UK SAR 2013 privatisation: the new thread
Hee hee, Fnarr, fnarr, a 12 year old's humour reaches PPrune - is it bottom jokes next? Or should I reply with a mature 'takes one to know one'?
Here at Heli Expo sixth S-92 today and ceremony
Well this afternoon I watched and took these pics of the Sikorsky ceremony honoring the UK SAR venture and handover of 6th Helibus, with Sergei Sikorsky as part of the proceedings, I got a signed copy of his book..lovely chap,
Cheers
Cheers
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Fareastdriver
Don't worry because as soon as you turn on the battery big round dials appear. Not a strip gauge in sight. It's like a glass cockpit but ....
Apparently Sikorsky did their market research in the Gulf of Mexico by asking a bunch of Vietnam veterans what they wanted on the display and the answer was "big round dials please" and that's what we got.
Not as clutter free as a 225 as a result sadly.
Don't worry because as soon as you turn on the battery big round dials appear. Not a strip gauge in sight. It's like a glass cockpit but ....
Apparently Sikorsky did their market research in the Gulf of Mexico by asking a bunch of Vietnam veterans what they wanted on the display and the answer was "big round dials please" and that's what we got.
Not as clutter free as a 225 as a result sadly.
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Fareastdriver
Don't worry because as soon as you turn on the battery big round dials appear. Not a strip gauge in sight. It's like a glass cockpit but ....
Apparently Sikorsky did their market research in the Gulf of Mexico by asking a bunch of Vietnam veterans what they wanted on the display and the answer was "big round dials please" and that's what we got.
Not as clutter free as a 225 as a result sadly.
Don't worry because as soon as you turn on the battery big round dials appear. Not a strip gauge in sight. It's like a glass cockpit but ....
Apparently Sikorsky did their market research in the Gulf of Mexico by asking a bunch of Vietnam veterans what they wanted on the display and the answer was "big round dials please" and that's what we got.
Not as clutter free as a 225 as a result sadly.
http://i57.tinypic.com/6oz7kw.jpg
Last edited by Senior Pilot; 5th Mar 2015 at 11:58. Reason: Image too large for Rotorheads
SHEPHARD's Rotorhub
Feb-Mar 2015
"AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW?
On a global level, the UK has probably gone furthest towards embracing the commercial SAR concept, with many other countries now looking closely at the mechanics of its contracts. In 2013, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) awarded a £1.6 billion ($2.44 billion) ten year SAR contract to Bristow Helicopters. It will commence in September 2015, with 22 aircraft – 11 AW189s and 11 S-92s – and conditions include 98% availability and response times set at 15 minutes during the day and 45 minutes at night. On 19 January, the UK Ministry of Defence went a step further towards eliminating military involvement in SAR, announcing the award of a ten year £180 million contract for rescue and support services in the Falkland Islands to Illinois-based AAR Airlift Group, working with British International Helicopters (BIH). Two AW189s will provide cover, with a pair of S-61s acting in support."
Feb-Mar 2015
"AN EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW?
On a global level, the UK has probably gone furthest towards embracing the commercial SAR concept, with many other countries now looking closely at the mechanics of its contracts. In 2013, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) awarded a £1.6 billion ($2.44 billion) ten year SAR contract to Bristow Helicopters. It will commence in September 2015, with 22 aircraft – 11 AW189s and 11 S-92s – and conditions include 98% availability and response times set at 15 minutes during the day and 45 minutes at night. On 19 January, the UK Ministry of Defence went a step further towards eliminating military involvement in SAR, announcing the award of a ten year £180 million contract for rescue and support services in the Falkland Islands to Illinois-based AAR Airlift Group, working with British International Helicopters (BIH). Two AW189s will provide cover, with a pair of S-61s acting in support."
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The cabin pic puts the seating lay out to bed as well.
IIRC, the initial S-92s didn't have the range that had been promised so an internal fuel tank was introduced. I believe that is the same fit for UKSAR to give the required range and the stretcher lays on top of the fuel tank so they are at a better working height.
