UK SAR 2013 privatisation: the new thread
Crab - Yes I know what you mean, but I think we are talking the same thing anyway. I.E the reason for managed transition will by its nature (hopefully) result in the SAR experience of those in the mil who want to, being part of the future.
I only hope powers that be in the mil allow that to happen that way
I only hope powers that be in the mil allow that to happen that way
Crab
As a retired RAF SAR pilot and 20yr offshore pilot I would put your interest foremost. The civilian market is totally different to the services with its constant movement of aircrew on posting. Once a civilian company has the required number of pilots that is it, it doesn't matter how qualified and attractive to the company you are they won't offer you a job as all positions are filled. The churn rate of companies can also be small, depending on the economy and job situation, so it could be years before a opening appears.
Timing is everything. I went to look round Bond on a Monday and they offered me a job starting the next day as they had vacancies - a lot of their pilots had gone fixed wing - and I was already NS qualified having spent 3 yrs flying in all weathers from Lossie - oil companies at that time required Commanders to have at least 1 winter operating in the NS before they would allow you to fly on their contracts.
I also became a Commander in Sep that year - right place, time and qualifications.
About 1 year later the fixed wing opportunities dried up so nobody left and therefore Bond recruitment became virtually non-existent.
If you have the chance to leave the RAF now with a job offer from Bristows which suits you I would go because the RAF will only be interested in trying to keep the SAR flights going until Bristows have taken over. If by then Bristows is full then it could be "sandy side" or OIL and GAS if they need pilots!!
HF
As a retired RAF SAR pilot and 20yr offshore pilot I would put your interest foremost. The civilian market is totally different to the services with its constant movement of aircrew on posting. Once a civilian company has the required number of pilots that is it, it doesn't matter how qualified and attractive to the company you are they won't offer you a job as all positions are filled. The churn rate of companies can also be small, depending on the economy and job situation, so it could be years before a opening appears.
Timing is everything. I went to look round Bond on a Monday and they offered me a job starting the next day as they had vacancies - a lot of their pilots had gone fixed wing - and I was already NS qualified having spent 3 yrs flying in all weathers from Lossie - oil companies at that time required Commanders to have at least 1 winter operating in the NS before they would allow you to fly on their contracts.
I also became a Commander in Sep that year - right place, time and qualifications.
About 1 year later the fixed wing opportunities dried up so nobody left and therefore Bond recruitment became virtually non-existent.
If you have the chance to leave the RAF now with a job offer from Bristows which suits you I would go because the RAF will only be interested in trying to keep the SAR flights going until Bristows have taken over. If by then Bristows is full then it could be "sandy side" or OIL and GAS if they need pilots!!
HF
Last edited by Hummingfrog; 3rd Sep 2013 at 14:06.
Spanish - we have been told that the ratio will be 33%/33%/33% civ/RAF/RN on the flights, I guess the RN have bigger friends in important places than us!
Hummingfrog - thanks for the info, I naively hoped that such a vital govt contract would require a different approach in order to assure safety of the crews and those to be rescued.
You can't just grow SAR experience on trees, as you well know, and surely the safest option is to employ those already current in UKSAR now (those that want to go of course). There are clearly an awful lot of people out there who want to be SAR pilots and rearcrew but in the short term you need to transfer the existing experience because all the training (apart from that on type) has already been done and any other crewmembers will be playing catch-up on the job which is not ideal.
Hummingfrog - thanks for the info, I naively hoped that such a vital govt contract would require a different approach in order to assure safety of the crews and those to be rescued.
You can't just grow SAR experience on trees, as you well know, and surely the safest option is to employ those already current in UKSAR now (those that want to go of course). There are clearly an awful lot of people out there who want to be SAR pilots and rearcrew but in the short term you need to transfer the existing experience because all the training (apart from that on type) has already been done and any other crewmembers will be playing catch-up on the job which is not ideal.
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When people talk about RAF Rescue I always think about the yellow Sea Kings but there are also the grey Griffins which are less talked about.
Could anyone tell me roughly how many rescue Griffins the RAF have across how many bases and how their tasking varies from the Sea King?
Could anyone tell me roughly how many rescue Griffins the RAF have across how many bases and how their tasking varies from the Sea King?
