HM Coastguard
               Torbay & Berry Head

Search and Rescue Teams

The following comments are personal views of the team members
and do not represent official Coastguard statements

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The RAF Sea King Helicopter from Chivnor (N Devon)

The RAF Sea King Helicopter from Chivnor (N Devon) The RAF operates the Sea King in the Search and Rescue (SAR)  role, and the big yellow  helicopters have become a  familiar sight on television news  programmes as they carry out rescue operations all around the United Kingdom. To assist in this role.

The Sea King is fitted with advanced all-weather search and navigation equipment and a computer to assist positioning.  In the hover, it can be 'flown' by the winch operator, who can position the rescue harness with great accuracy. The Sea King can carry 18 passengers and has a radius of action of 280 miles.

Powerplant: Two Rolls-Royce H1400-1 Gnome turboshafts of 1,660shp
Rotor Diameter: 62ft 0in (18.90m)
Length: 55ft 9.75in (17.01m)
Max Speed: 143mph (230km/h) at sea level
Accommodation: Crew of four and provision for up to 19 passengers.

The RAF Sea King Helicopter from Chivnor (N Devon)