Sats, The cabin seating ref was to posts way in mid December:-
"Once you've had your dinner Shetlander could you explain why you can only seat 9 people in a big aircraft like the S92. And while you're there, please update the forum on how the S92 crews' NVG training is going and roughly how many NVG hours on type you expect those crews taking over on April 1st to have on that date. Thank you."
By Vie sans F. post 1354.
As for the 189 in my mind to much Westland content but then I'm not one of their greatest fans. I hope that I'm proved wrong but only time will tell.
"Once you've had your dinner Shetlander could you explain why you can only seat 9 people in a big aircraft like the S92. And while you're there, please update the forum on how the S92 crews' NVG training is going and roughly how many NVG hours on type you expect those crews taking over on April 1st to have on that date. Thank you."
By Vie sans F. post 1354.
As for the 189 in my mind to much Westland content but then I'm not one of their greatest fans. I hope that I'm proved wrong but only time will tell.
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The fuel tank certainly takes up the space where a few seats will be, perhaps explaining the carrying capacity of just nine. However, I don't believe the stretcher can be stowed on top of the ferry tank - there's supposed to be some sort of strange contraption where you stow the stretcher but it's in a location that makes working around it challenging to say the least. Still, I'm sure they'll have sorted it by the end of this month.
satsuma
The fuel tank certainly takes up the space where a few seats will be, perhaps explaining the carrying capacity of just nine. However, I don't believe the stretcher can be stowed on top of the ferry tank - there's supposed to be some sort of strange contraption where you stow the stretcher but it's in a location that makes working around it challenging to say the least. Still, I'm sure they'll have sorted it by the end of this month.
The fuel tank certainly takes up the space where a few seats will be, perhaps explaining the carrying capacity of just nine. However, I don't believe the stretcher can be stowed on top of the ferry tank - there's supposed to be some sort of strange contraption where you stow the stretcher but it's in a location that makes working around it challenging to say the least. Still, I'm sure they'll have sorted it by the end of this month.
it is a tad disingenuous to keep bleating on about "no less a service" when it suits and then try to suggest that even the "strange contraption" proposed will somehow be worse than the current arrangement in the back of a sea king. My little orange friend, if they did absolutely nothing (ok a wet fit floor) to the cab pics above it would still be an improvement simply due to crash worthy seating and more space, though it has been a few years since I last saw the back of a HAR3 so I would be delighted for the SAR crews to be proved wrong ;-)
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Crashworthy seating it may be but considering the focus on emergency exit size (and indeed passenger size) in the North Sea in recent months following the Sumburgh ditching, you would think those cabin emergency exits would be more accessible. The backs of the seats quite clearly cover about half of the window. How can that be considered an improvement in safety?
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As the result of a book coming out next week (Rescue Pilot | Rescue Pilot Book by Jerry Grayson AFC) I have a number of national radio interview slots coming up, for which the recurring question is "Is it a good or a bad thing that SAR around the UK is being handed over from military to civilian auspices?".
My response so far has been that whilst old f*rts like me might react emotionally it's probably, on balance, not a bad thing. The national SAR system will be equipped with brand new hardware, primarily flown by guys who learned their trade in the military. We might not like it but it's a done-deal and it's now up to everybody to pull together to help make it work, hopefully better than before.
I don't have any great axe to grind on this subject, having effectively "retired" to Australia; a country that has made civilian/commercial/sponsored SAR work pretty well. But if anybody has succinct, adult and pertinent overview points that are still worth making nationally I would be happy to try weaving them into the media forums I've been offered.
I'm now off to don a tin helmet!
My response so far has been that whilst old f*rts like me might react emotionally it's probably, on balance, not a bad thing. The national SAR system will be equipped with brand new hardware, primarily flown by guys who learned their trade in the military. We might not like it but it's a done-deal and it's now up to everybody to pull together to help make it work, hopefully better than before.
I don't have any great axe to grind on this subject, having effectively "retired" to Australia; a country that has made civilian/commercial/sponsored SAR work pretty well. But if anybody has succinct, adult and pertinent overview points that are still worth making nationally I would be happy to try weaving them into the media forums I've been offered.
I'm now off to don a tin helmet!
