Hi Sealion,
A few notes on your points.
a. Correct. Never provided an effective service. The navy should have there own aircraft.
b. Reasons well known but im not going to drag them up here. Upshot is that the DF had a pain trying to deal with problems thrown up by SAR and had had enough of it.
c. True. Wont even carry them or I believe SAR equipment. But dont provide a credable SAR service anyway so it is a mute point.
d. Not True. McAlpine helicopters maintain the EC135 but is likely to revert to the Air Corps due to cost. The IAA do not allow civil pilots operate to the same extent as military pilots therefore it is the Dept of Justices choice, although a forced one, to remain with the Air Corps. The CAA have a Police Air Operations Manual which allows civil pilots to effectively operate in the police role. No such manual exisits here. I think the cost of pilots would also make the DoJ revert to the Air Corps.
ST
