Bond bo105's?

[bolkow]

I am aware they are all being phased out to be repleaced by ex135's, but with UK fleets of up to 40 in their day, apart from the lighthouse releif aircraft, how did all those bo105's amass their hours before becoming air ambulances? Anyone know?

[ScotiaQ]

In the mid to late 70s - Bond (or North Scottish as it was then), amassed lots of hours based offshore. THey were stationed on Auk, Forties, Brent and Ninian - to name but a few.

I personally was on Brent when we had 2 almost new Bo 105s (G-BDYZ & G-BEZJ) - over the course of 12 months those 2 aircraft amassed over 1200 Hours each ! During that time they hardly ever left the Brent field - we had a Hangar on Nordraug and did all the maintenance offshore.

They were busy little bees in those days. Some still are, especially the Lighthouse Support Machines.

All Bond Bo 105s were built in the 70s as Bo 105D Models, they were nearly all re-shelled in the 90s to become Bo 105DBS models. The reshelled models are recognisable by their dual serial number on the CAA Registration Database.

Hope that's not too "anoraky".

[bolkow]

Thank you for taking the time to answer that for me, Yes, I figured they must be amassing their hours on offshore platforms and the like as I dont see many apart from lighthouse support machines aorund overland.
I did speak to an angineer from Bond once who was involved on stretching them, and he was telling me a story about one of his bosses asking him to let them know when any in the fleet were nearing the 20000 hour mark as apparently Eurocopter wanted to have a look at their condition. Apparently his replied "tell them they're a bit late mate, three or four of them passed the 20000 hour milestone a few months back!

[Brilliant Stuff]

Reshelling sounds a bit involved.

[500 Fan]

Irish Helicopters Ltd have one Bo, EI-BLD, with around 16,000 hours on the airframe, I think. I guess that means its just run-in then!

[ScotiaQ]

Reshelling was a bit involved. It involved getting a brand new airframe from EC(D) and installing all the components from your donor aircraft. However before all the components were installed, they were overhauled. At the end of the process you have a brand new, zero timed B0 105DBS-4. Only a couple of airframes were physically stretched, by the insertion of a plug. One such is G-NAAB S/No. 412 but that aircraft was not zero timed.

All this work was carried out by Rotortech ( a Bond subsidiary) at Cambridge.

Glad to be of assistance.

[bolkow]

actually they have two bolkows, EI-BLD and EI-LIT which was acquired around 1996 with 4000 airframe hours on it (ex-poilce from Quatar I think.)
EI-BLD has as you say in the region of 16000 hours on it now, and EI-LIT ( a stretched one) has in the region of 10000 hours done. Apparently both will be replaced in the not too distant future as the lighthouse authority plan to acquire their own in house EC 135 helicopter for offshore lighthouse work.

[bolkow]

Actually the technician I spoke to was involved in putting the pluf in G-NAAB, cant remember his name, a really friendly scottish man, he was working on Irish helicopters Bo 105 over ayear ago when it splayed its skids a little after a hard landing at the bailey lightohuse when it was caught be a wind shear. I assume EI-BLD is back flying again now, as I understand it the only issue was it had to be entirely stripped down to replace the skids as they go the whole way through the airframe between the fuel tanks.

[bolkow]

Do you happen to know what became of airframes such as G-BEZJ which were removed from service? Are they discarded or stored somewhere?

[ScotiaQ]

The following airframes were destroyed in accidents :

G-BEZJ - Crashed in the Highlands, crew survived but the aircraft was written off and scrapped

G-DNLB - Crashed off Orkney and was destroyed

G-THLS - Fell off the back of a Lighthouse vessel.....unnoticed.

G-BAMF - was recently scrapped. It was never made into a DBS and was the original airframe - some 35 years old and had corrosion beyond economical repair.

There is one of the original 105D Airframes at Lands End - advertising Air Ambulance.

But as far as I know there are none preserved or stored anywhere.

[bolkow]

I have seen the airframe on the pole at lands end, but am frankly confused as to which airframe it is, it bore the reg G-BOND soem years back, but now has G-CDBS as of a few months ago when I was there. I know g-bond does not happen to relate to a real bo105 and according to the g-info site G-CDBS is still registered and flying and I could not get close enough to the airframe to see the serial plate and identify it from that. Its a mystery.

[quichemech]

Scotia Q,

G-NAAA and G-NAAB were stretched at ECD in 1998/1999 and neither of them were originally Bond machines.As you say the other were done at Rotortech.

Bolkow,

The really friendly Scottish ex bond engineer was probably Davie Gow, myself Davie and Ian Taylor were all heavily involved in the project for the original 2 AA coloured Air Ambulances which were Dorset and the North West machine.

I seem to remember that the Airframes were supplied by ECD, we gutted them and sent them back out to Germany for stretching, it's all a bit vague now as it was 9 years ago, ECD apparently had a fair few Bolkows kicking around at the time and they were in semi storage/ rot in Germany.:(

Not surprised MF has finally gone, the old girl spent so much time in salty climes that it shows the quality of the airframe to have lasted so long, it also says a lot for the Bond engineers who kept it going:D

[bolkow]

I can be certain of the name of the engineer but he had with him a detained photograph album that depicted the work on stretching NAAB from start to finish, from the welder making the initial cutting to the plug being added and its final acceptance or handing over of the finished product. I remember him saying that eurocopter supplied new wiring looms that were basically equal in length to the length of the stretch.

