Night helicopter cover suspended

Night-time helicopter cover from the Air Corps base in Finner, Co Donegal, had to be suspended this week due to technical difficulties. The Dauphin helicopter may also be moved from the military base next week until crash-rescue facilities are provided by the Department of Defence.

Training flights have already been restricted, and the Finner helicopter is responding to operations only, a Defence Forces spokesman told The Irish Times yesterday. Plans are afoot to redeploy the Dauphin from next week to Carrickfin airport in Co Donegal or to Sligo airport until a crash-rescue fire tender is operational at Finner camp.

The suspension of night-time cover occurred last Wednesday night, from 7 p.m. until first light, after the Air Corps crew on duty reported problems with lights and a winch on the helicopter. The aircraft was changed the following day, and standby cover was provided from Baldonnel in Dublin, the spokesman said.

The lack of crash-rescue facilities at Finner and several other military bases, including Baldonnel, Co Dublin, Gormanston, Co Meath, and Monaghan has become a major issue between the Air Corps and the Department of Defence since it was highlighted in an internal report compiled earlier this year.

Last month the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, said he had received an assurance that safety standards and procedures in the Air Corps were "of the highest order" after he received a copy of the internal Air Corps report.

He said he had already ordered a fire tender for Finner, in response to a request earlier in the summer from the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO), and hoped it would be in place by the end of the year.

However, it now appears the tender will not be operational before January, and discussions have been initiated with Carrickfin airport, Co Donegal - previously used by the Air Corps on a temporary basis - and Sligo, to redeploy the north-west search-and-rescue base. These discussions will ensure provision of air traffic control support, according to the Defence Forces spokesman.

Lack of ground support, including the absence of air traffic control cover at Waterford airport, was identified by the Air Accident Investigation Unit in its report on the Tramore Dauphin helicopter crash which killed four airmen in July 1999.