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Aviation History
1977
1977 - 0030.PDF
28 SEARCH AND RESCUE the same time, there is no point in running a similar set-up for civil use only. The military can call on very extensive back-up resources through its own chain of command, making it possible to tailor the SAR effort to the scale of the incident. There are international agreements whereby foreign aircraft can be requested for SAR operations in another state's airspace. The arrangements for such work are made directly between RCCs, and diplomatic clearance is not required. The much under-publicised role of the National Air Traffic Service in resolving civil-aviation SAR problems is in many cases of paramount importance. Other civil authorities involved are the police (who have a statutory duty to handle land incidents), HM Coastguard, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), fire and ambulance services, the Forestry Commission and moun tain-rescue teams. Civil agencies HM Coastguard co-ordinates the surface response to distress calls around the UK. The Coastguard, as part of the Department of Trade and Industry, main tains a presence at various sites and can react almost immediately in emergency. Provision of communications facilities and liaison with other SAR agencies is a Coast guard responsibility. The Coastguard also uses Post' Office shore radio stations when handling incidents, and is responsible for calling out RNLI lifeboats. The Coast guard's rescue equipment may seem limited—line-throw ing equipment, cliff ladders, Gemini-type general-purpose boats—but every year an impressive number of lives is saved by these means. The RNLI maintains stations around the British coast for life-saving afloat. The Institution's vessels are manned by volunteers and it is funded entirely from public sub scription. Lifeboats vary in size and capability, ranging from the 16ft inflatable inshore lifeboat to the 70ft Clyde- class vessel. Some boats are anchored offshore, but many others are housed ashore in sheds; some ILB stations close during the winter months. All stations can be relied upon to react within a few minutes to calls from the Coastguard. Such calls are directed to the honorary secretary of the RNLI branch who asks the coxswain to launch. ILBs have a service speed of 20-30kt, while the remainder of the fleet operates at 8-20kt. All lifeboats are fitted with VHF (FM) equipment, most of the larger vessels have MF (with direction-finding), radar is common, and proposals to install VHF (AM) in selected areas are being advanced. (At the time of writing it is believed that only the Aber deen and Guernsey vessels have this equipment.) There seem to be no weather limits for RNLI lifeboat operations, although beach conditions may on occasion rule out the use of carriage-launched vessels and extreme weather will stop the ILBs. Although lifeboat crews are generally unfamiliar with aviation problems, a lifetime of afloat experience more than makes up this deficiency. The ditched aviator's problems are usually over once the life boat has arrived. In some areas there are other surface rescue services, most of which are up to RNLI standard. There have how ever been instances of over-enthusiastic reaction to inci dents, which can add needlessly to the co-ordinator's work load. The police, fire and ambulance services also play a full part in support of SAR operations. Liaison between agencies Many of the operational diffi culties of the various SAR agencies are resolved by per sonal contact in the field, but this practice is officially dis approved of. One such liaison problem arises from the need for combined training for civil mountain-rescue teams and military helicopters. The military require a prohibitive level of insurance cover before they will permit members of these teams to fly. Training is therefore impossible, and the teams and helicopter crews have to wait for a genuine emergency before they can begin learning how to work together. One remedy would be for the Government to FLIGHT Internationa/, I January 1977 LOCATION OF UK SAR HELICOPTERS Location Lossiemouth Aberdeen (Dyce) Leuchars Boulmer Leconfield Coltishall Woodbridge Manston Lee-on-Solent Portland Culdrose Chivenor Brawdy Valley Prestwick Service RAF BAH (DTI) RAF RAF RAF RAF USAF RAF (DTI) RN (DTI) RN RN (DTI) RAF RAF RAF RN Type Whirlwind 10 S-61N Wessex 2 Whirlwind 10 Whirlwind 10 Whirlwind 10 HH-53 Wessex 2 Whirlwind 9* Wessex 5 Wessex 1 Whirlwind 10 Whirlwind 10 Wessex 2 Sea King Flight/Squadron D/202 — B/22 A/202 B/202 C/202 — E/22 Lee SAR 772 Sqn 771 Sqn A/22 D/22 C/22 819 Sqn *Lee SAR Flight to re-equip with Wessex 5 in early 1977. Notes: (1) SAR coverage in Northern Ireland is provided by aircraft based in the Province for tactical military support. (2) It is understood that the RAF Sea Kings will be based at Lossie mouth, Boulmer, Coltishall and Brawdy. (3) RAF mountain-rescue teams, manned by volunteer Service personnel, are based at Kinloss, Leuchars, Leeming, Stafford, St Athan and Valley, They are at one hour's readiness and are exercised regularly. arrange for insurance cover of all civil members of moun tain and other rescue teams. After all, they are in fact working for the State when they turn out for a rescue. Communications If it is to be fully effective, an SAR organisation must have adequate communications between the agencies involved. The British SAR system is still slightly deficient in this respect. Communications within agencies in each area are normally of a high quality but, when combined operations with other organisations or areas are required, a very different picture can emerge. There is a need in the UK for a comprehensive radio communications network which will allow any rescue agency to talk directly and at once to any other. Even military SAR helicopters have radio problems when operating in mountainous areas, where contact sometimes cannot be made with anyone. All too often the members of an area's rescue organisations have to get together informally to exchange communications equipment and quietly agree common procedures. In the UK there is no common "on-scene'' VHF channel for all the SAR agencies. For example, without making an arrangement beforehand and then tinkering with relay equipment, the average fire officer cannot communi cate directly with his police opposite number, even though
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