it's back to the days when we had a Navigator in the LHS and used to let them have a clutch now and again;)

HMCG is the new owner of all UK SAR helicopters with Bristow being the contracted operator on their behalf. The scheme you see on the AW189 above will be standard (as is already the case at Stornoway, Sumburgh, Lee and Portland) on the AW189 and S92 aircraft across all 10 UK SAR bases. Any logic to do with over water or land operations is not applicable.

I think you are getting the picture. I do not find it to be a pretty picture. Some assure me that it's OK because currently the old sailor's home is run by a carrier guy. I shall need some convincing.

Thanks jimf671, I was just curious.

Does that mean the Coastguard will be co-coordinating the helicopters instead of the ARCC?

No, all SAR helo call outs remain with the ARCC as is the case today.

NO.

ARCC maintain their current role.

What the future physical and organisational location of the ARCC will be is another question. Since it is currently in the hands of those who understand aeronautics, rescue and control, and is located in a community where the issues are widely understood, I am not a fan of change. If we were changing to the Norwegian JRCC model then change might be worthwhile but I don't think that's on the table or even within the intellectual range of those influencing this.

The Coastguard control the brand and are the customer. They are currently controlling information about the implementation of the new service. The level of control tends to be a matter for concern for SAR partner agencies who require reassurance about capability and the manner of collaborative working.

And, worryingly, these are the same guys who think less CG stations with a big centralised blob of a comms centre is the way forward - that didn't work very well for the Fire Service did it?

In response to the above the ARCC will continue to serve its purpose with the RAF, however the plans are for the MCA, specifically HM Coastguard, to take over this function for civil search and rescue. The RAF will continue to coordinate the response into military search and rescue.

Therefor, the MCA will be responsible for tasking their own helicopters.

They have always been able to task their own helicopters locally but nationally it has been co-ordinated by the ARCCK - having one do civil and the other military is a complete nonsense.

Cost effectiveness?
 

Roughly how many military search and rescue incidents occur each year? Can't be many, is it really a cost-effective proposal to retain all of the facilities and personnel of the ARCC at Kinloss if that is the case?:confused:

That WAS the case however the S92's under Bristow in the North of Scotland take their tastings from the ARCC. (Coastguard request scramble of a/c from ARCC)

Likewise with the CHC fir on the south coast, they take their taskings from ARCC now.

Ops normals are conducted through the ARCC on HF or Airwaves.

The CG assets were (for about the last 10 years) supposed to be tasked through the ARCCK but could self task within 30 nm of their CG MRCC and then advise the ARCCK.

The same happens with many mil units, the local CG give you a heads-up and then phone the ARCCK to get them to officially task you.

As Leopold says, there are so few military SAR jobs nowadays, it makes no sense to have separate tasking authorities.

Correct, but this is no longer the case. This stopped from a about the time that Bristows took over the S92's at Sumburgh and Stornoway.

They will only accept a tasking from ARCC. The scramble lines that the CG used to use stopped and was taken over by the ARCC.

My recollection, having been at ARCC on that day, is that CG independent tasking of their SAR aircraft, and Nimrod ops, ended on the same day. 31st March 2010.

AW189 delays mean Bristow will fly AW139 on UK Coastguard contract | Helihub - the Helicopter Industry Data Source :ugh:

189 Delay
 

A new type late into service, what a surprise.:ugh:

Does anyone know when the CHC machines wrap up their operations?

2 x Bristow AW189 to take over at Lee 1st April 2017.

Portland end service 30th June 2017.

Strange how TUPE seems to apply to those guys but not the military................

ARCC
 

Back to the point, can someone confirm, or not, that ARCC will task and coordinate the new service?:\