[Brilliant Stuff]

Thanks chaps.:ok:

[bolkow]

all these bolkows are retiring in 2009 I believe, I'd love to store them in my garden, as I'd hate to see them reduced to scrap.

[nodrama]

They won't retire. They just won't do HEMS work anymore.

[bolkow]

Really? What will the CAA allow them to do then because I understood it was the CAA that wanted to get rid of them altogether and that thyey could'nt carry onj in any capacity after next year. Am I wrong in that understanding?

[nodrama]

Doesn't mean that they can't continue to soar the skies in another country.

[chopper2004]

I worked at Rotortech for a number of years with BO-105 and work and they were fantastic to be with.

Especially the police and EMS conversions....got a lot of respect for the 105.
Last recent years just looked after tailboom repairs and parts repair:)

Back in 99 we had 3 redundsnt airframes from Germany Bundespolizei, the Interior ministry (orange rescue colours)

[quichemech]

As nodrama said they can soar with the eagles outside of EASA rules as Ambulances or Police machines, PAS have just sold one to a country in the sub continent.

[nodrama]

Just out of interest,

What other helicopters are affected by JAR OPS 3 in the same way as the Bolkow? For example, will a 109 be able to do HEMS ?

[ericferret]

Part of the agreement with the CAA in respect of the Bond BO 105 re-fuselage program was that the redundant fuselages should be rendered unairworthy. This was done by cutting a chunk out of the vertical main frames. One of these wrecked fuselages was "blown up" for a tv program and another was used as a dog training aid by Devon and Cornwell police.

The main problem with the 105 was severe cracking starting around the 6000 hour mark which was due to the vibration characteristics of the aircraft and the material specification.

The repair costs became so expensive that the re-fuselage and stretch became a viable option.

The cracking would become so bad that I saw one aircraft in which the whole structure above floor level had to be removed!!!!!!!!

So if you have your eye on an old second hand 105 beware!!!!!!

[widgeon]

Some years ago I was told that the DMC on a 105 was not significantly higher than a 206. I know there are relatively few service lifed items in the drive train , but does any one have the published figures.

[excrewingbod]

Remember looking around G-BEZJ when it had been recovered to Longside, after its accident. For a number of years it sat in the 'old' hangar, gathering dust whilst waiting for the scrappy.

Re the pod down in Cornwall is that not the original shell from G-BCXO, which was re-registered G-THLS after getting its new pod?

Re deceased BO105's, I presume G-BGKJ was scrapped after its swim up at Sullom Voe?

[ericferret]

Widgeon

Don't believe a word.

About 20 years ago I was on a contract where the guy bidding for a contract treated the 105 as a 206 with a second engine. We lost $100,000 in a year and we had free access to a lot of spares.

[widgeon]

Thanks EF , the claim came from a marketing guy from EC so it was probably true ( with several chapters of legal disclaimers :O)

[bolkow]

That is similar to what I once heard at Irish Helicopters, when they sold thier jet ranger they said the second bo105 could do charter the jet ranger previously did as it was not much more expensive to run?

[daveygow]

aye, that was a great project !

If any one wants to see the photo album, they are welcome

[ericferret]

Another Bolkow cost debacle I remember was an 1800 hour check that began to overun in time due to structural repairs and lack of manpower.

To save time the chief eng decided to send the hydraulic pack to rotorwreck for inspection.

Back it came with a bill larger than the budget for the whole check. Two valves had to be replaced at £7500 each and these were second hand and half price!!!!!!!

Half a dozen control bolts cost over £1000. This is about 14 years ago.

The truth is I like the 105 it has made me a lot of money over the years, but they can remove money faster than your wife and daughters with an open unlimited check book.

[Farmer 1]

Not surprised MF has finally gone, the old girl spent so much time in salty climes that it shows the quality of the airframe to have lasted so long, it also says a lot for the Bond engineers who kept it going

Take a bow, chaps. I always felt safe. Many thanks.

[bondu]

Spent three years flying MF on the Ninian contract until Chevron decided it was too expensive. I completed the final Ninian shuttles in 1992, bringing MF back to Aberdeen on April 2nd with Alan Ward, one of the two superb engineers I worked with, the other one being Davey Gow.
Great memories of those three years and the brilliant support from two of the best engineers around!:ok:

bondu :ok:

[Plank Cap]

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e172/ruplaw/Rotary/Bo105BondABZ1.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e172/ruplaw/Rotary/Bo105BondABZ.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e172/ruplaw/Rotary/img212.jpg


http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e172/ruplaw/Rotary/img209.jpg


The upper two shots are of a casevac arriving in ABZ, with 'traffic' lady Pat ?? attending, and the lower two of G-BEZJ on airtest out of Longside, with the one and only Paul Coyne.

[kennethr]

They were not all done by rotortech, they were done by a few good lads in a very cold hangar at Longside Airfirld , Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, The old frames are probably still there

[Twisted Rigging]

With regard to G-BAMF, or mike fox as she was normally called.

I was told from sources that I have no reason to disbelieve, that before she was put to rest, Mike Fox was the highest houred bolkow in the world. She was the first to reach 20,000 hrs. and was nearly at 23,000 before she retired.

I had the pleasure of flying her from 7th March '96 'til 16th May '05. On an almost continuous basis. I have taken her to ships north of the Magnus, all the way south to the Channel Islands, incuding most of the bits in between, including St Kilda, Scillies, Hebrides, Most of wales, etc. etc. The only place I didn't take her in the UK was to the south east of england, but I'm sure that she's been there!

