Air Corps SAR

I shall very much enjoy the attempted landing of a Sikorsky 72 on a Lake Class FPC.

(incidentally the Examiner had a confirmation yesterday that negotiations are happening between Ireland and New Zealand on acquiring the two Lake Class boats.)

That does seem to be the case. Dublin has, for a while been considered surplus, there to deal with the hypothetical ferry disaster. However there has also been a realisation that such an event would be an "all-hands-on-deck" event anyway, and one extra heli in the mix wouldn't change much.

At the same time Waterford Airport is struggling to remain open, but the Heli there is to cover the busy South East coast. So either The Waterford heli moves to Dublin permanently, or the Dublin heli goes.

The fixed wing requirement is clearly written for a Casa MPA type. Search Radar, Flir, etc. I can't see a civvy operator providing that one. (unless they leased a CASA MPA or similar) The ability to launch liferafts is rarely seen in standard patrol aircraft.

Could the AC sustain both the medical coverage and a SAR cover at the same time?

Saw that happening out the back window - cracking pic from the fire brigade lads below : No chance getting a patient down the stairs here.

https://twitter.com/CorkCityFire

I'd have thought airframe issues were barely consequential next to the problem with Pilots. Not just now, but the pipeline of same into the future.

Civvies have operated SAR fixed wing aircraft for decades; have a look at the Swedish coasties as an example. Dropping dinghies or flares is not so difficult that a mere civvy can't do it.

Got to say that article is full of crap. 35 million for 2 new helicopters? You sure as **** aren’t suggesting anything in the S92 range, let alone the costs of standing up new bases, and we all know that providing Top Cover has been an issue and the 2 new 295s aren’t enough if you want 24/7 coverage along with all other duties, and that’s not even touching on impact to army support and training if SAR is prioritised.

You're absolutely right. In actual fact, to stand up an Air Corps SAR operation that mirrors the service currently in place from CHC under the existing contract, would be a €100 million job.

The AW139 is not a match for the S-92 in kit or passenger capacity, both of which are requirements for the sort of offshore service our maritime SAR needs.

The Air Corps would in fact have to acquire 4 medium / heavy helis like the S-92, H225 or NH90 (perish the thought), not just 2 additional 139s.

Only in Ireland would it occur to someone to reduce the size of the helicopter rather than increase the size of the effing pad...

Air Corpse indeed.

However, I think there may be a bit more to it than that. I wonder myself if Air Corps senior officers are looking at the writing on the wall, more than a few mentions in recent years of a Defence Force integration project which would leave the Navy and Air Corps under a unified command, akin to the US Coastguard structure and where they as the smaller and less powerful service would become the hind tit of a Navy dominated command. An air support service under an enhanced Flag Officer position, perhaps a Rear Admiral.

Existential threats make people do uncharacteristic things.

Basically, yes.