The Rotary Nostalgia Thread
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Afternote
S
The post-script to the Kalgenfurt saga is a saga in its own right (nothing with CC was straight-forward). Prior to all this Austrian nonsense, Colin had taken his aircraft to Air Hanson since we at AMH were obviously beyond the pale and had failed (miserably in his eyes) to convince insurers that they should pay for the 2nd, or possibly 3rd over-temped turbine under his, by then magnificently expensive, engine break-down policy.
He burned a turbine whilst there and they obtained a H & S rental engine for him.
It was the rental engine turbine that got burned in Klagenfurt - and you do NOT want to hear of the very convoluted and 'strenuous' conversations that went on between Manns/Hanson/H & S/ Insurers......... for weeks
Colin, of course, couldn't see what all the fuss was about !!
VFR
The post-script to the Kalgenfurt saga is a saga in its own right (nothing with CC was straight-forward). Prior to all this Austrian nonsense, Colin had taken his aircraft to Air Hanson since we at AMH were obviously beyond the pale and had failed (miserably in his eyes) to convince insurers that they should pay for the 2nd, or possibly 3rd over-temped turbine under his, by then magnificently expensive, engine break-down policy.
He burned a turbine whilst there and they obtained a H & S rental engine for him.
It was the rental engine turbine that got burned in Klagenfurt - and you do NOT want to hear of the very convoluted and 'strenuous' conversations that went on between Manns/Hanson/H & S/ Insurers......... for weeks
Colin, of course, couldn't see what all the fuss was about !!
VFR
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Alan Mann
S
On a separate subject the story of Alan's later days (2002-present) I only have on hearsay, so anyone please correct me if this brief paragraph is flawed. I left the Fairoaks 'family' to start my own Company in 2002. I don't think Alan was very well then, though that is a view with the benefit of hindsight. I returned from the sandpit in 2005, and that was the last time I talked to him. He wasn't well then, and I believe his health has deteriorated significantly since then. I hear he is very ill. Which is very sad, since he was not only a pretty savvy Chairman, he also exhibited an enormous understanding of engineering. One would have to get up very early in the morning to catch him on a technical back foot.
I wasn't involved of course, but understand the Company was sold in 2007 to a bunch of outsiders to the industry and there has been some speculation here on Pprune about the progress of the Company since then. I'm not in a position to comment, as I'm sure you realise.
They were good days in the 80s and 90s; I treasure the memories ~ VFR
On a separate subject the story of Alan's later days (2002-present) I only have on hearsay, so anyone please correct me if this brief paragraph is flawed. I left the Fairoaks 'family' to start my own Company in 2002. I don't think Alan was very well then, though that is a view with the benefit of hindsight. I returned from the sandpit in 2005, and that was the last time I talked to him. He wasn't well then, and I believe his health has deteriorated significantly since then. I hear he is very ill. Which is very sad, since he was not only a pretty savvy Chairman, he also exhibited an enormous understanding of engineering. One would have to get up very early in the morning to catch him on a technical back foot.
I wasn't involved of course, but understand the Company was sold in 2007 to a bunch of outsiders to the industry and there has been some speculation here on Pprune about the progress of the Company since then. I'm not in a position to comment, as I'm sure you realise.
They were good days in the 80s and 90s; I treasure the memories ~ VFR
Thread Starter
Manfred Mann!
.
G-AYTF: Before we leave Colin Chapman alone for a bit - there are still so many stories - I remain astonished that there is no photogrpahic record of the 'Dancer' G-AYTF. This craft would have been at numerous European Grand Prixs as well as at prominent locations and race tracks across the UK and yet there doesn't appear to be a single image of her online!
I do have some images of her stashed away with a friend in the UK and which need to be rescued next time I am there (Easter 2011).
Does anyone remember the 'Dancer' when she was in the colours of one of Colin's first sponsors 'Essex Oil' the 'oil company' based out of a Monaco apartment and run by David Thieme and his secretary (c.1975)? It was quite a snazy affair for its day - a mixture of navy/azure blue with a rich red centre piece edged with silver mirrored accents!
