UK SAR 2013 privatisation: the new thread
 

Bristow SAR announcement
 

According to the BBC!

BBC News - Bristow Group 'to take over UK search and rescue'

Busy times for Bristow

BBC - Bristow Group 'to take over UK search and rescue'
 

Gentlemen, please leave your money by the door on the way out.

'Nuff said....

SW

Well played SW....

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/g...d-rescue-fleet


The bases are on the link above.

Did anyone else spot the "creative accounting"...?

Under the new contract, 22 state of the art helicopters will operate from 10 locations around the UK.

Ten Sikorsky S92s will be based, 2 per site, at Stornoway and Sumburgh, and at new bases at Newquay, Caernarfon and Humberside airports

Ten AgustaWestland AW189s will operate, 2 per site, from Lee on Solent and a new hangar at Prestwick airport, and new bases which will be established at St Athan, Inverness and Manston airports

If there are maintenance cover aircraft involved, they have not been specifically detailed, or does 22 really mean 20 ?

The future of UK SAR, post SAR-H
 

A nice balanced report on sky. The usual drivel on the BBC (iPhone apps)

The future of UK SAR, post SAR-H
 

2 per base and a spare?! Smash your new AW mug Jim

Yes, Bristow's release is now out and it states...

Please excuse what may be an ignorant question - but don't CHC operate SAR on behalf of the MCA from Stornoway, Sumburgh, Portland and Lee?

airsound

Well Done Mr Bristow. All the bases are non military airfields with Inverness the surprise for me. The contract price seems fantastic value given the original forecast price band the DfT siad they expected for a full service (Lot 3). No wonder they won! I remember the SAR-H price for CHC was well over £6Bn for twice as long. The DfT and the Governemnt must be well chuffed at this improvement. So its St Athan not Cardiff for me then - I hope!:rolleyes:

airsound - At present, yes, but not for long. There is an interim period (referred to as "GAP SAR") where Bristow will run the Stornoway and Sumburgh bases with S92s, and CHC will continue the AW139 bases at Lee and Portland. Bristow are already in training mode for GAP SAR with two SAR S92s at Inverness (that now figures....) practicing and two more S92s to follow very soon. Then this new announcement is that Bristow takes over the whole thing, which will also take out all the RAF and RN Sea Kings with it. Long story, read the thread if you need more details. :ok:

Yes they do! I suggest you read the whole thread and search for the SAR-H thread to get the bigger picture.

Manston - so it's gone full circle! Bristow started the first civillian SAR operation there with S55s in 1971!

No compassion Snake. I am having my last cup of hot strong dark Ethiopian from it now.

You'll be wanting me to post photos next.

Sounds very familiar. Was anyone at the DfT project team ever in an RCT General Transport Troop?

No surprises there then.

Now, all that's left is the Falklands:ugh:


PS: The RN won't stop SAR, unlike the RAF. For the RN it has alweays been a secondary duty and it will continue to maintain that role. All suitably equipped squadrons will offer SAR....business as usual. 771NAS will still offer a menu of maritime activities. :D

This morning on the Radio 4 'Today' programme they really didn't have a clue. I flew SAR ops with Bristows out of Sumburgh back in the early 80's. They were asking questions about whether Bristows had any experience at all. The 'expert' being asked didn't have much idea either. :rolleyes:

helihub and 212 - many thanks. I fear I broke my own rule and didn't read far enough back in the thread - apologies.

Flap 5 - agreed. I'm pursuing the Beeb on the subject.

airsound

Good to see they will be staying ar Prestwick and not moving to Glasgow as was first thought!
BBC News - Bristow Group to take over UK search and rescue from RAF