I logged her 20,000th hour, and her 21st, and her 22nd. I would have loved to have done the 23rd, but alas it was not to be.

As has been previously noted, the longevity of these aircraft was definately down to the grand job of the resident engineers, including the previously mentioned Alan Ward and Davie Gow, both of whom I have had the pleasure of keeping me sane (ish)

Flying the Bolkow was certainly a privilege, I miss it so much, but not the radios or the heater :ok:

TR

[Nigel Osborn]

I spent a very happy 750 hours flying North Scotish's 105 D Bolkows on the North Sea in the days when they were white. The chief engineer had them painted day glow red just before I left..... caused a lot of raised eyebrows! I was lucky enough to fly 2 that were brand new, before the links got sloppy, & they were incredibly smooth, no rattles, no dutch roll, no transition shake. They also felt very strong & rugged in turbulence, bumped around a lot but didn't feel as though they would fall apart like a 206 does in 80 knot winds. One also came to Oz & that one, mc?, still flew well.
A great machine.:ok:

[Marco]

Not totally retired yet. I think you'll find that the Great Western Air Ambulance, based at Filton, are exchanging their 135 for a BO105 in March as its cheaper to run.

[ScotiaQ]

Nigel, you're almost right. G-BCDH (S.60) went to Australia in Jan. 87. She returned to UK in Mar 1992 where she was registered G-BTBD. In April 1992, back in Bond ownership, the aircraft was re-fuselaged and stretched and became G-DNLB, flying for the Northern Lighthouse Board. It was involved in an accident flying from Orkney in 2003 and was destroyed.

[chopperfixer]

I can't believe it's ten years since we put G-NAAB (S.416), together at Longside. Great Fun!!!

Just as a wee correction, G-BDMC did go to Australia as well as DH, and on return, after a short spell as G-PASB, was used as the donor for the aircraft currently registered and flying as an air ambulance, G-NDAA.

Also, G-NAAA wasn't done by us at Longside, but was the re-registration of a Rotortech stretch, G-BUTN, the old Glasgow based ambulance.

[quichemech]

Is it really 10 years since we did that! Sat with a pile of spares in a freezing cold hangar having butteries for breakfast with a touch of jam brought in by a nice fella living in Ellon:ok:

[nodrama]

G-NDAA was re-reg'd from being G-WMAA in 2006. She is soon to be the above mentioned Filton AA Bolkow.....sporting some unusual colours apparently.

G-NAAB alive and well in Hampshire. G-NAAA alive and well in Wales.

[daveygow]

and being shat on by the pigeons ! still ,good project and great fun with a great bunch of guys!:

[chopperfixer]

I'm still showing the signs round my middle of all the Ellon Bakery Butteries that we ate during that time at Longside.

Davey, have you any electronic copies of the photos of NAAB, I can't remember seeing them at the time.

The photos here may bring back happy/sad memories to some on this forum.

http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/ss324/chopperfixer/yzn_sea1981resized.jpg

http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/ss324/chopperfixer/yzn_sea21981resize.jpg

Location - Borgland Dolphin, Fulmar Oil Field
Time - Winter 1980/81



http://i588.photobucket.com/albums/ss324/chopperfixer/tiresized.jpg

Location Blackpool Airport
Time - Summer 1982

Apologies for quality of the pictures, but they are scans of very old photos.

[daveygow]

HI Matey !

Yes I have the album , which I am getting converted to digital format, then I will post the " birth " of BO105C to BO105DBS on here .

Nice pics, memories of the Borgland Dolphin Fulmar project !

[daveygow]

BOLKOW PROJECT pictures by davidandyvonne - Photobucket (http://s906.photobucket.com/albums/ac270/davidandyvonne/BOLKOW%20PROJECT/)

[bolkow]

cheers for those davey, I believe I met you when Irish Helicopters drafted in your expertise to help them sort out their bolkow EI-BLD when it had a hard landing some few years back and you had the album with you in the hangar?

[daveygow]

Hi 'bolkow' - who are you ? I wish I could remember your actual name, I had a good old time at Irish lol and they treated me well

[Blind Bob]

Great album Davey, it took me back abit too. My logbook shows I was doing groundruns on that machine on 30/31 March 99. And I recall that was when the Eurocopter chap came to do the inspection for it's approval.:8

[daveygow]

yes. indeed, that was nerve wracking for us all at the time LOL ( and who are you again - my memory is terrible !!!!)

[bluesafari]

must have a look through some of my pics, got some dating back to the late 70's, though, unfortuneately, none when the first two were at Bourn having HF fitted. I will see if I can find them.

[quichemech]

Cheers Davie, good pics and great memories, no better way of learning the Bolkow!

[ericferret]

Great photos,

I watched a similar major rebuild at Bourn without the aid of a jig!!!!!!!

When we tried to fit the main gearbox the ring of bolts at the bottom was half a hole out.

Then we tried putting the ring of bolts in first. The only way to get the A frames aligned was to put all the shims in the front on one side and all in the back on the other.

A lack of clearance between the fwd tail rotor driveshaft and the centre firewall was ignored and a brand new shaft was written off when it contacted the said firewall.

Then they built a jig!!!

[Tony_SG]

I've been following the various stories about Bond BO 105s in their various guises with great interest. Amazing aircraft. It now looks likely that 2 of them will soon start yet another career down on the island of South Georgia, working on a conservation project. An engineer will be needed to look after these aircraft in the period Feb-Apr 2011. Does anyone know of someone who might be interested in a couple of months doing something a bit different? I'm contactable at [email protected]

[ScotiaQ]

I don't suppose that you wish to divulge which 2 will be travelling south? And who the Operator will be?

