Are Flight Planning Considerations Altered Now That The UK Has No More Long Range SAR
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Are Flight Planning Considerations Altered Now That The UK Has No More Long Range SAR
Situation:
The RAF Maritime Nimrod project has been cancelled in total leaving the United Kingdom with
a. alarmingly reduced defence of her strategic nuclear missiles and boats AND
b. vastly reduced anti submarine warfare capability AND
c. vastly reduced anti surface shipping warfare capability AND
d. vastly diminished anti terrorism capability AND
e. NO MORE long range Search and Rescue capability AND
f. the loss of many other strategic and tactical capabilities AND
g. the loss of highly specialised skills and the tactics to best use them.
The maritime defence of the UK is currently being conducted by foreign aircraft operating VERY begrudgingly out of RAF Kinloss. Comments like baling us out just like WWII make one a tad sadder at being British. The "good" news is that we'll be rid of these foreigners soon because Kinloss itself is to close! Leaving us with nothing at all.
Unfortunately, there is no longer any cover for the vast area of the north-east Atlantic which was the UK's Search and Rescue area of responsibility.
Civvy pilots might or might not rue the military capabilities that have just been flushed down the bog, although all of them will have an impact on all of us. But you might want to consider what you can no longer expect should the unthinkable happen to you.
Does this affect your planning?
Overall, does it undermine the ETOPS philosophy? I'm not just talking about the basic plot here, of the ability of your remaining engine(s) to get you to the rest of your life.
Just because nothing has happened to you, it doesn't mean that disasters don't happen. On the 23rd June 1985 I saw with my own eyes the devastating effects of a terrorist's bomb. We were the second crew sent to about 200 nautical miles south-west of Ireland, which was the last surface position (actually 2, about 40 miles apart) of Air India 182, a London-bound B747. Sadly, there were no survivors. But every asset that raced out there, went out hoping that there would be (We co-ordinated a lot of assets that day). And no doubt, no-one on board that ill-fated flight expected anything other than to do whatever they had planned for the 24th June.
If you splash, do not expect to be picked up any time soon. In the north Atlantic no-one can hear you scream!
The RAF Maritime Nimrod project has been cancelled in total leaving the United Kingdom with
a. alarmingly reduced defence of her strategic nuclear missiles and boats AND
b. vastly reduced anti submarine warfare capability AND
c. vastly reduced anti surface shipping warfare capability AND
d. vastly diminished anti terrorism capability AND
e. NO MORE long range Search and Rescue capability AND
f. the loss of many other strategic and tactical capabilities AND
g. the loss of highly specialised skills and the tactics to best use them.
The maritime defence of the UK is currently being conducted by foreign aircraft operating VERY begrudgingly out of RAF Kinloss. Comments like baling us out just like WWII make one a tad sadder at being British. The "good" news is that we'll be rid of these foreigners soon because Kinloss itself is to close! Leaving us with nothing at all.
Unfortunately, there is no longer any cover for the vast area of the north-east Atlantic which was the UK's Search and Rescue area of responsibility.
Civvy pilots might or might not rue the military capabilities that have just been flushed down the bog, although all of them will have an impact on all of us. But you might want to consider what you can no longer expect should the unthinkable happen to you.
Does this affect your planning?
Overall, does it undermine the ETOPS philosophy? I'm not just talking about the basic plot here, of the ability of your remaining engine(s) to get you to the rest of your life.
Just because nothing has happened to you, it doesn't mean that disasters don't happen. On the 23rd June 1985 I saw with my own eyes the devastating effects of a terrorist's bomb. We were the second crew sent to about 200 nautical miles south-west of Ireland, which was the last surface position (actually 2, about 40 miles apart) of Air India 182, a London-bound B747. Sadly, there were no survivors. But every asset that raced out there, went out hoping that there would be (We co-ordinated a lot of assets that day). And no doubt, no-one on board that ill-fated flight expected anything other than to do whatever they had planned for the 24th June.
If you splash, do not expect to be picked up any time soon. In the north Atlantic no-one can hear you scream!
