SAR - There are more questions than answers

Ireland is about to put the next Search and Rescue contract to tender. A review of the Future Helicopter Study Group Report (FHSGR) on the Tender Specification Criteria for Search and Rescue Helicopters from 2012 is worth exploring. The first issue of interest is the membership of the group. It consisted of members of staff from the following:

• ?Director Irish Coast Guard?Chairman
• Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government
• Attorney General’s Office
• Health Service Executive
• Chief State Solicitor’s Office
• Health Service Executive
• Department of Defence
• An Garda Síochána
• Department of Transport (Finance)
• Chief State Solicitor’s Office
• Department of Foreign Affairs
• Commercial Manager, Irish Coast Guard
• Consultavia Ltd Secretary

What is interesting for me here is that there appears to be no representative from the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) or Irish Air Corps (IAC) as a member of this group although I do acknowledge a staffer from Defence (aviation expertise unknown).?Surely either the IAA, the IAC or both are the competent authorities on aviation in Ireland and as such should have been represented?

The FHSGR sets out several key areas for the 2012 contract and these are listed below.?I have asked some questions I believe must be answered in order to establish whether the contract was subjected to proper oversight.

The FHSGR states the Coastguard helicopters would assist in the event of a major disaster such as a fire, flood or deep snow' .?

Question: Recently there were some serious fires in Kerry. The State tasked the Air Corps to deal with some of the fires. However it was necessary to hired in other aircraft from Scotland to assist while the Irish Coastguard fleet remained at base. Why? Did these fires not come under the remit of the coastguard?

The FHSGR states the Coastguard helicopters were to Carry underslung loads such as equipment to fight marine pollution.?

Question: Do the Irish Coastguard helicopters work with underslung loads and was it a part of their contract to do so??If they do why were some of them not deployed to fight the Kerry fires?

The Health Service Executive identified to the FHSGR 'A need to ensure that SAR helicopter cabins are physically & electrically compatible with hospital equipment such as stretchers & incubators' .

Question: Is the current S92 helicopter used by the Irish Coastguard equipped to carry incubators? I understand they are not. Why?

Mountain Rescue Ireland expressed to the FHSGR A preference for smaller older helicopters stating that these have less efficient main rotors & therefore a less intense downwash to dislodge mountaineers being winched from precarious positions on rock faces.?

Factcheck:?I am assured by experts in the area that this is inaccurate and misleading smaller/older helicopters DO NOT have less efficient main rotors but they do have less down wash.

The FHSGR states that smaller helicopters such as the AW139 would be preferred for lifting small numbers of survivors from such precarious locations, do not fully overcome the downdraft issues.?The AW139 is considered unsuitable for the task.

Question: Is the AW139 really unsuitable?

Factcheck: According to AgustaWestland the AW139 in the European SAR market where its long range and all-weather operational capability are key advantages.?The AW139 delivers best-in-class performance with a maximum cruise speed of 165 knots (306 kph), a range in excess of 500 nm (927 km) and superior hover performance. With its power reserve, the AW139 delivers Category “A” (Class 1) performance from a helipad (elevated or at ground level) at maximum take-off weight which also makes it a safe helicopter whilst performing demanding SAR missions.

The FHSGR recommended that the new helicopters are fitted for NVG from the start, but that the goggles, support equipment & training are only introduced if funding becomes available. Was this funded in 2013? Is NVG in use today?

Question: Was funding made available in 2013 to the tune of €700k + VAT to upgrade the cockpits of the S92 fleet and a further €570K+ for goggles.?Is it true that to date the training has not been completed.

There are the many worrying aspects to the above issues which suggest a serious lack of oversight? Who was responsible to ensure the the service specified was provided and delivered? Was the FHSGR report just an aspirational document or did it form the specifications for the tender document which led to the contract for the winning bidder?

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