Cormorant ready for service in Canada

Canada's new search and rescue helicopter, Cormorant, entered service with the Armed Forces' Operational Conversion Unit in June 2002 covering training of the first batch of Cormorant aircrew in the new search and rescue hoisting techniques and procedures. The aircraft has completed its series of operational schedules with 442 SAR Squadron in Comox BC and was successfully certified for duty on 15 July.

Comox will host five helicopters that will form 442 Sqn and the Operational Training Unit and the remaining ten aircraft will be divided between 413 Squadron (4 aircraft) at 14 Wing in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, 424 Squadron (3 aircraft) at 8 Wing in Trenton, Ontario and 103 Squadron (3 aircraft) at 9 Wing in Gander, Newfoundland.

Two aircraft, 149908 and 149903, transited the UK before continuing their self-ferry delivery to Gander, Newfoundland, where they arrived on 8 July. After Farnborough, aircraft 149906 will meet up with 149909 to depart for Gander and Greenwood, Nova Scotia so that by early August, Comox (442 Sqn) and Gander (103Sqn) will be ready for service with their full compliment of aircraft and Greenwood (413Sqn) will have their first deliveries.

Cormorant's large cabin makes it suited to search and rescue and medical transportation with room and height for patient treatment en route. The large cabin area of EH101 is optimised for the movement of such personnel and supplies. It can carry in excess of 55 evacuees over the widest areas of operations, and large quantities of equipment and relief cargo can be carried either internally or externally. EH101 has consistently proved itself to be the ideal platform to rescue survivors in conditions ranging from calm in-shore waters to open sea environments.

$629 million of direct and indirect investment will be secured with the Canadian aerospace industry over eight years. To date, over $638 million has already been spent with over 80 Canadian companies.

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