Bristow Aberdeen

[Flying Lawyer]

.
At the end of last week I found myself in Inverness - less than a hundred miles away from a sphere of helicopter ops which has always interested me. A couple of hours later, I was in Aberdeen. Bristow had agreed in principle to allow me a jumpseat trip to an oil rig - subject to loads and client consent. Even if I didn't get a flight, it would be a good opportunity to catch up with Derek Jones, an old friend and highly respected pilot whom many rotary Ppruners will know. (See Link (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/250876-derek-jones-honoured.html))

After an extremely enjoyable evening in their beautiful home with Derek and his wife Captain Mo Jones (and her collection of 300 rare breed ducks) I set off with Mo in the early hours of Friday morning, fingers crossed that I'd get a flight.
My luck was in: Not just one, but the unexpected bonus of a second flight in a different type!


AS332L Super Puma to the Buchan

Checks completed, we taxied to the Hot Spots to board pax
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010335a800.jpg


Panel of the Tiger, work-horse of the Bristow fleet for many years
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010337p_800.jpg


Finals for the Buchan
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010340p800.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010341ps_800.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010344_800.jpg
. Tudor Owen.

The Buchan, one of the oldest drilling rigs in the North Sea
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010346_800.jpg


F/O Lee Studholme on the pad
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010347_800.jpg


Captain Mo Jones, waiting to lift for the return flight
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010349p_800.jpg


The bacon roll I'd been told we'd get for the flight back to Aberdeen turned out instead to be the biggest breakfast I've seen in my life - which defeated even my (un)healthy appetite!


Mo has been flying Bristow North Sea ops for 20 years. Many thanks to her and to F/O Lee Studholme for so kindly taking the time to explain all phases of the flight.
A wonderful experience. :ok:


(I'll post pics from the second flight shortly.)


.

[TiPwEiGhT]

FL,

Glad you enjoyed your time spent in Aberdeen, Derek and Mo are wonderful people, have had the pleasure of knowing them both for several years now and had a great time working along side Derek (who was very good at selling you duck eggs every Monday and Friday!).

I recently spent some time flying out of Aberdeen and was great to be back flying in my old stomping ground, however the bacon rolls and huge volumes of food were too much and I had to head back to Stavanger for my belly's sake!

Glad you had fun,

TiP

[zhishengji751]

Thanks for sharing, and great photos.

[SASless]

Tudor,

Last time I seen ya smiling like that was when we went flying in the Huey!



You need to take a trip to Hurst and see what kind of flying you can do there!

[Flying Lawyer]

Ralph

That was indeed a fantastic day, which I'll always remember. :ok:


http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/184078-anyone-flown-fly-huey-19.html#post2154972

Tudor

[Flying Lawyer]

.

A couple of hours later after my flight in the Tiger, thanks to the kindness of Captain David Adams, I had a second flight .........


EC225 to the Ocean Nomad

At the Hot Spots
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010351_800-1.jpg


EC225 'state of the art' glass panel
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010365_800.jpg


On the deck
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010358_800.jpg


The Ocean Nomad, a semi-submersible drilling rig
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010357p600.jpg



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010362_800.jpg


F/O John Perello
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010356_800.jpg


Lifting
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010355p_800.jpg


On route back to Aberdeen - Captain David Adams
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v140/Rotorheads/Bristow%20Oil%20Rigs/P1010366_800.jpg
A former Army Air Corps pilot, David has had interesting flying jobs over the years and now has what he describes as 'the best job in the world'.


Many thanks to David and to F/O John Perello for a very enjoyable trip and for taking the time to explain the various phases of the flight and the superb glass panel to someone more used to 'old style' gauges.


The Bristow operation at Aberdeen is very impressive - total professionalism by the pilots with whom I flew and a very obvious emphasis throughout on safety and efficiency.


Grateful thanks to the four pilots I've mentioned for allowing me to fly with them, and to Magnus Bentley (Ops Co-ordinator on the day) for finding the essential combination of suitable load/client agreement for me to be in the jumpseat for two trips.

A long-held ambition fulfilled and a day to remember. :ok:

[JimBall]

Purely out of interest, it's interesting to see almost everyone togged-up with survival suits. Except, I think, Capt David who seems to favour short/pulled-up sleeves with his open neck lightweight flight suit.

Or maybe AAC pilots have special "survival" skin ?

[Epiphany]

If the water is above a certain temperature, the wind is below a certain speed and the flight is by day then it is personal preference. But yes, ex-AAC pilots do have something special!

[Tail-take-off]

Epiphany you are quite right. But having done wet drills in the bay just off Boddam near Sumburgh in light winds, with a sea temperature above 10 degrees C, by day & wearing an immersion suit I would never fly over the North Sea without wearing my grow bag!

[bondu]

Great photos FL! I'm really pleased you enjoyed your day with Bristow.

As for immersion suits: I remember doing sea survival drills off Plymouth in September, with the sea temp at 15C, and it was stil @**&** cold! I'm with TTO, I always wear my 'blue rubber bag'!

bondu :):)

[slingyerhook]

Big Dave Adams,now there's a face from the past.....!

SYH.

[nakamichie fan]

Well, after seeing all the comments that Flying Lawyer's other Navy photos received covering just which watch someone is or isn't wearing, I thought you might like to know that the slim version on my wrist is a natty titanium Seiko powered by the sun.

And it was a great pleasure meeting you Flying Lawyer.




Link to Navy photos: http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/380223-carrier-ops-hms-illustrious-incl-pics.html

[bondu]

nakamichie fan

You poseur!!!! :E Just wait until we fly together again!

bondu :E

[Border Reiver]

Is that the Dave Adam's who flew for BCal H all those years ago? Happy days in a 214.

[Tonka Toy]

Gosh! can't be many ex ULAS types that ever got out to the rigs! - thought it might just be me! Are there any more who have learnt their trade around the rigs!?

[Bronx]

I met John Perello (post 6) about 5 years ago with some guys who used to work for Bristow.

Somebody since said they heard he died.
Anyone know if that's true?

[Bronx]

I've had some PMs confirming he passed away a few years ago.

Very sad. He was a nice young guy and good company.

[Peter-RB]

Hey FL,

You lucky blighter, and really good pictures , thanks for the "well good" as certain folk say write up,the sea looked as calm as the Leeds Liverpool canal, but a better colour.

Peter RB
Ribble Valley
Lancashire

[Heli-Ice]

FL

Thank you for sharing your day at Bristow.

Nice to see the face behind the name.

Regards from Iceland.

[Sir Niall Dementia]

I hope the catering has improved in the Ocean Gonad. Last time I landed on her was 1999 and she was a tired old lady then!


SND

[belly tank]

Great shots FL!

After 18 years in GA I've finally achieved my goal of being accepted into Bristow, I start next month on the 225 and i can't wait:ok:.

All the best!

BT