In my opinion Managed Transition was primarily devised as a tool for MOD manning to maintain SAR cover during the handover phase. An added benefit is that it aIlows Bristow to cherry-pick the military element of their crewing solution. The notion that only current crews should be eligible is nonsense; of course it makes sense for a large chunk of crews to be in current practice but it doesn't take an awful lot of effort to get those (of appropriate skill and attitude) who are non-current up and running again. Despite the belief of some, SAR is neither a black art nor a discipline that those who have had some time elsewhere are unable to return to successfully.
SAR is neither a black art nor a discipline that those who have had some time elsewhere are unable to return to successfully.
Duff gen Jim.
(Of course, the same issue helps to obscure the true workload of the mixed UK SAR fleet, as highlighted by the Provision and Coverage Report of 2001, and again in 2006, but still not acted upon in 2013.)
Spanish - that's not how it was sold to us - I thought it was supposed to be a method of de-risking the project for the DfT by taking on current UK SAR crews with all the requisite skills and experience except time on type.
access to the roadshows was tightly controlled
in the short term you need to transfer the existing experience
I guess that is what the Bristow selection will be based on
In my opinion Managed Transition was primarily devised as a tool for MOD manning to maintain SAR cover during the handover phase
In my opinion Managed Transition was primarily devised as a tool for MOD manning to maintain SAR cover during the handover phase
Well of course it was - why else would they bother?!
Yes to avoid a mass PVR as everyone jumped ship and applied to Bristow for jobs.
But the process benefits everyone, not least the Govt, since peaks and troughs of availability of SAR service in the UK could be catastrophic; if there was a disaster in 2014/15 and the mil couldn't provide the aircraft and crews because so many had left and the new SAR service wasn't stood up in its place, the Govt would be asked why it contracted out SAR without a credible plan to cover contingencies.
As I said before - it has a lot to do with de-risking this contractorisation of SAR for the DfT.
But the process benefits everyone, not least the Govt, since peaks and troughs of availability of SAR service in the UK could be catastrophic; if there was a disaster in 2014/15 and the mil couldn't provide the aircraft and crews because so many had left and the new SAR service wasn't stood up in its place, the Govt would be asked why it contracted out SAR without a credible plan to cover contingencies.
As I said before - it has a lot to do with de-risking this contractorisation of SAR for the DfT.
Balfour Beatty to build new SAR bases
BBC News
Balfour Beatty has been awarded a £40m contract to lead the construction of search and rescue bases for Bristow Helicopters.
New facilities will be built at commercial airports at Caernarfon, Humberside, Inverness, Manston, Newquay, Prestwick and St Athan.
Buildings in Stornoway will be revamped.
Crews and helicopters to be based at Lee-on-Solent and Sumburgh will use existing facilities.
Bristow said Balfour Beatty, an infrastructure services company, would seek to use local firms to do the construction work.
Earlier this year, the Bristow Group won a 10-year contract from the Department for Transport to run the UK's helicopter search and rescue operations from 2015, taking over from the RAF and Royal Navy.
The new helicopter bases will be fitted with environmental technologies such as PV solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems.
New facilities will be built at commercial airports at Caernarfon, Humberside, Inverness, Manston, Newquay, Prestwick and St Athan.
Buildings in Stornoway will be revamped.
Crews and helicopters to be based at Lee-on-Solent and Sumburgh will use existing facilities.
Bristow said Balfour Beatty, an infrastructure services company, would seek to use local firms to do the construction work.
Earlier this year, the Bristow Group won a 10-year contract from the Department for Transport to run the UK's helicopter search and rescue operations from 2015, taking over from the RAF and Royal Navy.
The new helicopter bases will be fitted with environmental technologies such as PV solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems.
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What about details such as planning permission, is it taken for granted that there will be on objections?
Also take Caernarfon, it doesn't have the best road access, there is a road but it's narrow and winding (for approx 2+ miles), not the best for construction traffic ... or maybe there will be a new road to provide access from the A499
Also take Caernarfon, it doesn't have the best road access, there is a road but it's narrow and winding (for approx 2+ miles), not the best for construction traffic ... or maybe there will be a new road to provide access from the A499
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http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/511282-uk-sar-2013-privatisation-new-thread-39.html#
Could anyone tell me what will happen to the Scottish SAR bases if Scotland votes for independence?