Quote:
Originally Posted by cmonstanley
. they do have a history of ditching in the north sea  as well. |
Helicopters
per se have a history of ditching, they are dependent on which set of statistics you consult about twice as likely to crash as fixed wing aircraft.
From the Stornoway Herald:
Bristow Helicopters Ltd has a long history of providing SAR services in the UK, dating back to 1971, when Whirlwind helicopters were replaced by Bristow S55 helicopters at RAF Manston, in Kent, and continuing with the operation of S61 helicopters working at four SAR bases, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Lee-on-Solent and Portland, until 2007. In 2012 the company was awarded the UK Gap SAR contract for Northern Scotland and, working in partnership with the MCA, will operate four SAR helicopters from Sumburgh and Stornoway, starting this summer.
In total Bristow Helicopters Ltd has flown more than 44,000 SAR operational hours in the UK and conducted over 15,000 SAR missions, during which more than 7,000 people have been rescued by the company’s crews and helicopters.
The company has led the industry in introducing new aircraft types and technology to the civil market and SAR equipment* it has developed has become the industry standard, resulting in Bristow Helicopters Ltd being recognised with the Queen’s Award for Innovation for its technical developments.
*The article below shows me that Bristow have the agility to adjust to the challenges this new contract throws at em'
Evening Express - Article - Bristow buys 10 new helicopters after ditching
And let's not forget that the Sea King is/was a Sikorsky variant made under licence from the Home of the Brave Land of the Free