Good job it wasn't in the dark at the Ben....

Or the back of the Ben.........

Never talk about the back of the Ben....

Any bets if the crew in Dalcross will get a night call out later? Not a nice April fools joke for the DfT if there's no NVG capability.......:E

Can anybody add any actual substance to the issue of NVG capability (or lack of it)? I know this is a rumour network but some facts might be useful.

Facts?

Heavens!

Those with the facts rarely waste them on this lot.

Write something here..

137 heading SW.

Inverness. 0910h.

Off on an easter break?
RAF MRS tpt a/c?
??

Cab has just departed Lossie- presumably to RAF Valley. Sad to see it go.

You mean the RAF has sent it away without asking permission on pprune? Shocking! ;-)


Have both gone?

Next Tuesday I believe and the hangar will be bare.

Packed in the Drouthy Cobbler. :cool: A few old sar boys and mrt. :ok:

CAS hasn't turned up. Surely somebody must have told him it was on? :E

Day 4 now and the world north of the Forth/Clyde is still there. I take it that Civsar is working or has the midnight Sun made NVG's un-needed? It all gone very silent from the wee orange. Bait out.

Apparently it is Crab!

As it should for what it costs:ok:

Any actual info on the NVG status?

I must have imagined you telling us all that Bristow were providing an inferior service by cutting costs.

Yes - lots. Sadly Crab it is information for those actively involved in UK SAR only :ok:

Crab, just as a matter of interest how much did it cost to run a SAR flight. Let's say Boulmer, which would compare nicely with one of the new civ bases. I don't think that Bristow will give us the figures but a good idea could be got by deviding the contract cost by the years by the number of bases. When I came out of the RAF it was an eye opener the reduction in cost to operate a cab in the civil world. My guess would be the the old set up cost us much more and that would be with the old equipment.

Sevarg - no-one was allowed to compare costs - the actual cost of running a RAF SAR flt wasn't established as it was inconvenient to the process of civilianisation.

Remember, MilSAR wasn't canned because it cost too much, it was canned because generations of leaders failed to invest in a Sea King replacement. Once Afghanistan kicked off, anything that wasn't core to that theatre was never going to get funding.

Was the Sea King expensive to maintain? Yes, partly because of its age and partly because of the number of hours we flew. If you cut the flying rate in half (especially the training) of course it looks cheaper.

yes you did, I highlighted that cutting training hours means a reduction in capability but one that would be difficult to quantify if you have no idea about front-line SAR training.

Ah, just the sort of openness we have come to expect from HMCG when there is stuff they are uncomfortable about. What I think you mean is there is a problem but I shouldn't ask awkward questions about it.

I am sure there would be trumpet fanfare and press releases if the full (as good as the mil) NVD capability was already in place.

Undoubtedly.

And now having half the guys flying around in Chinooks and Puma2 and large numbers of folks on £80k thinking up stuff for them to do will probably cost more than the whole SAR fleet.



No kidding!

and that is all of us as we pay your wages!

Well put in an FOI request! No point giving a hard time to those at the new rockface!