industry insider

Thanks for the reply. I still can't understand why modern helicopters have such poor windscreen wipers. Cars seem to manage at high speed without them departing over your shoulder, which used to be fairly common on the Wessex!!

Now that the S92 seems to be becoming the main Seaking replacement world wide you would think that Sikorsky would come up with a tank which isn't in the cabin! Though I know farmers like them! I came upon a lowloader with about 8 Wessex Aux tanks on it - some still in crates - in a farmer's field near Humberside 3 yrs ago!!

HF

Not quite so. Radius of Action varies with wind intensity, and it can be a lot. If wind is below 30 kts, in the Merlin, we're OK, but above that, range starts reducing, and if you have the misfortune of going out with a +45kts headwind, range reduction may be 15-20% (50-70 NM). So, the "line" moves a lot, and 20 miles make a lot of difference if you're going above 250/300 NM. You really need to get as much out of the aircraft as possible, but in the end the wind pretty much determines how far you can go...

Best wishes

So how much does the 92's aux tank hold, 1000lb or more?

About 1384ilbs of useable fuel; approx 1 hours worth.

Cheers!

New modern helicopters don't still blunder around the UK waters calibrated in pounds, do they?

Why not? AUW still in lbs. The best FU waiting to happen had to be the 61 with tank qty, written by the filler, in US Gals, the gauges in lbs, the refueller delivering in lts.

On the S92 you can push a button (on the Display Control Panel) to swap between Kg and Lbs. Early in our S92 ops we had a crew press the button inadvertently (and probably unwittingly) and then later returned to base fearing they had a fuel leak! Capt was ex-Navy, but names no pack-drill:E

Not my board TC. I could be wrong but my recollection is of a number less than 200 on one of the occasions that I have looked at this. There may have been two SK figures.

I would expect these to be just initial guidelines based on a standard risk profile. It's also possible that they are claimed or contracted minima from each providers' management. The ARCC's Rescue Co-ordination System (RCS) will do the maths to produce an initial estimate for a particular job, based on the prevailing met and so on.

I'll leave the RN guys to comment on the MK5's ROA as I think it is different, but the Mk3/3A can certainly go a lot further than 200nm. I've done 230 a couple of times and still had over an hours fuel left when I landed.

ARCC's computer will work out which flight will get there quickest but it can't tell if the job is possible. That is for the aircraft captain to determine.

Yes, SAR Bloke. Note my term 'initial estimate'. Also 'claimed or contracted minima'.

I would rather have the management numbers that way round. The CG figures on that display were also short on what's on the graphs. I dont think the SK is being sold short.

You've just explained my question.
I was told the oil companies prefered it that way. That's why I spent half my time at preflight doumentation and deck running checking that the dispatcher had calculated correctly the passenger and freight he had weighed in Kilos into pounds.

So, being generous, a S-92 with aux tank fitted has 5100 (main fuel) plus 1400 (aux fuel) giving 6500 lbs. Take off 30 mins on scene and 30 mins reserve (don't know what min landing fuel is) and assuming 1300 lbs /hour fuel burn leaves you 5200 lbs useable.

At 1300 lbs/hour that gives 4 hours flying at 137 kts (again being generous) equals 548 nm or 274 nm Radius of action).

Not actually such a capability improvement when all is said and done despite all the trumpeting.

If there is an option of a second 210 gallon aux tank that will add another hour of flying at 137 kts which takes the RoA up to 342 nm yet the Sikorsky/MCA blurb, that 212 mans link takes you to, show RoA's in excess of 370 nm. More fudge factors cherry picking the best possible (rather than realistic everyday) performance figures from the RFM?

Realistic everyday performance for ROA for the S92A SAR equipped is about 260nm which is significantly more than a Sea King (Mk3, 3A or anything else) post March 2016.

UK SAR 2013 privatisation: the new thread
 

Excepting that it can do that without first spending 30 mins stripping out every piece of role and med equipment not needed including the seats and boiler and everything else not nailed down.

A pretty substantial capability improvement I would say. Just try smiling once in a while Lala you might like it.

since when was 260nm significantly more than 280 nm? And I always kept the water boiler, couldn't go anywhere without a nice cuppa! :ok:

That is true but not the point I was making.:p

Your skill set will be missed Al-bert.

I think the SMC got over it a few years ago Jim :}

American working UK SAR??
 

What are the chances of an american getting hired for one of the winchman/winch operator positions? I am an american a & p and flew rescue in USMC as a crew chief (flying mech and hoist operator) and rescue swimmer. Attended US Navy rescue swimmer school and US Coast Gaurd advanced rescue swimmer school.