Whichever they are, they'll stand you in good stead but I think you will need more than 1 Engineer. They're not THAT reliable.

Enjoy the trip.

Sq:ok:

[nodrama]

Both have been well used and lovingly looked after......they will still be a handful for 1 engineer though.

[daveygow]

Hi Tony,

I would be interested in the South Georgia trip ! for sure

regards

Davey

[danthechopperlad]

2 are for sale on the Eurocopter site... perhaps it's those?

[ScotiaQ]

These 2 helicopters are indeed ex Bond aircraft :

Ship No. 416 - which is discussed in this thread is G-NAAB and is the ex-Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance.

Ship No. 0855 is G-BTHV - quite a new aircraft by Bond standards.

Mr David Bond (the old Man) bought the first one in 1973 - G-AZOR S/No. 20 but now registered as G-WAAN,:ok: which is still flying. Says a lot for the durability of the Bo 105. I cut my teeth on them in civil aviation, they were certainly a character builder !!

[quichemech]

Can you get the time off Davey? It would be a good experience.

BTHV, brilliant machine.

[BobbyBolkow]

Great thread guy's! Bought back a whole load of happy memories amassed from nearly 4000 hrs with these fabulous aircraft.:) Think I got most of them in my logbook (in one guise or another!) including the much missed 'Mike Fox'.

Got to agree with the plaudits for the Bond / BAS engineers that kept the old gilrs going. Always did a terrific job mostly in cr*p conditions and I always felt like the machine would do her bit if I did mine.

Couple of things spring to mind :- We had 2 oddballs. TVAM (ex Thames Valley Air ambulance) - no SAS, and the already mentioned BTHV which, if memory serves was the only one in the fleet with Bendix FCU's (?).

Another thought! Didn't BAS get 2 'CBS's' from Mexico (or somewhere vaguely latin -american) that were converted to DBS-4's? Or was it just another of my weird dreams?

Very sad day when the 105's finally bow out. A real pilot's machine, leaked like a sieve, rattled like hell, but OH! what fun! :ok::ok::ok:



P.S. Good to hear your still going Davey - hope you're well.

[bolkow]

indeed a great thread, little did I expect such a shared interest would be sparked, and the pics are like goldust for me to view, great inputs from all concerns. Davey, did you get the pics of the graupner bolkow model of BLD Irish Helicopters that I sent?

[nodrama]

BTHV which, if memory serves was the only one in the fleet with Bendix FCU's (?).


...and NAAB, come on Bobby, you must have flown that one too!

They were both on lease from EC.

Good to see you today, by the way. Will make it a longer visit next time.

[bondu]

Just a few of my photos of G-NAAA.

http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l370/bondu701/Mn0885a.jpg

North West Air Ambulance taking off, after attending very serious RTA near Rochdale. November 2000.

http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l370/bondu701/Mn0996b.jpg

NWAA near Rawtenstall, December 2000

http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l370/bondu701/NWAAArrows02.jpg

NWAA at Blackpool Airport with some 'friends'. Summer 2000

[TeeS]

Somebody out there has a photo of the Ninian (I think) Bo105 being torn apart by an unexpected storm, 120-140kts rings a bell.

TeeS

[bondu]

TeeS,

No doubt you are thinking of the time G-BAMF was caught on Ninian North overnight with the un-forecast 130+ kts! One blade snapped off completely with another broken and dangling. I flew G-AZTI up to through Unst and Sullom Voe on 3 Jan to replace it. The islands had also taken a beating, with the RAF 'golf balls' of Saxa Vord being, quite literally, blown away. Also, the 'famous' Hagdale Lodge was ripped to bits, as was a portacabin at the side of the runway at Unst International.

Unfortunately, I don't think anyone took any photos. Unless Davy Gow took some, as he was the engineer on at the time. But it will live in the memory for a long time!!!

bondu

[daveygow]

Yes I remember that ! how could one forget!, you should have seen Micky Pages face when I took him up to the Heli-deck to explain why the shuttle had to be cancelled !! LOL.
There were pics taken, all a bit shakey for obvious reasons, they were handed over to Tony Cox for the insurance company!
Any way , we got the old girl going again after fitting new head and blades/A- frames, alighnment checks etc etc, then we flew her back to Longside!:

[bolkow]

Hi Bondu, so thats what davey meant by it being the best place he ever experienced a BJ, and I never realised he was talking weather! LOL

[QTG]

Discuss............

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj225/ec135t2/BolkowwithTC3Bucket.jpg

I've got a million of 'em

[bolkow]

I am very interested in the identity of that bolkow, as far as I am aware Irish Helicopters have been the only operators to have had that type of radome fitted to a bo105?

[QTG]

It was a temporary fit on (I think) G-AZTI for a contract putting Pilots on to tankers approaching Sullom Voe. The screen was on a removable pedestal fitted in front of the co-pilot's seat.
The underslung load is a TC3 pollution dispersal bucket.
Happy days

[bolkow]

Interesting, I had never seen one on any other bo105D apart from the aforementioned.

[daveygow]

The aircraft in the picture is actually G-BAMF , taken by myself as I was doing the marshaling for the TC3 bucket training. MF spent most of her days after Ninian ,up at Sullom- Voe. she was actually the second aircraft to be fitted with the Radar mod , the first one I belive was G-AZTI but she was swopped with MF for operational reasons, very early on in the contract.

