Wonder will this effect any of the current bases and Crews
https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/f9647-government-announces-preferred-tenderer-for-the-provision-of-the-new-irish-coast-guard-search-and-rescue-aviation-contract/
An awful waste of a hanger if it was to be demolished, I take it the DAA own the land on where the hanger is, I wonder why Bristow couldn't use it.
I can almost hear the steam coming out of various Leixlip/Lucan residents ears about there being extensive night time use of Weston
Flatten it for additional temporary parking stands.
Hangar at DUB is on DAA lands so I doubt CHC have any hold on it if they don't hold SAR contract. DAA would probably be happy to get it back and repurpose area for other uses in immediate or longer term.
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3688489248
Looks like they are looking for pilots I wonder if they do operate out of EIWT what would CHC do with the hanger at Dub?
I'd be more concerned by this than their choice of aircraft. But again is this an operator shortfall or the minister creating and awarding a sub standard tender.
Gas & CHC have a new purpose built hanger in Dublin Intl.
yeah heard about it a few days ago. Interesting choice considering Weston has so many negatives to its use, lights, approaches, operating hours, local residents issues, local council issues, infrastructure etc etc.
Just reading over the press release below and noticed they say Dublin Weston as a base, presuming it's not a typo and they will no longer be based at Dublin airport
https://www.bristowgroup.com/news-media/press-releases/detail/539/bristow-ireland-limited-signs-new-sar-contract-with-irish
Did you even read anything of whats being said? Huge differences between AW189 & S92. I was talking to an EX IRCG S92 Pilot, he said "S92 can officially lift 20 casualties (but if situation warranted it could cram more in) & with the reserve fuel tank it had the endurance to give some margin when operating out at 200NM. What is said on paper as capability versus what actually happens when the mission changes, updates." Also was talking to a Crew person on one of the duty S92's "Space inside a helicopter when operating in Ireland is everything especially as we are a combined HEMS & SAR Operation, A full medical team of 3 & associated gear plus a child on an ICU trolley can easily fit & be wheeled up the ramp of the S92, this wont happen with an AW189 where you will be on your knees pulling it across the floor.
In the previous precurement that resulted in the CHC contract, the requirement was for helicopters with the sort of capability of the S92 at all bases. On the west coast, this was required for the range to get out as far as possible to vessels operating in the Atlantic, on the east coast this was required for the capacity with, in particular, the requirement to respond to a passenger vessel emergency in mind. Which is entirely approporiate, you base specs on what are the most demanding but plausible scenarios, not simple bread and butter stuff like air ambulance runs to the islands.
I dont know if, how or why the specified requirements were changed for the new contract. Maybe the AW189 and S92 both met the minimum required but little or no significant scoring was earned by one bid over the other for exceeding the minimum by more (a very common flaw in public sector procurement in my experieince in another field). Whatever the reason, we have clearly opted for lesser capabability now which is regretable.
The AW189 isnt fine, asking an AW189 to do what an S92 does is deluded. Size matters.
LOL, say that to Shannon. Long Range is their bread & butter.
This machine for top cover would be ideal ,Not the 727 ;)
Any word on the fixed wing type? Living here in Castlebar the S 92 is a regular into the hospital from the likes of Achill or the Islands off Mayo. Its very rare the S 92 ventures very far off coast so i guess the AW189 will slot in fine. In an ideal world id have an S92 based at Shannon and Sligo and the AW189 at Dublin and Waterford.
I wonder is part of it a dirty tricks campaign by CHC to try and discredit Bristow in the media..
There isn’t a whole load of difference in capacity between the S-92 and the AW189 in real world terms.. The S92 will take two extra bodies in the cockpit and has 15km further range, but how many SAR ops involve over 15 casualties anyway
About as authoratative as Eamon Ryan
Of course 🤣
The Mail on Sunday is a pretty authoritative source on aviation matters, of course.
A bit unfair to be blaming the operater, if what they supply meets the tender documnets then the issue lies with the Department of transport for issuing below par requirements.
Going for the same result with anything less than an S92 is deluded.
looks like the Irish media is picking up on the Dutch story.
As for the current employees (Medics) If they were to be replaced by UK medics they would have to have their skills and qualifications assessed by PHECC..
Some sober reading… It seems the AW189 & the Operator doesn’t have the legs for SAR even in the Netherlands!! https://pledgetimes.com/rescue-with-helicopters-took-a-long-time-from-den-helder-via-rotterdam-to-the-cargo-ship-above-ameland/
TUPE.
They will not bring in new crews.
What is most likely to happen is that when Bristow take over is as follows.
A 5th team will be created.
1 AW189 will arrive in Shannon.
The entire team from one base (say Sligo)will rotate to Shannon to train on the new machine.
While they are off site the 5th team will cover the base (in Sligo).
Once they have achieved operational readiness they will return home bringing the AW189 with them.
The 5th team will move to the next base.
Another AW189 will arrive in Shannon.
Rinse and repeat until all bases have been converted to the new machine.
Very hard to swallow I can imagine, majority of CHC are EX IAC/HSE, hows it going to work if they move on? Youll be looking at all new possibly majority British AW189 Crews? I know a huge amount of the SAR lads here are on 1st name terms with their passsengers & have intimate knowledge of Irish waters/beaches/Cliffs etc, going to be very difficult with new heads if they have to go through that process from the start & awkward I can imagine.
Looks like its gone the way of Bristow.
No great surprise there, given the value of the contract.
CHC taking it to court.
https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/chc-helicopter-launches-court-fight-against-irish-sar-loss/153704.article
S92 can land at any pad except Waterford & Tallaght AFAIK. S92 on the daily is into UH Letterkenny/Sligo/Galway/Limerick/Tralee & other pads such as Castletownbere & Blacksod. In fact, Waterford never got expanded beyond the size it remains now from the days of the Alouette.
AW189s are used for SAR in many locations, although they are smaller airframes, their range and performance are pretty similar. They will be the smallest helis operated by the coast guard though, the S92s were at least double the size of the old S62s, now they will be at least half the size again. There still plenty of space for patient care, but it might start getting cramped if they needed to lift a large number of crew off a ship in distress.
