"I’ll typically arrive on base at around half 12, ahead of handover at 12.45," says Mike. "The outgoing crew gives us their update, and we’ll gather information on NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen), danger areas, and weather.”
Mike and his four-man crew will then be sent on HM Coastguard SAR missions, or ‘sorties’ by Aeronautical Operations Officers at HM Coastguard’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Fareham, sharpening up their skills in two-hour airborne training exercises to keep up their competencies.
“Whenever the job phone rings, we gather information like ranges, bearings and casualties, from HM Coastguard’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Aeronautical Rescue and confirm whether it’s a ‘wet job’ at sea, or a ‘dry job’ on land,” he adds.
Racing out to the aircraft, the four-person crew, which includes a pilot and co-pilot, winch operator and winch paramedic, leaves the ground as quickly and safely as possible. The crew fly the Leonardo AW139, one of the newest aircraft in HM Coastguard’s fleet.
Mike says: “Ultimately, when we’re trying to get people from a place of danger to safety, it usually involves winching. The pilot provides the winch operator and winch paramedic with a stable platform from which they can exit and enter an area, be it cliffs, vessels, or hills.
“The AW139 is an excellent hover platform. It’s well-established and it's in service across the planet. It's unique in its agility and speed, and SAR models include an advanced weather surveillance radar, forward-looking infrared, and dual hoists for lifting casualties.”
The helicopters are built by Leonardo in Italy and flown to the UK where they are modified to include HM Coastguard’s bespoke SAR mission management system. They are extensively kitted out with state-of-the-art systems so that the crew can accomplish almost any SAR task thrown at them, and aircraft work within the HM Coastguard national network, providing round-the-clock availability across the country.
“We could be called out to assist with searches, fallen climbers, or vessels in distress. We can rescue casualties aboard the aircraft, but we can also help to support lifeboat crews and coastguards performing searches at sea or on the ground, especially in hazardous conditions,” Mike says.
HM Coastguard’s rescue helicopters cover remote and challenging areas from above, using heat-seeking thermal imaging and night vision to overcome darkness and spot casualties day or night.
“It’s a challenging professional environment and we’re very rigorous in our approach,” says Mike. “The aircrew work closely with the engineers and other ground-based professionals, all of whom make a vital contribution to every sortie that launches.
“We’re very supportive of each other, and together we have the training and capability to meet the challenges we face in as safe a fashion as possible.”
Mike also praises the work of Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs), who he says are an invaluable part of Search and Rescue. He says: “CROs might be keeping casualties safe, setting up Helicopter Landing Sites, or providing us crucial weather advice and guidance.
“That information is invaluable as it helps with our fuel planning and our ability to reach a scene quickly and safely.”
Unlike colleagues with military backgrounds, Mike became a pilot through civilian training, completing his commercial pilot’s licence in the USA before returning to the UK to work on crew change in the oil and gas industry.
“I flew for around 10 years on numerous airframes before coming over to HM Coastguard, which was an opportunity I just couldn’t miss,” he says. “After a rescue, it takes an hour or two for the adrenaline to wash out, so you might end up staring at the ceiling for a while thinking about it, but the next morning, you’ve had a cup of tea and you're back in the air again!
“We can be hypercritical when debriefing at times, but at the end of the day, we often nudge each other to remind ourselves that we retrieved the casualty and delivered them to further care safely and in good time. It’s then that we know we’ve accomplished our task.”