[griffothefog]

I have literally hover taxied that bitch into City hospital Truro on to a postage stamp of a helipad with a critical on board in typical Cornish weather.. :eek:

Over to you Geoffers...:ok:

[bolkow]

Hi Davey, what interested me about the radome on the nose was that all three Irish Helicopters bolkows had them, EI-AWB = G-AZOM,
EI-BDI and in the earlier days of her time with that company EI-BLD. Until I saw these pics I was never aware opf any other BO105d having had that fitting.

[QTG]

How about this one then.................

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj225/ec135t2/BolkowsupportsMilitary.jpg

[Twisted Rigging]

If memory serves, Bond had 2 sets of radar mounts for the radar, so that the kit could be swapped quickly during aircraft swaps.
One set was on 'MF' and the other was on 'FD'. The kit on 'FD' may have gone with it to South Africa.

Does anyone know what 'FD' is doing now?

[bolkow]

what was FD's full registration number, let me know and I can find out.

BTW, what is the identity of the bolkow ojn the navy boat above? The door crast suggests Trinity House or Northern Lighthouse Board, but I cant see much when I enlarge the pic

[Blind Bob]

It registration looks like G-DCCH which was a Devon Air Ambulance before being written off in 2001.

[Brilliant Stuff]

BB: It's not the one which which slid of the boat by any chance?

[griffothefog]

The boat that rocked..... and off went the Bolkow G-THLS. :{

[daveygow]

FD's reg was/is G-BAFD

[that chinese fella]

Was the 105LS ever used (widely) in the UK? if not, why not? Was the extra power not needed there?

Looking at the history of the LS it appears that countries with higher DA's only needed/used them...

[Brilliant Stuff]

cheers Griff

[BobbyBolkow]

It registration looks like G-DCCH which was a Devon Air Ambulance before being written off in 2001
Yo! Blind Bob.
Living up to your name there mate. Defo NOT DCCH. :ugh:

G - DCCH started life as the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary helicopter. When the Police purchased their BK 117 (G - DCPA), BAS bought DCCH and, after much stripping out of surplus kit and fitting EMS role, it replaced G - BATC (Bo 105DB, not stretched) as the Devon Air Ambulance. She stayed in DAA livery until her untimely end and never had floats fitted either.

Given the float fit, I think it may be G - CDBS after her respray. BUT, I could be wrong..............it has been known :mad:

[DeltaNg]

The reg looks like G-DNLB to me...:confused:

[DeltaNg]

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1374/5102151979_2a1336b720_b.jpg

If you do, then please PM me so I can forward you details of his retirement party !:ok:

[QTG]

G-DNLB it is
And by the way, what about HB-XFD?



?

[500 Fan]

Apologies for going a little off-topic, but does anyone know did the BO-105s operated by British Caledonian Helicopters ever work on a Light House contract or were they chiefly used for runs to and from off-shore oil and gas installations? Thanks.

500 Fan.

[Blind Bob]

This is an interesting site for all you 105 fans.:8

"Leichter Mehrzweckhubschrauber MBB BO 105 - Light multipurpose helicopter MBB BO 105" (http://mbb-bo105.de)

[widgeon]

Thanks BB , brings back many memories from Fort Erie years , I wonder how support for the Donaldson air filters is now.

[Savoia]

.
500 Fan: Apologies for going a little off-topic, but does anyone know did the BO-105s operated by British Caledonian Helicopters ever work on a Light House contract or were they chiefly used for runs to and from off-shore oil and gas installations?

Most of BCAL's 105's were inherited from Ferranti Helicopters as follows:

G-BAFD .. Ferranti > BCAL > Gleneagles > Bond > Sold to South Africa
G-BATB .. Ferranti > BCAL > Sold to US (BATB was hit by a wave at Skerryvore Lighthouse on 16th March 1978)
G-BFYA .. Ferranti > John Crewdson (Helicopter Hire) > Veritair (Flew with Strathclyde Police) > Sterling Helicopters

Ferranti were among the UK's pioneers in lighthouse support work and, to the best of my knowledge, some of these contracts were continued by BCAL when they bought the company in '79.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v287/Mearns/FD-RSLight-web.jpg

Ex-Ferranti Bo105D G-BAFD flying with BCAL

S.

[QTG]

Ok lets make it a bit more difficult...............

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj225/ec135t2/Sinkingaircraft.jpg

[stan bycompass]

Delta Ng's Pic is BATC, the ex North Wales AA, that replaced MF
QTG's latest THLS? after it fell off the ship

[QTG]

Give that man a coconut........................................

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj225/ec135t2/1973.jpg

[shetlander]

From Shetland:

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/2559/lighthouseboardhelicopt.jpg

Picture 1 (http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/9420/4217143944ded32db852o.jpg)

Picture 2 (http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/6940/4217136150e2bdb64d8bo.jpg)

[hico-p]

Savoia - G-BAFD had even more history before Ferranti.

Here in 1974, in Mackenzie-Hill Aviation livery, after an unfortunate altercation with a 13Kv line!!

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z155/hico-p/G-BAFD/th_File0004.jpg?t=1287778360

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z155/hico-p/G-BAFD/th_File0005.jpg?t=1287778360

[Savoia]

.
HICO-P: Yes you are quite right. In fact all Ferranti's 105's had some former history:

BAFD, as you mention, was owned by Mackenzie-Hill, veteran PPRuNer "Speechless Two" was the personal pilot to Charles Mackenzie-Hill and moved from Mackenzie's to Ferranti (via a contract with Wimpey Sealabs). 'Speechless' went on to become Ferranti's 105 training captain and eventually chief pilot of BCAL Helicopters after they bought Ferranti.

