Noel Trigg RIP

[Alloa Akbar]

Many of you will have no idea who Noel Trigg is and was. Noel was a former Wing Commander in the RAF who's lifes work was the field of helicopter vibration. Anyone who has used or benefitted from the Helitune Rotortuner Rotor Balance system has Noel to thank, as its co-inventor and founder on Helitune Limited. That basically includes anyone who has ever flown anything for the British Army and the RAF Chinook and Puma drivers. Noel was also one of the very first exponents of the concept of Helicopter HUMS systems.

Those of you who pilot machines which fly smoother than in years gone by have men like Noel Trigg and Jim Chadwick to thank for the way in which they defined and refined rotor smoothing.

Sadly Noel passed away on december 21st 2007, therefore gentlemen, I post this as a mark of respect to a man so many of you never knew, but who contributed so much to the reliability, comfort and safety of the machines you fly.

So long Noel.:D

[Simon853]

I knew Noel.

I worked for HeliTune between '96 and '97. He'd recently left the company he started but was still considered one of the family and regularly met up with us on night outs and for lunchtime drinks.

In the years that followed HeliTune's relocation many of us old guard met up for a reunion dinner at Christmas and it is mainly thanks to Noel's enthusiasm and respect for his staff that helped create such a wonderful family atmosphere at the company that we all looked back with fondness at our time there.

Si

[heli1]

I remember Noel too ,from when he first started up his business.A real gentleman who was so enthusiastic about his invention .
Even after he'd sold out he still saw Helitune as his baby I think.
They don't make many like Noel anymore.

[ShyTorque]

I don't recall meeting him but certainly have appreciated his efforts over the years.

When I began my career we were still "ground tracking" the Whirlwind with coloured chalk on the tips and a paper flag on a stand; his invention was certainly a quantam leap over that seemingly prehistoric and dangerous technique.

So thanks, Noel; RIP.

[DennisK]

How well I remember the great man ... twas the 1970s in the early days of Enstrom 28s/280s ... when no one could get the b's to fly smoothly.

I called on Noel to visit our Shoreham base and in those days engineer's either tracked with a chalked broom handle or looked blankly at the electonic read-outs.

Noel Trigg spent a half day on a 28 A model, and that machine, (G-BAWI) flew like an angel for as long as I owned it. All old hat now of course but Noel Trigg was certainly someone special who crossed all the principles but produced the results.

Our regards to his family and may he rest in peace until I visit him with another old wreck that won't track.

Dennis K

[Alloa Akbar]

During my time as his understudy, that tale and your name was one I became very used to hearing Dennis.:ok:

[stevegs]

I also remember Noel as a great guy, for whom it was a pleasure to work. I joined Helitune in 1983 and stayed with them for 14 years - the longest with any one company.

I well remember Noel's enthusiasm as we trialled the Helitune night camera tracking device on a Chinook at RAF Odiham back in the early '90s. The crew were visibly impressed when we got good and consistent results.

Shortly after Helitune was taken over by Ultra Electronics, Noel and I both left on our separate ways, but he was never one for retirement! We met up on several occasions, one of which was to sort out a severe resonance problem on a 1930's DeSoutter belonging to the Shuttleworth Collection of historic aircraft at Old Warden, Bedfordshire.

Noel was one of those people who don't have the words "can't" and "not possible" in their vocabulary - he was always willing to give anything a go - and this included treatment for his cancer. He was always upbeat, even about that, and I admired his braveness in fighting it.

I was privileged to have known him and to be able to attend his funeral.

Farewell, Noel.

Steve G-S

[Rigga]

As ShyTorque says;
"When I began my career we were still "ground tracking" the Whirlwind with coloured chalk on the tips and a paper flag on a stand; his invention was certainly a quantam leap over that seemingly prehistoric and dangerous technique."
...and musing over the Clockwork Scientfica Atlanta's (?) 1" Red Wax Tapes with Needle Marks scratched on them - wondering whether this was a 3R with a 1R within it! Or was it the other way round?

I started my career at Tern Hill, after Noel's time, from where he designed and retained his company badge - a Spanner, a Feeler Gauge and a Scriber to form the Sioux Helicopter Servicing Flight badge.

I met and worked with Noel for just one day - at Odiham in the late 80's - when we were improving G-HUEY's Tracks and Balances (and trialling Huey envelopes in the hope that he might soon go to USA with HeliTune!)

He taught me, Brian McDermid and Rob Tierney a great deal in the 10 hours work we did that summer day.


God Bless you Noel. You, and your knowledge, will surely be missed.
Rigga

[BedakSrewet]

I had the privelege to visit some 'armed forces' in South East Asia to demonstrate the Helituner with Noel in the early eighties.

One particular air force presented a recently overhauled Sikorsky to be 'analyzed' by the Helituner.

Within 30 minutes, he identified a cracked battery support tray bracket as the source of the heavy 1: 1 vibration in the -supposedly- overhauled
helicopter.

He loved to sit in the back of a helicopter -after final adjustments were made- during a test flight, and show the pilots his Parker pen standing up straight on the Helituner key board panel.

However, he had the greatest fun watching the faces of the pilots when he exposed them to a intro movie showing the twisting of a MR Blade filmed from the top of the mast. Several pilots had white faces -as they had no idea that this was perfectly normal -,and I know of some that changed jobs afterwards and switched -back- to plank flying.....

My her rest ip peace.

[Steve Campbell]

I would like to thank Noel for Helitune, he gave the world a wonderful invention in the Rotortuner and all of us who worked for him at Helitune some of the most wonderful experiences of our lives. I flew with Noel on many occasions in my 10 years as a Flight Test Engineer with Helitune, I have travelled the world and met many great people in Helitune who have become my life long friends along with many others from around the world. All of this as a result of Noel’s brilliant Idea. Many thanks Noel.

Steve Campbell (Helitune 1990-2000)