UK Coastguard SAR - Bristow out??
 

BBC has just announced that the UK Coastguard has declared CHC Scotia as the preferred bidder for the next contract currently being negotiated. Bristows are contesting the bidding process.

Great - things are looking up for CHC-Scotia - retaining the Total contract and now expanding the SAR division. All I need now is the SAR at Lossie to go civil:ok:

HF

You're too old an amphibian for them there mountains!

Cheeky Cyclic I'm not that old

Done it once before - though I must admit that the NVGs have improved since my time so you can now go further into the hills at night:sad:

Scary
HF

Ok:

A.where do they get Jockeys and grubbers from to man this ? and..

B.What type of cabs are they gonna use and where are they gonna get them from ?

How much experience do they have ?

Where on the BBC was it reported? Cannot find any mention of it on the BBC news website, or on any web search of "CHC Scotia" or Coastguard Helicopter

Here you go a link to the BBC Scotland Story


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4229154.stm

If I worked for Bristows I'd be happy right now, their pay is slightly less than CHC and there expenses are way below CHC...Don't know about holiday but CHC get 42 days /year where I think Bristows get 36??? CHC doesn't seem to be run but old dinasours like Bristows as well.....

It mentions Shetland and Stornaway, doesn't mention the southern bases....or is that just because it's the BBC scotland website??

NorthSeaTiger to answer your questions:-

A. Ex Bristow guys already doing the job? Ex Jigsaw crews when they realise that there is a better deal on offer.

B. S61N, 332L2, 225, S92, EH101 your guess is as good as mine

CHC has loads of world wide experience in SAR the closest being the contract in Eire with S61s

332M

This is the latest story here.

Would the Bristows guys already at the bases have a good chance of retaining their jobs?

Yes. EU law binds the new contractor to take on the employees of the old contractor whose jobs were dedicated to the said contract.

Rumour that preceded this BBC news story suggested the fleet as a mix of the S92 and the AB139.

Another source suggested that the Coastguard contract is in various packets related to the order of letting the first contracts. So this may be the 'Northern' contract[s] first .... [this is hinted at by the tone of the BBC story].

Perhaps the proposal is AB139s in the south...

Time will clarify.

Just looked at the latest news posted by silverknapper. If Bristow are really going to appeal on the grounds of lack of track record of the S92 I feel sorry for you all at Bristow. Presumably those in their ivory towers presume that the S61 will go on forever and win contracts because it has a proven track record!!!!! With mentality like that, I see no hope for you guys ever getting into new technology on the back of a well thought out bid on behalf of your commercial department. The only time you will ever see it, is when it is forced upon you by the oil companies, and then you will get the cheapest on offer at the time!!!!!
If CHC do end up with the contract, then well done to all in the team who put the bid together!!!!!!!!

Nice one pitchlink, totally agree. This is great news for UK SAR and those in need of a rescue service. Good luck and well done to the MCA and CHC.

Sadly it doesn't work like that. The loss of a contract does not mean that the employees are covered by TUPE, TUPE is only relevant when the company itself is taken over, then the terms and conditions of the employees are protected.

I disagree. Find me one helicopter that has not had teething problems in a new role. There is a recent thread on here indicating the problems the 92s are causing Norsk and the AB139 is so new we have yet to hear what its teeting problems are. What cover will CHC provide if an AD comes out grounding a fleet? I would be interested to hear what SAR crews would think of flying out over the Atlantic on a dark and stormy night in a brand new type.

Nobody's mentioned it yet - to my surprise - but surely this is just the first step to CHC taking over the whole UK SAR, including the Military.;)

From the chc website
 

VANCOUVER, Nov. 4 /CNW/ - CHC Helicopter Corporation ("CHC")
(TSX: FLY.SV.A and FLY.MV.B; NYSE: FLI) announced today it has been named by
the United Kingdom Department for Transport ("DfT") as the 'preferred bidder'
to provide commercial Search and Rescue helicopter services from four bases in
the UK for a five-year period commencing July 1, 2007.
DfT and CHC will now negotiate details of the operation with a view to
finalizing a contract for the provision of search and rescue services from
three dedicated civilian-operated bases at Sumburgh, Stornoway and Lee on
Solent on a 24/7 basis, as well as Portland on a day-time only basis. The
awarding of this contract is not assured and remains subject to the
finalization of terms and conditions with the DfT.
CHC currently provides search and rescue and emergency helicopter
services in Ireland, Africa, Australia and Norway. This new contract, if
awarded, would further strengthen CHC's position as world leader in civilian
offshore search and rescue helicopter services and enhance its reputation for
providing expert, cost-effective alternatives to government-run Coast Guard
services.

