space is for disgruntled people who didn't get a job! Don't be coming in here trying to tell us that Cobham are competent or that the 604 is the right machine for the job! A fast intercontinental jet for maritime rescue response in a country like Australia! It doesn't make sense!!

No media Coverage? must be a political exercise, there is no way such an expensive and time critical contract would be allowed to run so far out of control.
Let's recap, as predicted,
Perth late by 2 months, so far
Aircraft not sensor ready
mission management system unproven, and not integrated with other sensors.
Aircrew not trained, except with whatever simulation is available.
Resignations and dismissals already placing a burden on crewing numbers
Cairns base not ready, no infrastructure, crew not trained 2 weeks to go.
No approved drop system, unlikely in the near term to drop large useful equipment without hitting airframe,engines.
Once airborne 4 hrs burn off required to get to landing weight.
AMSA management ducking and weaving, realising they now have no control of the product they thought they were getting, it's become obvious to them that Cobham will dictate the conduct of SAR operations in the future

That is a dramatic post!! You must be an insider! You have so much ACCURATE and RELEVANT information! Even under the anonymity of you handle, you are managing to embarrass yourself. Posts like this really highlight the child like maturity level we are dealing with.
There is a lot more to this than your obviously limited intellect can process.
Invest your time in your job search. Cobham won the contract. Nobody is more disappointed than you.

AFTERBURN WROTE: 4 HOURS TO BURN DOWN TO MLW.

STREUTH BRUCE, WHATA A REVELATION!!!!!!

IF your flight is to do circuits in Melbourne, you put a fuel load on to land below MLW. If you plan to takeoff from Melbourne, overfly Learmonth and do a task 400nm off the west coast then land at Hedland, you will probably carry enough fuel for the task which might mean ya can't do circuits in Melbourne after takeoff.

Www.seek.com.au might help your condition.

Hey, there's always the RAAF for a bit of fill-in SAR. They don't have much to do at the best of times. :)

Family of four rescued from boat off Exmouth after being found by an RAAF aircraft

To be devil's advocate - how much have Cobham been hindered by the useless regulator. I submitted documentation for approval in May 2015. I need the work approved to help run my business and earn some money. 16 months later I have had back one request to clean up some typos and phraseologies - and that's it. How is any business supposed to function effectively when held to ransom like this.


And no disrespect to the people at CASA - it is a shot at a unit made dysfunctional by beuracracy, snouts in troughs and a total self focussed government.

You Cobham guys wanna update this page

http://www.cobhamaviationservices.com/careers/roles/amsa-roles

Nobody is disappointed bodybag about missing out on a job, what is disappointing is the lack of SAR capability in the West and soon to be Cairns.

Cobham have had 2 years to get this right. Its a Joke.

Maybe I can answer your question.
80+ people lost their jobs. Good people. An Australian company got kicked to the kerb by another multinational. I do understand that there is a degree of uncertainty that comes with this type of operation but the current contract has serious flaws. Cracks are appearing and word is getting out. Cobham selected only a handful of personnel and many did not even apply as the pay and conditions were frankly insulting. Most have happily moved on. You're still going to get people asking the questions and sticking the knife in. There are many disappointed people, former, current crew and client feeling that this contract is becoming a total farce. Time will tell. So far it is not looking good and you can only drink the Kool-aid for so long.

To be fair I don't think it's unreasonable to question why the capability isn't online.

Many SAR helicopter companies I have worked for have had no problems taking over a contract from another operator at the stroke of midnight seamlessly. Even when swapping out with new types and new FLIR/role equipment etc. of course there will alway be gremlins but at least the capability was always there.

It is justified questioning the performance Cobham and AMSA at this stage of the game.

Either Cobham are doing a **** job or AMSA are guilty for allowing it to happen. You can't really argue with that.

Oh dear, XND made it to Perth, but not for long, back to Adelaide, what for this time.

Oh dear indeed Dashunder,
You have no idea what your talking about.
You speak uninformed rubbish.. but if it makes you feel better just keep on banging on.
..and BAT74,
80 + good people lost their jobs and the contract went to a multi-national.
Firstly its 2016. Get with the global program. Kicked to the kerb?? Whatever you weirdo.
Secondly, believe it or not Cobham only selected those that were suitable. Be it skills or be it attitude, if only a hand full were selected, it speaks volumes of where the previous contract offering was at. Sometimes a good old clean out is just what the doctor (or contract owner) ordered.
I feel for you guys, I really do. I've been there.
I just cannot see how this carry on is beneficial? If you want to have a winge with old coworkers, why not set up a private Facebook group or something?

Not a player, just a taxpayer

I overheard a conversation the other day that included a discussion of 604 performance. If I heard correctly, to achieve the required SAR drop speeds the 604 would need to be flying with full flap / slats.

If this is correct, just wondering what the usable range could be if recovery needed to be planned around flap failure at about 170 knots (at 10,000 feet if we throw in depressurisation as well)

regards
layman