BATB was formerly owned by Rolls Royce and still flew for on contract for them after Ferranti purchased the aircraft.

And BFYA flew for one year with Heliswiss, remaining on the German register as D-HJET, prior to being delivered to the UK.

S.

[hico-p]

Savoia - not wanting to besmirch Speechless Two's unsullied reputation, I should point out that I was also flying for Mackenzie-Hill at that time and particularly on this occasion!! - but that's another story.

[Eurocopper]

Photo link: (http://www.nandtb.de/nandtb_gruppenfoto_2006_03_09_donauwoerth.jpg) way too large for PPRuNe!

[Savoia]

.
HICO-P: Thanks for bringing me up to speed on the Mackenzie Hill history, appreciated and - my apologies for excluding you in my mentionings. I would in fact be keen to learn more about your time with them and have PM'd you accordingly.

I sent this image (a while back) to Speechless Two and which I am sure you already have as it is in the public domain:

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/3/7/5/1443573.jpg (http://www.pprune.org/photo/Mackenzie-Hill/MBB-BO-105DB/1443573/L/&sid=b45fdd89c591804d2df3dc1f3fa6e8ae)

Mackenzie Hill's MBB Bo105D at Kindlington, May 1975. The records show that by this time the aircraft was already under the ownership of Wimpey Labs (a Ferranti managed contract). Ferranti bought the aircraft outright in June of '77.

S.

[cyclic]

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g474/cyclic2/P1010086.jpg

[Brilliant Stuff]

That's an old Bond Puma is it not?

[cyclic]

No, the Puma was brand new. The Bolkow is G-BUXS. I still wake up in a cold sweat...

[daveygow]

where did this take place ?

[cyclic]

That is the Bolkow being returned to Tingwall. The reason why it happened was because of an occurrence near Out Skerries involving a disagreeable hydraulic pack! I wasn't the first no hydraulics Bolkow pilot apparently although some of the others weren't quite so lucky.

[Brilliant Stuff]

Cheers Cyclic.

I was trying to ascertain if it was the Bond pre '99 or the present incarnation.

[Earl of Rochester]

http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1259652M.jpg (javascript:popUp('/popup.php?q=1259652'))

G-BUXS at Cape Wrath Lighthouse on 9th August 2009

[Blind Bob]

A couple of Bond Bo105s (G-BATC and G-TVAM) have been purchased by the South Georgia Heritage Trust and are about to embark on a trip to the South Atlantic for their Habitat Restoration Project.

South Georgia Heritage Trust - Projects (http://www.sght.org/projects.htm)

We are still looking for a UK licenced 105 engineer to join the team.

If anybody knows someone who is available it would be appreciated.

[Thud_and_Blunder]

A final shot of G-BATC at Newquay EGHQ, taken just before she flew away from Trinity House Lighthouse Service duties after I-don't-know-how-many years service. I mentioned to the engineers at Staverton that she has the best SAS system of any of the Bolkows I've flown - they grinned and said "soon fix that"... :)

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa61/Rough_and_Toothless/890G-BATC.jpg

[bolkow]

Any information on what aircraft will replace BATC on the trinity house job, I odnt think the planned MD900 is due to start for some time yet, so I am guessing it will be another bolkow or interim EC135?

[DeltaNg]

The new aircraft G-COTH is due to take over the contract on 1st December.

[Geo73]

What type of aircraft is G-COTH?

[DeltaNg]

It is an MD902 Explorer.

[Geo73]

Thanks DeltaNg

[bolkow]

Thanks for that. Just did a search for G-COTH on g-info and it comes back blank? Is this a new build aircraft?

[BobbyBolkow]

YO! Thud and Blunder. How are you mate?

Nice to see a picture from you that isn't going to get the authority twitching!!! :ok:

Just heard a little snippet that after completion of their work in SG, BATC and TVAM will be left behind as it's considered uneconomical to bring them back!

Is this true? :eek: Can anybody shed any light on this? As the thought of leaving a wonderful airframe, which I have over 2000 Hrs in, to rot alongside boats, whaling stations, Argie Puma's etc, fills me with despair :{

[bolkow]

I am no authority on used airframes Bobby but I do know used bolkows of that vintage are generally worth around the £200.000 mark from the few I have seen for sale. How long are they going to be working down there?
BATC has over 20000 airframe hours on it now, and I did hear that BAMF was retired because of corrosion with a few more hours than that. Maybe the airframe will be spent at the end of the period they plan to use it for?
BTW, why are argie pumas rotting down there, surely they would have been useful in Iraq at a time when they are talking about extending the service lives of Pumas already in the inventory to bring them up to the 25000 hour mark/milestone?

[1helicopterppl]

Blind Bob,

can you confirm its BATC & TVAM ? seems odd to purchase a DB, a very high time one at that, & a DBS, why not two DBS's ?

I have two red DBS's sir or two yellow ?

[1helicopterppl]

COTH is ex N3ND, MD902, & is being fitted out at Staverton, I would say 1 Dec is optimistic !

Bond lost the contract to SAS.

[nodrama]

Bobby,

read your PMs mate.

