Air Corps SAR

sniping seems to be the only way in this thread, so hop on, join the fun!

By all accounts, nobody like the AW189 in government either, until it was picked :-D

Would have been interesting to see if CHC had proposed the AW189, would Bristow have been picked also. If they had someone locked in for the fixed wing element, it would have been pretty much an identical bid. Project get CHC out may have floundered.

Great to see you're being entertained, maybe the sourpuss posts and sniping might end? Or are you self elected thread expert and that's part of the job?

If by only, you mean nearly 7 years in operations with HMCG, then yes!

New Coastguard Search and Rescue Helicopter at Prestwick Airport :: Bristow Group Inc. (VTOL)

Re: 139 unsuitability, You should definitely let HMCG know, after they used it for nearly 10 years (3-4 of that being stop gap at many busy bases while the 189's were delivered) and have included in the UKSAR2G contract, commencing this year.

Not a fan of it personally, but, HMCG are, and Netherland's SAR. Not to mention many Middle East and Mexican Gulf SAR entities.

2 seats eh, thats not much at all, until it means another trip back out...

Clearly and despite having only 2 seats shy of the S92, the AW189 is capable significantly less time on station at extreme ranges to winch enough survivors on board to fill them.

It is inferior in most senses of the word and a retrograde step in capability. You only have to look out your window at the weather in the last few days.

The circle on the map depicting the coverage area where Irish SAR assets can lift a full load just got smaller. No amount of AW189/Bristow fanboy buttering it up says otherwise.

Where it wins is on the operators side of the column. Cheaper to operate and maintain. Probably a better long term security of parts although it shouldn't be an issue during the lifetime of the contract. Also a bigger pool of hireable rated pilots and engineers going forward.

Prestwick is an AW189 base anyway.

Inverness too, I had 5 bases in Scotland in my head (Aberdeen for obvious reasons, but, mixed it up with the MRCC) but, its only 4, 2x S92 and 2xA189.... with both S-92 bases having 2 ops helos (so 4) and 189's, Inverness with 2, but Prestwick with 1 (3 total).

Jesus, you'd think someone who worked for CHC/Bristow would know this off hand :-D

LOL, I got R116 tonight at UHG.

S92 you absolute beauty.

I do feel myself that Weston is a slightly odd choice. Perfectly suitable, but odd in terms of its current sleepy situation and light operations.

I wonder why the current CHC leased hangar at Dublin Airport isn't going to continue with the new contractor? Are the DAA looking to regain control over that part of the airfield?

Yes, that makes absolute sense vis-a-vis parallel runway operations.

The objections from the Weston residents do seem to be proportionate and not given to hysterics, but I don't think they have too much to be concerned about.

The last full year of KPIs available show each Helicopter station operated about 180 callouts, so one day in every two, plus whatever training operations took place.

I can't find a stat for the percentage of those taskings that took place at night, but being generous at 20%, that means Weston residents *MAY* only be disturbed one night in every ten, and thats probably way less in reality.

I think the station will get permission and operate without any great impact on the neighbourhood, especially if their departure bearing is SW away from the built up areas around.

In fact I know a few people involved in volunteer community first response in Lucan and Leixlip and they're delighted to have the investment and the expertise coming to their area.

Probably quieter in comparison, but, still going to be quite the introduction to the Weston residents, 189's aren't sold on their quietness :-D

Edit:

EASA noise certs suggest the S-92 is roughly 4dB-4.5dB louder than the AW189 over the various phases of flight.

Full list of CAA approved Helo's and their noise certs: Approval of Part 21 rotorcraft | Civil Aviation Authority (caa.co.uk)

S-92 = Microsoft Word - TCDSN.IM.R.001 Issue1.doc (caa.co.uk)

Aw189 = 1016 (caa.co.uk)

EC135 = CAAdB Helicopters EC135_EC175.xlsx

On a cold winters night, the AW189 sounds LOUD!!

edit2:went on a tangent to see how the Alouette 3 compared, turns out the noise standards weren't applicable for it's certification at the time.... figures, could hear that thing from miles away before you even had a chance of seeing it :-D

Noise certs have take off, overflight and approaching metrics.... what is usually found is you have the bulk of complaints from estates 2-3 miles away from the field... anyone near the field usually is at peace with any aircraft movements... it's the people a few miles away who throw up the "we never agreed to this", "I wasn't told it would be this loud", "it flew over my roof at 2 in the morning" type complaints...

If this is to be managed correctly, there will be various consulted and agree airfield entry/exit patterns, done with local consultation.

R116 nearly always returns to Dublin via 16/34, same for R115 & R118 when they visit dublin on inter hospital transfers. I have never heard of them joining the traffic over Dublin bay unless its quiet. When 116 left UH Galway the other night they returned over Ashbourne/Dublin VOR landing on 16/34 as its closest to the hanger, their purpose built nearly new hanger.

"Vertical Flight Solutions"

**** off.