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Post by tagron on Mar 6, 2015 8:11:20 GMT
A rumour on pprune mentions the possibility of a helicopter SAR operation fom SEN involving a new hangar and H24 availability.
The background is that Bristow Helicopters have a government contract for the provision of SAR services covering the whole of the UK, operating from 10 different sites. One of these locations was planned to be Manston. It appears that following the closure of MSE Bristow attempted to persevere with the MSE plan either on the airport itself or at an adjacent site.
Now the MSE option has evidently disappeared as according to Kent newspaper reports about two weeks ago Bristow were then in talks with Lydd. But the SEN rumour is possibly more recent. Are there any indications as to the likelihood of SEN being selected ?
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Post by expressflight on Mar 6, 2015 9:43:11 GMT
I would have thought that Lydd was the more likely choice and the MD there being the ex MSE MD would give them a further advantage.
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Post by tagron on Apr 9, 2015 16:54:52 GMT
This today from the Transport Minister John Hayes:
A new deal for search-and-rescue services in the South East of England: Bristow, the company that provides search-and-rescue services on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, had originally planned to base two helicopters at Manston, but the airport closed in May 2014. The Minister of State and Prime Minister`s Special Representative has today announced that instead of agreeing a long-term contract for Bristow to base their helicopters elsewhere, he has agreed a one-year deal in which the helicopters are based only temporarily at Lydd Airport. This paves the way for the helicopters to return to Manston once the airport reopens.
Understandably Manston is the optimum site from a SAR perspective.
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Post by Thames Gateway on Apr 10, 2015 18:29:22 GMT
I tend to disagree that Manston is the 'Optimum site'. It is a good one, but I think Southend would be better. SAR Base coverage shows Humberside and Lee-on-Solent as the next bases along, and Southend is more central than Manston to these two thus providing better 'surge coverage' for back-up to either of these bases. Annex B of this document also shows Southend is immediately central to the high risk areas of Thames Estaury and East coast rivers (where much of the existing Wattisham bread and butter calls take place - lots of recreational sailors in these parts!) Also, at 38ft AMSL Southend is less fog prone than Manston at 178ft AMSL. Southend has full ILS on both ends, Manston only had only a localiser approach on Rwy 10, that is assuming that any of the equipment could be salvaged to be re-used. Southend has 24hr ATC; Manston, how long to get to that stage? However I am sure if Southend was the base that some PR work would need to be done about the helicopter movements at night.
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Post by tagron on Apr 15, 2015 8:18:49 GMT
Yes I agree there appears to be a good case for SEN though traditionally Manston has been the home of SAR operations.
But now the whole Manston situation is embroiled not just in local politics but national politics too and with an election looming. It should be entertaining to watch how the Alice in Wonderland situation plays out.
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Post by Thames Gateway on Aug 22, 2015 6:38:53 GMT
So a postscript to this thread, the new SAR base actually is Lydd for at least a year, started operating a week ago. First job I hear was up past Southend, off Walton-on-the-Naze.
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