No.22 Squadron at Chivenor

[vampiredave]

Someone was spreading rumours yesterday that the decision to 'disband' the squadron was rather premature and that the helicopters have a temporary reprieve. Someone please tell me that there is an element of truth to this gossip?

[Dan214sqn]

I cant give any solid answers on Chiv but it is a steady draw down of military SAR appose all ending on one day.

Valley will continue throughout 2015.(203sqn already disbanded )
Lec has still got 31st march 2015 as doors closed
Culdrose & Prestwick have a date of 2nd Jan 2016 (navy flt's)

I'm not entirely sure on Chiv, Wattisham, Boulmer and Lossie , Boulmer is'nt even being covered by bristows, so if you find yourself in the sea or crippled at the bottom of a cliff in northumberland your in for a wait

[robin]

I cant give any solid answers on Chiv but it is a steady draw down of military SAR appose all ending on one day.
Valley will continue throughout 2015.(203sqn already disbanded )
Lec has still got 31st march 2015 as doors closed
Culdrose & Prestwick have a date of 2nd Jan 2016 (navy flt's)

I'm not entirely sure on Chiv, Wattisham, Boulmer and Lossie , Boulmer is'nt even being covered by bristows, so if you find yourself in the sea or crippled at the bottom of a cliff in northumberland your in for a wait

Thanks Dan214sqn, info most useful....any updates or additions most welcome................please.......

[robin]

A ceremony was held 8th December 2014 to mark construction of a new Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter base (including a NEW hangar) at St Athan Aerospace Business Park within the Enterprise Zone (Bristow Helicopters Ltd has signed a long lease with the Welsh Government for the site on the Aerospace Business Park’s Rotary Zone).

The base will house two state-of-the-art SAR helicopters, operated by Bristow Helicopters Ltd, their crews and support team. It is due to become fully operational in 2015, when Bristow Helicopters Ltd takes over delivery of helicopter Search and Rescue services throughout the UK on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Welsh Government, Balfour Beatty and Bristow Helicopters Ltd. Samantha Willenbacher, Bristow Helicopters Ltd’s UK Search and Rescue Director, said: “The ongoing construction of our new base here is an important and exciting sign of progress for us as we work towards assuming responsibility for the delivery of UK SAR helicopter services next year. Finance and Government Minister Jane Hutt said: “I am delighted to visit the base to hear about the progress being made on the new hangar and that this significant investment is set to create thirty new jobs.

The new SAR helicopter base at St Athan Airfield is due to become fully operational in 2015. A further six SAR helicopter bases are being developed at commercial airports around the country. Bristow Helicopters Ltd currently provides Search and Rescue services on behalf of the MCA at Stornoway, in the Western Isles and Sumburgh, in Shetland which will continue throughout the UK SAR contract. The tenth base which will be used by Bristow Helicopters Ltd to deliver the UK SAR contract is an existing MCA facility at Lee-on-Solent.

The program of new build and refurbishment work across all ten bases will continue until early 2017

[nickowen]

Here is the timetable for the Future SAR Implementation Phase:
(with acknowledgements to Jim Fraser and the UKC Forum)

1 April 2015 - Lossiemouth to Inverness (RAF to Bristow), 2 x AW189. Training Base: 1 x Aw189.
1 April 2015 - Leconfield to Humberside (RAF to Bristow), 2 x S-92.

1 July 2015 - Valley to Caernarfon (RAF to Bristow), 2 x S-92.
1 July 2015 - Wattisham to Manston (RAF to Bristow), 2 x AW189.

1 Oct 2015 - Chivenor to St Athan (RAF to Bristow), 2 x AW189.
1 Oct 2015 - Boulmer (RAF) discontinued.

1 Jan 2016 - Prestwick (RN to Bristow), 2 x AW189.
1 Jan 2016 - Culdrose to Newquay (RN to Bristow), 2 x S-92.

1 April 2017 - Sumburgh (Bristow: GAP to MAIN), 2 x S-92.
1 April 2017 - Lee-on-Solent (CHC GAP to Bristow), 2 x AW189.

1 July 2017 - Stornoway (Bristow: GAP to MAIN), 2 x S-92. Training base: 1 x S-92.
1 July 2017 - Portland (CHC GAP) discontinued.

In other news, the CAA has at last allowed a relaxation of VFR minima for civil helos engaged in SAROPS:
http://www.caa.co.uk.../ORS4No1070.pdf

Training is now well underway. When we were in Stornoway in October for Joint Warrior, the three S-92s were flying at least 6 training sorties per day.

I understand that there is still a question mark over Manston, though it would still be possible to construct the base as an enclave on the edge of the proposed industrial site. What is intriguing is that the MCA website is now referring to the new bases by region, rather than name, i.e. Caernarfon is now "North Wales" and Manston is "South East England", so clearly they are keeping their options open. What is also clear is that the new buildings at Caernarfon, where SAR operations are due to commence on the same day, are substantially complete, so Manston (if it is to be the base for SE England) has some catching up to do.

A separate issue, which is also giving cause for concern, is the ongoing delay in certification of the AW189 for SAR work, particularly for operation in icing conditions. Indeed it is likely that a number of flights will have to stand to with the rather cramped and less capable AW139.