Droopystop

As we all know, 40 year old technology never goes wrong?!!!

Chopperman

I stand ready to be corrected but I think you are wrong.

TUPE stands for Transfer of Undertaking Protection of Employment and IIRC is designed precisely to protect the employees when a company is outbid on contract renewal - otherwise the outside bidders could formulate a bid based on minimum wage for the task while the current contractor would be landed with a huge redundancy bill.

Applies to all sorts of undertakings - commonest demo is when the cleaner turns up in a different uniform one morning - different contractor, different contract, same staff.

Sven

Sven Sixtoo - and in my experience a smaller wage:(

332M

TUPE
 

As one who has appeared in the high court as a result of a failed TUPE action in 1995 ( as UK company manager - we lost the case but won on appeal) I can add that from memory the judges ruling hinged on the fact that helicopters are not brooms and brushes. The fact that we supplied a different product (S76B) compared with the encumbant (S76A) meant that, in the appeal judge's opinion the business entity had not been transferred. It was deemed to be a different contract not the same contract transferred.

The pain and agony caused (unnecessarily) by the previous contractor by deeming that their employees had been transferred meant that:

a. we could not employ them, and
b. they could not get unemployment benefit because the social services maintained that they were still employed.

I shudder every time I hear that dreaded acronym.

G

:ugh:

Geoffers

Thanks

I stand corrected.

Doesn't sound good.

Sven

Need a legal opinion on T.U.P.E. If you google T.U.P.E. you will find the relevenat U.K. /E.U. law regarding T.U.P.E. and my read of it suggets that it would apply.
The laws have changed a bit in recent years... certainly in 2003... and I think they are being looked at again.

UK SAR COTRACT
 

Rumour has it that CHC intend to set up their own SAR training school and that at Valley SARTU QHCIs are dusting off their CVs

So the MCA have signed a new contract that will, no doubt, protect their interests/responsibilities in the UK. What happened then, to the big Harmonisation project that was supposed to bring together the military and civil SAR communities to provide a coherant UK-wide organised structure to helicopter SAR? My guess is that the Military Sabre(SAR) project has fallen so far behind that the MCA cannot wait to see what the military are going to do. So, now the Mil SKs battle on and there's even less pressure to get them replaced quickly. Good luck you Mil guys.

All the mil bases are up for civil contracts in 2012.

mallardpi

The contract has not been awarded yet- MCA have merely stated that at the moment CHC is the preferred bidder, presumably because they are the cheapest.

Mallardpi

SABR(SAR) is gone. It was replaced by SAR(H) some time ago.

SAR(H) is still the joint (harmonised) project aimed at the future of UK SAR. The first implementation of SAR(H) will be in 2012; the size of the project not allowing earlier implementation. This timescale lead to the requirement for an ‘interim’ contract for the MCA locations as the original contract completes in 2007. It is the interim contract which is being discussed here, however some may view the bids as feelers for the 2012 contract.

Whooper5

Whooper 5

Thanks for the update. Good to see that the SKs might get replaced soon, 2017 was far too late, but I guess the yellow Sk boys and girls will not be holding their breath.

Harmonisation is the way ahead. The UK needs a good strategic repsonse to SAR (Mil and Civvy). Lets hope those involved are given the tools to do a most important job properly and see it through to a logical conclusion, whatever that happens to be.

Dear Mr CHC, when you eventually take over all UK SAR can I have a job at Chivenor please?

Never mind Chiv, can I go back to Yorkshire (but based at an airport not a driver training school).

Shame on BHL management for being so complacent, much like the Pay and conditions of employment. Pathetic and feeble response in the press about the S92 being unproven.

Still with CHC being the 'preferred' choice and the pay BHL talks going so well, a poor pension scheme and apparently some driftwood floating around HQ. Has anyone out there got the email address of the CHC UK HR department?? Best all those wanting to get into UK SAR(Civ) or those already in it start posting their CV's.

Bristow's commercial department seem far too focused on rubbishing the S92 and are perhaps losing sight of their real task - that is offering the clients whatever helicopter they want.

