Air Corps SAR

Ah certain Senator i would say is skirting on Libel statements about the incoming contractor at the moment

I see in the indo this morning there is story on bristow having to stand down the shannon helicopter due to crew shortages at times this week. At this stage the orginal air corps staff that went to CHC are all older now and retiering.

This will probably be an issue for any company in this line of work as were do you get the staff unless the companys train them fresh themselves and create a new pool of staff.

So the ABP case outcome for IRCG base in Weston is due in the next few weeks. Its very hard to call what way it will go.

If it goes against the coastguard from what i understand DAA will fight tooth and nail to keep them out of dublin airport in July.

So because IRCG are a state organisation ( with a private company working for them) Could the government force the Defence forces to allow Bristow operate out of Casement?

I am so on the fence here as it could go anyway. There is a Precedence here as ABP ruled in the past against previous expansion at weston.

Than you have the submissions some which were very poor and were more emotion than Fact.

If it does get the go ahead expect Joe Duffy meltdown next Autumn went the locals here the AW189 starting up at 3am in the morning.

I have spoken to some people with a planning background previously about it and technially the way Bristow are set up in the Hangar at the moment there would be nothing to stop them working out of there as there is noting in writing when it comes to planning to stop and aircraft working at night.

It looks like ABP has kicked the SAR base in weston down the road a little further. At this stage Bristow should withdrawn the applcation, set up the service base in shannon or other regional airport with hanger space and just operate SAR opeations out of weston as they are now.

the Current weston Hanger is BIL HQ. Again as i have said this not BIL problem the contract stated within 15km of Dublin Airport while the DAA made it clear that they wanted no SAR aircraft on there property so where could they go?

i see everyones favourite Senator is up in arms again for the SAR contract that Shannon is still only 12hr operation and with sligo due to transfer on the 14th it will also be 12hr operation due to the operational issues it looks likem

To ensure cover for the west coast will one CHCs helicopters be deployed from waterford or Dublin to the west to keep night time cover or would the two 12 hour bases in the west just take turns on day and night shifts?

Yes but sending a helicopter from the east coast to west coast for a rescue would add an extra 30 mins flight time and depending on the location of the rescue could require a fuel stop

I dont belive Shannon & Sligo would have been closed at the same time. There would have been a resource avilable on the west coast at all times.

the main problem seams to be that most european nations with coastlines still have SAR as a military role but when the UK & Ireland started using private contractors they took on former UK Military crews in the UK and in Ireland a mix of irish air corps and UK former military to staff the contracts.

Now that line of staff has dried up and all contractors are struggling to get experiened crew.

Expect this to become a poltical football over the coming weeks

Edit: According to the Indo today Bristow and IRCG have asked CHC to stay in Sligo indefinitely. But CHC want a date which is fair so they can plan themselfs.