User:Shayno/sandbox

Thursday 01 July 1999 was the first day that a 24-hour helicopter search and rescue service was provided from Waterford Airport. The airport is located near the coast, just north of the large beach at Tramore. The Irish Air Corps was contracted to provide the service on behalf of the Irish Marine Emergency Service (now known as the Irish Coast Guard). The helicopter (callsign Rescue 111) was a Eurocopter AS365Fi Dauphin,

which had flown in from the Air Corps base at Casement Aerodrome in Co. Dublin that morning with a crew of 7 on board - 4 flying crew and 3 technical crew.

After arrival at Waterford, the helicopter completed a publicity flight with a TV crew from RTÉ. Later that afternoon the helicopter completed a training flight at sea, and a brief reconnaissance of the landing facilities at Waterford Regional Hospital. The aircraft was washed down and refuelled, and the crew left for their overnight accommodation at 5:15pm.