Irish Air Corps Achieves Significant Milestone

News - Local

Monday, 28 November 2011 11:38

Written by Pat Flynn

The Irish Air Corps achieved a milestone this week with one of it's two maritime protection aircraft completing 30,000 flying hours.

The Air Corps operates two CASA CN-235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft, bearing the call-signs 'Charlie-252' and 'Charlie-253', which entered service in 1994.

'Charlie 252', attached to 101 Squadron, has completed 30,000 hours of flying since it first entered service.

Working in close conjunction with the Naval Service, the Air Corps two CASA fixed-wing aircraft provide an aerial platform for patrolling the Irish Economic Zone, an area of approximately 132,000 square miles or 16% of the total EU sea fisheries. This in itself represents an area almost five times the land area of Ireland.

The CASA operate seven days a week, all year round, principally in the offshore maritime patrol arena but are also deployed in inshore patrol roles as well as in air ambulance and Search and Rescue top-cover operations. The aircraft are also used for military transport and parachuting operations.

In it's crucial top-cover role, CASA's crews relay communications, weather and operational information for the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG) rescue helicopters when they are too far from land or too low to communicate with the Marine Rescue Coordination Centres.

The CASA's have already been involved in more than a dozen top-cover missions so far this year.

In September, Charlie-252 assisted UK rescue services in a top-cover mission off the South West coast of Ireland. A crew member on board a cargo ship suffered neck injuries following a fall and had to be airlifted to hospital.

The Air Corps CASA was first to arrive at the scene and provided communications relay and assistance to both the crew of the MV London Express and the RAF Seaking rescue helicopter 169 during the operation.

In another piece of Irish Air Corps history last August, while both CASA aircraft were undergoing maintenance and were out of service, the Irish Government Learjet, also operated by the Air Corps, was deployed in its first 'top-cover' role when it was sent to assist the Shannon rescue helicopter in a medivac mission off the Clare coast.