The future of UK SAR, post SAR-H

[inputshaft]

Ironchefflay,

I think you've got the previous poster's comments 180deg out. I'm on another CHC contract where the engineers, pilots and SAR crewmen work like crazy to keep the customer happy and a good reputation locally. But that's despite no support from our senior managers, penny pinching on all issues and a complete lack of forward planning and logistics support.

So, I'd be very surprised if My Target doesn't agree that everybody's individual effort on the coalface has been superb, but, frankly, CHC as a company deserves little at present.

[Oneclub]

Hmmm, this seems like a nice solution for all parties? CHC while perhaps being seen to be partially hit for their previous governance issues, will probably not be that dissapointed with this. They have never made a penny on this contract and the majority of their logistics and manning issues have always been with the northern bases, often incuring customer applied financial penalties as a result. CHC still gets to keep a foot in the door with the southern bases for when it comes to bidding on the main contract and is now able to release their S92s to Ireland as they are contractually obliged to.
Bristow get another two S92 bases in locations that will be easy to move into and where they can operate with a pool of spares and dual qualified aircrew/engineers (SAR and Oil and Gas) in order to improve availability across both business units. Bristow also now have a foothold again in UK SAR for when it comes to bidding on the main contract.

Hopefully, this will be little more than another change of pension provider for the sarboys (and girls) involved.

Good luck and safe flying whatever company badge you wear on your flight suit.

[SARowl]

Bristow/CHC SAR

I agree with Oneclub. I also think this was a deliberate decision by DFT/MCA/Treasury to include Bristow in the new gap contract. Bristow will now have the management, engineering, aircrew and logistics in place to bid for the new SARH contract: two bidders fighting for the contract will drive bid prices down. However, a split contract SARH will be interesting!

[BabyGravy]

So that's what the 2 92's on the UK register where the reg's are g-cg** will be for then ! My guess is Bristow will get the SAR-H replacement contract and the 139's and CHC will simply be a stop gap until more 92's are available.

[Flounder]

I also think this was a deliberate decision by DFT/MCA/Treasury to include Bristow in the new gap contract. Bristow will now have the management, engineering, aircrew and logistics in place to bid for the new SARH contract

This will all be in place in the next 12 months before LONG-SAR bids are completed and announced? I'm not sure how this will give the DfT time to assess the Bristow set-up.

I would agree if GAP-SAR allowed any time for CHC & Bristow to operate at the same time in N/S but the time scale doesn't allow for that. Bristow will obviously be bidding for LONG-SAR regardless of whether they won any or all of the GAP-SAR contract.

[Thomas coupling]

Rumour has it (after all this is pprune) that the front runners for long SAR, are:
Bristows, CHC and Bond. It seems no-one else is keen..........................
No doubt, consortiums will/may form after the bidding war has ended, but so far, so limited. Any of these could do the job with their eyes closed.

[Gap SAR goes to show that the government have short memories vis a vie CHC eh?

[Spanish Waltzer]

Rumour has it (after all this is pprune) that the front runners for long SAR, are:
Bristows, CHC and Bond. It seems no-one else is keen..........................

If they are the front runners then that implies there are others. if not they are surely just the runners.....then again it is just a rumour

Its an interesting twist to the competition this time with the ability to bid for one or both of the 'parts'. Time will tell whether half or all is more popular but I assume there are significant technical and commercial benefits to DfT by having a two type fleet provided by different contractors?

I think this soap opera has many more episodes to run & I dont think we have been introduced to all the characters yet...

SW

[jimf671]

So if we get Bristows back do we get night vision back?

That would be nice.

Based on the stats in Provision and Coverage Report, update 2006, it would be very nice.

[explorer99]

do we get night vision back?

Check the requirement, jimf671 (ie 'Low level over land at night').

E99

[pasptoo]

So if we get Bristows back, do we get night vision back?

Sorry, IIRC, I must have missed the Bristow fitted NVG S61, with CAA qualified crews. You can't get back something you never had

The Military will continue with NVG until the UKSAR contract takes over with that requirement

[Flounder]

NVG is contractual requirement not the whim of an individual operators. If you asked the CHC S92 crews I'm sure they would happily adopt NVG to improve their capability but CHC/Bristow aren't going to pay for it if it's not stipulated as a requirement for GAP SAR. LONG SAR, as said above, will see an NVG in use.

[jimf671]

Check the requirement, jimf671 (ie 'Low level over land at night').

Oh, I have done. Many times. Sometimes in my sleep.


I can dream though.

[[email protected]]

It will be a NVD - you can't specify that it is goggles (although it will be) you can only stipulate the capability ie operate down to 2 mlux at night.

[Tallsar]

It will be interesting to see if the official HMG announcement on GAP matches the (well founded?) rumours on here!
As for the supposed winners... it wouldn't be a surprise if Bristow returned to the UK SAR stage at this juncture. However, looking at some recent posts on here, they will not have a chance to prove their new service as it will not have entered service before the long term UK SAR decison has been made. GAP requires a service from July 2013, whereas the DfT's online competition schedule for the long term UK SAR service states that this competition will be done and dusted by Feb 2013. We shall have to await any announcement sometime this February as to how many companies and consortia have been invited to compete. I would be very surprised if only Bristow, CHC and Bond have applied!

[Gene Genie]

Good point Tallsar, word where we are is that AW may bid with a 169/189 package for the small/large lift respectively. I believe they are still in the mock up/presentation stage and may not be certified until 2015. It's just a rumour though...

[Ron Fenest]

Gene Genie

I doubt AW will offer a service as they didn't submit a PQQ. Eurocopter did though!

I would suggest that no OEM will offer to prime this as there is a piece of pie in it for all of them with the right consortium and better to remain agnostic.

There are many other players interested aside from the usual suspects always talked about here, and just because they don't currently have a footprint in the UK does not mean that they are not perfectly capable of doing the job and doing it well. Might be a nice change to see some fresh approaches out there.

[swampqueen]

What?

I am not really part of all this chat other than having to fly it. Therefore I don't understand the TLA'S. I am sure if you are in the Know then they are quite illuminating but..........

[swampqueen]

bottom disapearing act

Just don't

[Gene Genie]

Ron Fenest
I take it that PQQ is a tender of interest or similar. I think the AW thing may be more hope than expectation from some quarters, but thanks for the reply.
As you say, it would be interesting to see some fresh names in the mix.

[louisnewmark]

TLAs

Swampqueen:

NVD = Night Vision Device

PQQ = Pre Qualification Questionnaire

OEM = Original Equipment Manufacturer

HMG = Her Majesty's Government

DfT = Department for Transport

Does that help?

Louis