C'mon Nick McD et al, it's time to park up the "anti S92" roadshow. You're now hurting the Company.

Bristow Commercial Department
 

You mean Bristow actually have one??

bondu :rolleyes:

Coastguard crews get job protection


Hans J Marter

9 December, 2005

THE MARITIME & Coastguard Agency is expected to announce next week who will win the contract to operate the sea search and rescue service in the northern isles.

There was an outcry last month when it emerged that after 22 years Bristow Helicopters is might lose the service to the Canadian company CHC Helicopter which has a base at Aberdeen airport.

If they do lose the contract, northern isles MP Alistair Carmichael received a guarantee from the MCA yesterday (Thursday) that Bristow employees will be able to transfer to CHC under TUPE regulations.

Mr Carmichael held an urgent meeting with the MCA's chief executive Captain Steven Bligh to express his constituents' concern over the implications of the change.

The meeting was originally scheduled for next Tuesday but had to be hastily rearranged after it emerged that the MCA was planning to make its final decision public on that date.

Mr Carmichael said: "I have been assured that anyone currently employed by Bristows at Sumburgh will be able to transfer to the new operator under TUPE regulations, with their terms and conditions guaranteed.

"I hope that this undertaking from the MCA will alleviate some of the very reasonable and understandable concerns that have been expressed about the implications of any change."

He also pressed the case for an independent, professional evaluation of the new Sikorsky S-92, which is the aircraft CHC propose to use.

"The MCA is of the view that although this has not been undertaken there is sufficient evidence from the use of these helicopters in Canada and Norway to make a full scale assessment unnecessary.

"I am no expert on helicopters and shall need to speak again with those in the profession who may be able to advise me," he said.

A spokesman for the MCA made no comment other than that Mr Carmichael has received the assurance he had sought.

The new five year contract will come into force in July next year.

And from the Press and Journal....

JOBS PROMISE FOR HELICOPTER RESCUE CREWS
09:00 - 09 December 2005

Coastguard search-and-rescue helicopter crews at Sumburgh and Stornoway were last night promised they will keep their jobs when a new company takes over running the service.

The pledge to keep on staff was given yesterday by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's chief captain, Stephen Bligh, at a meeting in the Commons with Orkney and Shetland Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael.

An announcement that CHC (Scotia) is to take over the role from Bristow Helicopters for the next five years is expected on Tuesday.

CHC, which plans to replace Bristow's ageing Sikorski 61 N helicopters with newer Sikorski S92s, has already been named the preferred bidder.

It is understood the contract includes search-and-rescue bases in England at Lee-on-Solent and Portland.

Mr Carmichael, accompanied by Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Lib Dem MP John Thurso, said after the meeting he welcomed Capt Bligh's assurance because it would secure the "professionalism and expertise" of existing staff.

He said: "I hope that this undertaking from the MCA will alleviate some of the very reasonable and understandable concerns that have been expressed about the implications of any change."

Na h-Eileanan an lar SNP MP Angus MacNeil called for a statement on the future of the search-and-rescue service in the Commons and later secured a pledge from the MCA that the undertaking would also apply to staff at Stornoway. He said later: "This is very welcome."



"The MCA is of the view that although this has not been undertaken there is sufficient evidence from the use of these helicopters in Canada and Norway to make a full scale assessment unnecessary.

I thought the S92 was proving to be a bit problematic in Norway and was having major problems? Can anyone confirm deny/this?

Whoa guys,

The current crop of BHL Mandarins are merely trying to copy Big Al's axe job on the Chinook. He was successful.....why can't they be just as capable in the current business climate?

SASless,

There are concerns with the S92 and I've heard of problems in Norway too. Bearing in mind that this is aircraft going to be used in SAR then why can't these issues be discussed. If anything it may prove that the S92 is all that the glossy Sikorsky brouchure suggests!!

If it is a BHL 'axe job' like you imply then a discussion on here may well prove you right! What do current S92 drivers think of the aircraft?

Actually I think the S92 may not be as problematic as the AB139 which is to be used on the south coast this seems to have major problems with performance.

And I think the oil companies stopped using the Chinook when it fell out of the sky from 3000 ft. You're not seriously suggesting that the old man had something to do with that are you?

CHC is the confirmed winner of the contract.

It will be formally announced as scheduled on Tuesday, but the information is out there already.