[Earl of Rochester]

http://lh3.ggpht.com/__dRpfF8qlVM/TO-1-zdA-GI/AAAAAAAAAB4/pS2D0RnpO8g/G-BGWP%20Boulmer%20June%2085%20LH%20crew%20change.jpg

'WP' at Boulmer in June '85 completing lighthouse crew change

[DeltaNg]

End of an Era for the Bolkow :{

[1helicopterppl]

sadly Bond lost Trinity House contract to SAS, MD 900, c/n 900-00085, a 2001 vintage machine.

Bond still have NLB contract, 135T2 CGPI replacing 105 BUXS.

[DeltaNg]

Good luck to SAS as they start the Trinity House helicopter contract today. :D

[bolkow]

cgpi? Anyone know any links to a pic of either this EC135 or G-COTH (Trinity house new machine) or preferably both?

[DeltaNg]

Most things BAS/PAS are on A View from the Cafe - an unoffical Gloucestershir (http://www.flygloster.co.uk)

[helihub]

Recent articles may be of interest

Northern Lighthouse Board EC135 (http://www.helihub.com/2010/11/24/northern-lighthouse-board-to-go-live-with-ec135-on-1st-december/)
Charity buys two Bo105s for rat eradication on remote island (http://www.helihub.com/2010/12/02/charity-buys-two-bo105s-for-rat-eradication-on-remote-island/) (South Georgia)

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Sadly, owing to slightly unpleasant weather in the N and NE over the past few days, G-BUXS was unable to complete her final tasks on behalf of all the Bolkows that have served NLB over the past 30-odd years. However, she was able to make it back to EGEG so that the handover to G-CGPI could be completed. Many thanks to the Stornoway SAR crew who brought the contractors off North Rona in her stead.

Herewith a couple of pictures from not-too-snowy Glasgow:

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa61/Rough_and_Toothless/1091XSjoinsPIatEGEG.jpg

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa61/Rough_and_Toothless/1087theNLBfleetatEGEG.jpg

..and DeltaNg, very best wishes on whatever you get up to post-Trinity!

[Earl of Rochester]

Great Stuff TAB! :ok:

When the time is right please feed back to us some of the operational handling comparisons between the 135 and the 105. Would love to hear about it.

Earl

[DeltaNg]

Thud,

I'm pleased to report that the Trinity helicopter completed final tasking on Tuesday with a trip to Wolf Rock off Lands End, thus bringing to an end 30 odd years of service.

Incidentally, Wolf was the first tower lighthouse to have a rooftop helipad, so it seemed fitting to finish the contract in the place where it started.

Over to SAS ! :ok:

[bolkow]

thanks T&B for posting those pics, much appreciated.

[VeeAny]

The top photo with all the snow at the bottom would surely be a good contender for the Calendar one month, Mr Eacott what do you think ?

[Savoia]

End of an Era for the Bolkow


An era which, for the NLB and to the best of my knowledge, began with this Ferranti Bo105 G-BATB:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/__dRpfF8qlVM/TPlPMg4vQnI/AAAAAAAAALQ/KlsO7ZCCXY0/G-BATB.jpg

(Photo courtesy of PPRuNer Speechless Two)

S.

[Thud_and_Blunder]

I'll need to check sources, Savoia, but my engineer for the last week told me that Bond had the contract for 5 years before briefly losing it to Ferranti.

[ScotiaQ]

QTG asked about HB-XFD. This aircraft was originally leased from it's Swiss owner. It had a leather, executive interior and an avionics suite, the like of which the Bond Pilots had never seen !! Which was OK except spares were not readily available. It was of course a Bo105C and was bought by Bond in Aug 1981. It was modified to CAA Specification (D Model) and became G-BGWP as a 105DB, it was never modified to DBS standard. It eventually ended up at PAS as G-PASA and was withdrawn from use in April 1993.

Hope this helps. Sq :ok:

[DeltaNg]

pic as requsted:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5250/5268737831_b6c986e9fd_z.jpg

Just needs engines, blades, floats, hook, mirror, seats etc etc

[crabbbo]

Nice photo, taken on 16 Dec i see. Not bad for a contract starting on 1 Dec. But then again anyone who can start a contract with 4 weeks of standby is doing well. Hope that Trinity's lights are coping well in this weather; certainly NLB's lights have been benefiting from the services of a 135 which started on contract on time proving it's benefit from day 1 :O

[bluesafari]

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image75.jpg
Snowy Sumburgh early 80s Dave Clare flying, I think in the other front seat is the late Terry Roworth
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image74.jpg
On Belford Dolphin (?) Ninian South
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image72.jpg
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image69.jpg
Probably MF at Stoer Head
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image68.jpg
MF at Cape Wrath during Ninian Central 'float-out' operation
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image66.jpg
XO on Sedco 704 (late 70s?)
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image65.jpg
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image64.jpg
On the Zaria, the Auk platform in background
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image63.jpg

[bluesafari]

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image59.jpg
TI at Strubby
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image57.jpg
on the Auk platform
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image55.jpg
Note the flares ! !
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image54.jpg
On Viking Piper along Claymore during construction
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image53.jpg
Martin Edwards (?) about to get in
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image31.jpg
Lifting poles for the electricity board from just outside Strichen
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image30.jpg
Hooking up, Brian Izzard flying
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bluesafari/Image4.jpg
Probably Ninian North, possibly Harry Joy flying

[bolkow]

Many thanks for that pic of COTH DeltaNG. I assume its now in its final colour scheme for the lighthouse contract. Incidentally its interesting to see the NLB have opted for the EC135 as did The Commissioners of Irish Lights, but I expect they will notice it has an issue with a very small boot comparend with the bolkow that things tend to drop out of as you open it, as Irish Helicopters have noted. Heath and safety guys were getting all excited as soon as they noticed apparently.

