SECOND SHETLAND HELICOPTER MOVES TO SOUTH COAST AS BACK-UP
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Sunday, November 16, 2008
The main Shetland helicopter will continue to operate search and rescue missions whilst this second Shetland helicopter is stationed in the south.
Whilst final testing is underway on the modified AgustaWestland Coastguard helicopters based at Lee on Solent, to ensure the night time equipment issues on board have been resolved, contractors Canadian Helicopter Company (CHC) are transferring the second Sikorsky S92 helicopter, normally based in Shetland to a south coast Coastguard airbase, as a back-up.
The interim helicopter, brought in by CHC from their operations in Ireland to operate in the south whilst work was carried out on the AgustaWestland, is now returning to the Republic.
This is not a permanent redeployment, but a short term move to ensure that search and rescue off the south coast by helicopter when needed continues uninterrupted.
Colleagues at the Air Rescue Co-Ordination Centre at Kinloss are aware of the deployment of the standby Shetland aircraft and will adapt military helicopter provision to the north Scottish coast and Islands if required.
The MCA are hopeful that the modifications developed by CHC and AgustaWestland will mean that the aircraft will be flying day and night time operations from Monday 17th November. However, if this isnt possible, having the standby Shetland aircraft at Lee on the Solent will mean that we can operate night time search and rescue missions with the S92.