Silkorsky S92 will be used for Britians S&R from 2007

Bristow Helicopters has lost its contract to provide the UK’s Coastguard Search & Rescue (SAR) helicopters to a Canadian company. Bristow has provided Britain’s SAR helicopters for 20 years and recently performed its 10,000th rescue.
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency has awarded a five year contract to CHC Scotia, starting from July 2007. CHC will deploy seven specially-equipped SAR helicopters at Sumburgh, Stornoway, Lee-on- Solent and Portland on a 24/7 basis. The aircraft will be four of the giant Sikorsky S92s and two Agusta Bell AB139s. They will replace four Sikorsky S61Ns operated by Bristow at the same locations. John Astbury, Chief Coastguard said:
“These new aircraft will be able to fl y more quickly, and will be able to fly farther to people in distress at sea than those currently in use.

“They will come on line from mid 2007, and will be specifically kitted with various items of advanced technical equipment, including an onboard automatic identifycation system, specifically designed for search and rescue.” The crews of the existing services are likely to be offered jobs with CHC. Bristow operated Coastguard helicopters have fl own more than 14,500 operational flying hours over 22 years, rescuing approximately 6,500 people. Incidents include:
»the rescue of nine crewmen from the fishing vessel ‘Hansa’ west of Benbecula in 2001
»the rescue of 56 crewmembers of the Latvian Klondyker vessel ‘Lunokhods’ off Shetland in November 1993 for which airman Freddie Manson won the Queens Award for Gallantry

»the rescue of 51 from the sail training vessel `Eendracht’ off Newhaven in 1998
»Portland helicopter at the 2004 Boscastle floods
»Monitoring of the fires using infra-red cameras on board the bulk carrier `Ever Decent’ which was involved in a serious collision in the Dover Strait in August 1999. CHC already undertakes SAR and emergency services in Ireland, Africa, Australia and Norway.