[chopperfixer]

These photos bring back some great memories. It's good to see some old 'friends' that are no longer with us. I remember HB-XFD when I started at Longside. Very nice yellow and blue machine with the leather interior. She was the first a/c I got to look after solo on an offshore contract, as BGWP. She is still flying, in spirit anyway, as she became the donor for the stretch conversion that became BUXS.

[bolkow]

and Buxs only withdrew last month from the Northern Lighthouse Board contract, according to g-info with about 9800 airframe hours on it as of december 09, probably add another 800 hours odd to that for its current total. Still a young airframe in temrs of hours flown. I do wonder what will be its fate now given that most contracts are employibng the replacement EC135 currently.

[Thud_and_Blunder]

From the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/13904188) and the Torygraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/pitcairnislands/8599564/RSPB-to-destroy-rats-on-Henderson-Island.html):

Is this project related in any way to the South Georgia task for TC and TV? I see from the Mailygraph article that: The conservation voyage, setting sail from Seattle, will complete projects on the USA’s Palmyra Atoll and in Kiribati’s Phoenix Islands protected area, before heading to Henderson Island in August. - which I suppose would imply a bit of a round trip for the S Georgia aircraft. Still, it'd be interesting to know how it'll be done.

[Blind Bob]

:8 Both the SGHT Bolkows G-BATC and G-TVAM are tucked up in the workshop on South Georgia awaiting the start of phase 2 operations. Read more at SGHT Habitat Restoration Project | (http://www.sght.org/sght-habitat-restoration-project)

[Blind Bob]

T & B, This may answer a few of your questions Palmyra Atoll – Protected Wilderness (http://www.protectpalmyra.org/)

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Ta for the reply, BB.

[TheCaptainBiggles]

Anyone have knowledge of Mike G Dench ex Head of McKenzie Hill Aviation ~ 1975-ish. Prior to that Mike was the Private Pilot of the Duke of Westminster from ~1966-1972-is and prior to that a Fleet Air Arm Lieutenant Pilot flying Doves & Heron's from HMS Daedalus Lee-on-Solent?

I'd really like to track him dowd as I flew a couple of hundred hours with him (and others) as a mad keen A.T.C. Cadet in my days of youth.

[teamrat]

Hi Blind Bob,
I was chief pilot for both the Pacific Multi Island project and the three phases of the South Georgia Project.
I have a great respect for the BO 105's. We operated G BATC, G TVAM and G WAAS in some pretty horrendous conditions, with no operational down time on SG.
The Pacific project had us using two 'N' reg B206B3's working of an Alaskan crab boat FV Aqilla

[Blind Bob]

Hello Peter, well done on finishing South Georgia, I would of loved to help team rat again, but respect I was not going to fly those lines with the couple of hours I got at it. I was in awe looking at your print-outs afterwards. You have my respect and it's good to hear you're still in the saddle!
It was a sad day when I left 'our' 3 Bolkows in Cape Town after the 'Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition' in 2017. I know they were removed from the UK register in March 2018 but have not been able to confirm they were re-registered in South Africa. We did 150 hours and 800 landings with 'TC' and 'AM' and only robbed a tacho and a relay off 'AS' during that time. It would be a shame if they have ended up as spare parts now.

[chopper2004]

Started my career 2 decades ago ...so in summer 99, we carried out mods to one of BAS ‘ machine. So here are my photos
of G-BUXS.

Cheers


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x720/cdbc5ec4_3c23_4754_861d_5588b7ad293e_9c6bc7fd7bc487d3707fd08 28c280e881825d376.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x720/05d6c5d8_f1b8_48cc_a091_a4a331034278_6d8d3e60f958dcaae83893a d4c6bb3ea42ba8a21.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/750x562/5c3cf08f_c4ae_4d29_8311_290162b59675_59780dac41abfe16cae3b85 f3a1d97cdc52d7d52.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x720/922e378c_1738_40dd_9394_a759e74c5cc2_a556543b71d8fa7bd24ae8e d306d75e6d2c0f56f.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x720/48e1a24e_a581_43a7_96a9_c2eac39e457a_13c1663ebae3cb5885ee9c4 ccb1f5b9a45550937.jpeg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x720/fab49b63_9be9_465b_80bc_9fe0bec85d61_83221b4d083d74ac685ff2f f387893d1cb3e84f2.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x720/64a53132_4b70_435a_bc84_920c6e26c411_61804d06c94d8e58134a828 f3a09f58970793a29.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x720/d72c9054_3711_40ab_921c_ad74a213e6e7_342bc0bb470986e238cb2fd 42e36acf24d2e3e7c.jpeg

[chopper2004]

How about this one then.................

[IMG]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj225/ec135t2/BolkowsupportsMilitary.jpg

Ah remember that from the old Bond brochure of the 90s.

cheers

[hoveratsix]

I landed the first helicopter on the newly installed Wolf Rock helipad on 11 September 1973, a Bristow 206A, G-AWMK, based in Battersea. Imagine my surprise to find the foghorn sticking up through the helideck!! It wasn't there during shore trials and nobody told me about it before leaving Penzance! Fortunately enough room for the 206 and I believe the offending article was quickly removed.