Sunday, February 8, 2015

Royal Netherlands Air Force retires AB-412 and disbands 303 SAR Sqn.

On 1 January 2015 the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) retired the Agusta Bell AB-412 SP SAR helicopters, followed on 15 January by the disbandment of 303 SAR Squadron after 55 years of service. Joan le Poole (Naviation.nl) guest reports for GAR and takes the opportunity to look back into the history of search and rescue operations in the RNLAF.

On 1 January 2015 at 1200 local time 303 Squadron officially ceased all operations. The last operational flight was flown on New Year’s Eve, when a patient was flown from the island of Terschelling to the mainland. With this the counter in the 303 Squadron building stopped at 5,459 flights flown in the past 55 years of search and rescue operations in the RNLAF.

After the retirement of the SH-14D Lynx, the initial plan was to operate the NH90 helicopters of the Defence Helicopter Command in the SAR role. However, several issues with this helicopter caused a delay in taking over this mission. As a temporary solution the SAR task is being carried out by a civil company, Noordzee Helicopters Vlaanderen (NHV).

With the disappearance of the AB412 from the Dutch skies the residual capacity for transportation of patients disappeared. The RNLAF is responsible for executing this task until another party takes over. For now, two Cougar helicopters of 300 Squadron, based at Gilze-Rijen Air Base, will operate from Leeuwarden to fulfill this task.














http://www.globalaviationresource.com/v2/2015/01/31/aviation-news-royal-netherlands-air-force-retires-ab-412-and-disbands-303-sar-squadron/

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