Coast Guard S-61 retires

N7777G

The Irish Coast Guard's S-61s were retired from service today and S-92s are now operating from all bases.

S-61N EI-SAR departed from Dublin for the final time today and made the short hop across the city to Weston where it will be in temporary storage before being shipped back to Sikorsky.

some pics at a blustery Weston:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eigjb/tags/101213/

L1011

I presume EI-SAR is being museumed by Sikorsky due to its age/status as the oldest remaining working?

prunudo

It's a shame they couldn't have had a more public change over, seems a bit of a shame after all it's years work they just flew over to Weston with little fanfare. I'll miss seeing and hearing it over Wicklow.
Roll on the S92

EIALB2

I saw it leaving today.sad to see it go. I was on board it once. It's a fantastic machine

kub

Are they going to store it outdoors? As pictured?

urajoke

Are they staying long at Weston ?

madzers

http://flic.kr/p/i5HciL
http://flic.kr/p/i5HNCR

DieselPowered

I'm glad to find this thread, I was going to ask why there was a group hug of two S61's in Weston while driving by this morning.

I was listening to LiveAtc the other day when EI-SAR started up at Dublin and the ATC conversation was something like

Dublin ATC (female controller): Sierra Alpha Romeo, there was a big black plume of smoke behind your engines when you started
EI-SAR: Thats fine (or something to that effect)

Flight continued as normal from DUB, his routing was via City Centre to Weston, so over Dublin City Centre he flew one last leg up the Liffey to the pigeon house at speed and then a slow return back down the Liffey en-route to Weston, I don't remember at any point in the comms mentioning that it was the last flight, but I am happy now to look back and say I saw it

Davidth88

Saw them in Weston today ........... great machines !

DieselPowered

I think I saw them in the big hangar this evening passing by - door open and lights were on.

Klunk001

Some of the S-61's now retired will be stripped down in preparation for their removal out of country. The remaining cabs will fly out of country over the next few weeks.

punchdrunk

Madzers, great shots! my Dad is the Winch Op in the pictures

Mister Jingles

Almost sure I seen this flying over Finglas a couple of days back, didn't realise it was it's last flight.

Pinch Flat

Was genuinely surprised to learn shes 50+ years old. Fascinating history for a beautiful machine. God speed EI-SAR.

Growler!!!

Any statistics on lives saved or missions completed?
Over 50 years the numbers must be huge.

conork93

Growler!!! wrote: »

Any statistics on lives saved or missions completed?
Over 50 years the numbers must be huge.

Though it wasn't an SAR machine for its entire operating life. it seems it was shipped to Japan as a kit firstly, then sent back to America to Sikorsky, then it somehow ended up working in England for a while. Would I be right in saying it only started flying SAR missions when it arrived in Ireland ?

Xpro

Any idea what happened to this machine?
EI-MES
I took this photo I think about a year ago in Lucan

deskjob

EI-MES is now N493RC registered to Carson Helicopters Holding Co Inc. http://www.carsonhelicopters.com/

tricky D

My photo of MES

prunudo

https://www.facebook.com/IrishCoastGuard/posts/664508726926299

Just saw this on Facebook, seems they will be having an official ceremony over in Weston next week.

niteowl2k

Last Departure from EIDW Sept 2013