Thanks to all those yellow Helio`s - its a shame to see you go

[sailorman]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34516901
Rescue pilot 'sad' as RAF mission ends



They have been a familiar sight all over Britain - but the RAF's iconic yellow sea king helicopter has carried out its final rescue - ending a mission that first started more than 70 years ago.
The BBC's Defence Correspondent Jonathan Beale spoke to Sergeant Duncan Bowden of 22 Squadron in Chivenor in North Devon about the job, and his sadness at the service coming to an end.

 

[Slipstream 34]

Don't forget the red an grey ones....! They had better crews in them ?

 

[[70521]]

Indeed it is a sad day, there have been many dark nights where the sound of rotor blades heading towards us as we tended a badly injured climber, has been the best sound in the world.

The night where they were flying in conditions that they really, really should not have lifted off, but did. When the winch man got the casualty on-board and then beckoned us on-board. After lifting off the pilot came over the intercom saying, "sorry lads we can't make any headway we are going to..." the 70 mile journey back to the cars; care of the local constabulary was fun!

As a child many was the day I watched the old Whirlwinds come down off Ben Nevis knowing that mum was at the Belford ready to treat the casualty.

 

[sailorman]

We had a visit to RAF Wattisham last year, well worth the bag of jam dough nuts we took with us for the crew

 

[prv]

Indeed it is a sad day, there have been many dark nights where the sound of rotor blades heading towards us as we tended a badly injured climber, has been the best sound in the world.

We can salute the RAF and RN as they hand over the baton, but of course those welcome rotor blades will still be there. Now with a much newer and better red and white helicopter underneath them.

Pete

 

[elton]

Sgt Carrington with his Sea King from RAF Leconfield, who against all odds, saved my bacon when I was otherwise heading to Davy Jones' locker in 2007.

 

[Highland Bear]

The current Commodore of the RAFYC is an ex-SAR pilot and instructor. Sqn Ldr Dave LeMare.

I used to fly the grey and green versions but it's a sad day to wave Ta Ta to my little yellow chums (OK and the Red and Grey variety!).

 

[[70521]]

We can salute the RAF and RN as they hand over the baton, but of course those welcome rotor blades will still be there. Now with a much newer and better red and white helicopter underneath them.

I just hope I never need to use their services.

 

[BurnitBlue]

Always struck me as strange as a good proportion of the RAF concentrate on killing folk while a small number concentrate on rescuing folk.

Must be a dramatic shift for a gunship crew to spend some time flying a medevac chopper.

They must suffer from some syndrome or other.

 

[chanelyacht]

We can salute the RAF and RN as they hand over the baton, but of course those welcome rotor blades will still be there. Now with a much newer and better red and white helicopter underneath them.

Pete

Indeed Pete, the military have a proud service to celebrate, but it's also easy to forget that Bristows have been operating SAR for over 30 years, with an equally proud record of service in dangerous environments.

The only retrograde step in the new service is the criminally stupid decision to remove the Portland SAR flight - many time when I've tasked that flight it's neighbours have already been on task elsewhere. The resulting gap in coverage will, undoubtedly, cost lives. Ironically, the useless fat git who made that decision was opening the new SAR base in Wales today, but then he never was short of staggering hypocrisy.

 

[prv]

Must be a dramatic shift for a gunship crew to spend some time flying a medevac chopper.

Fairly unlikely to happen in the RAF though, since they don't have any "gunships".

Pete

 

[FulmarJeddo]

Don't forget the red an grey ones....! They had better crews in them ��

Whilst we were walking on the North Cornwall Cliffs in July, this turned up to rescue an injured climber.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Always struck me as strange as a good proportion of the RAF concentrate on killing folk while a small number concentrate on rescuing folk.

Must be a dramatic shift for a gunship crew to spend some time flying a medevac chopper.

They must suffer from some syndrome or other.

Ignoring the rather tacky and inaccurate comments, military Search and Rescue has always been there primarily for the military, not for civilians and started between the wars really, mainly with the RAF having launches to cover marine operations. During WW2 it was formalised into SAR and developed from there as aircraft and then helicopters got introduced into the role. Obviously, not many military got shot down around the UK post-war so they've actually ended up rescuing mostly civilians instead since then. I've helped launch the Lossiemouth Seakings of D Flight 202 Sqdn in conditions when it's been difficult to walk never mind fly a helicopter. Oddly enough the Navy crews used to respect the RAF crews because, whilst the deck might stay still, the RAF didn't have any of the hold down or haul down gear that some Navy choppers have. If it was really windy the brief was to get as many airman as you could to simply hold on to the thing until it got airborne. Not fun on a wet, windy and icy night but you didn't care when you thought about the blokes who had to fly in it. In practice there was absolutely no difference in the skills of the crews of any of the services of course, they were all remarkable.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Fairly unlikely to happen in the RAF though, since they don't have any "gunships".

Pete

Not to mention that SAR is very different to Medevac