Of equal interest was the Bell 206L which David Thieme owned. This was a French registered craft based variously in Monaco and Nice and which carried exactly the same colours albeit in a different arrangement. I believe the 'Essex' colours were the first ever to use this 'mirrored' finish which I am assuming must have been a reflective tape of sorts. Thieme's LongRanger also had one of the first all white leather interiors (c. 1978) complimented by thick sheep skin floor covers. Amazingly, to this day Thieme's LongRanger remains one of the most dramatic paint schemes I have ever seen on a rotorcraft!
Manfred Mann: (Excuse the Colonelism but hearing Col. Bob refer to Alan Mann as Manfred Mann for nearly 20 years eventually rubbs off). I am beginning to be concerned that I may have another posterity-rescue candidate on my hands! I knew that my godfather's operation Ferranti was poorly documented and had been prepared for some time to invest in the research to dig up what was required to bring this story to life with the help of ex-Ferranti personnel as well as the collation of remaining material about this fascinating company.
While accruing material and stories about Ferranti I decided to broaden the sweep to include a handful of the UK's private helicopter operators but .. now I am beginning to consider Alan Mann.
Firstly there is hardly any detail offered on the existing AMH website about the company's rich history (about a sentence is all) and secondly there is barely anthing anywhere written up about Alan Mann and his entrance into aviation.
So ...
Calling All Ex-Alan Mann Personnel
WANTED:
- Stories of Alan's earliest days in aviation
- Photos of Alan and his staff (especially 60's, 70's and 80's)
- Stories of interesting affairs/incidents with client's aircraft and among the AM team (okay well not affairs of the romantic kind .. unless of course they are accompanied by photos lol!)
- Any interesting photos of the AM team, early AM helicopters as well as images of aircraft belonging to clients
The prominent red and gold colours of Alan Mann racing
I was told that the reason Alan didn't apply the red and gold livery to AMH was because of the involvement of his business associate Niki Papadakis (the Greek shipping magnate) who's corporate colours were yellow and black - can anyone verify this?
A youthful Alan Mann
S.
G-AYTF: Before we leave Colin Chapman alone for a bit - there are still so many stories - I remain astonished that there is no photogrpahic record of the 'Dancer' G-AYTF. This craft would have been at numerous European Grand Prixs as well as at prominent locations and race tracks across the UK and yet there doesn't appear to be a single image of her online!
I do have some images of her stashed away with a friend in the UK and which need to be rescued next time I am there (Easter 2011).
Does anyone remember the 'Dancer' when she was in the colours of one of Colin's first sponsors 'Essex Oil' the 'oil company' based out of a Monaco apartment and run by David Thieme and his secretary (c.1975)? It was quite a snazy affair for its day - a mixture of navy/azure blue with a rich red centre piece edged with silver mirrored accents!
Of equal interest was the Bell 206L which David Thieme owned. This was a French registered craft based variously in Monaco and Nice and which carried exactly the same colours albeit in a different arrangement. I believe the 'Essex' colours were the first ever to use this 'mirrored' finish which I am assuming must have been a reflective tape of sorts. Thieme's LongRanger also had one of the first all white leather interiors (c. 1978) complimented by thick sheep skin floor covers. Amazingly, to this day Thieme's LongRanger remains one of the most dramatic paint schemes I have ever seen on a rotorcraft!
Manfred Mann: (Excuse the Colonelism but hearing Col. Bob refer to Alan Mann as Manfred Mann for nearly 20 years eventually rubbs off). I am beginning to be concerned that I may have another posterity-rescue candidate on my hands! I knew that my godfather's operation Ferranti was poorly documented and had been prepared for some time to invest in the research to dig up what was required to bring this story to life with the help of ex-Ferranti personnel as well as the collation of remaining material about this fascinating company.
While accruing material and stories about Ferranti I decided to broaden the sweep to include a handful of the UK's private helicopter operators but .. now I am beginning to consider Alan Mann.
Firstly there is hardly any detail offered on the existing AMH website about the company's rich history (about a sentence is all) and secondly there is barely anthing anywhere written up about Alan Mann and his entrance into aviation.
So ...
Calling All Ex-Alan Mann Personnel
WANTED:
- Stories of Alan's earliest days in aviation
- Photos of Alan and his staff (especially 60's, 70's and 80's)
- Stories of interesting affairs/incidents with client's aircraft and among the AM team (okay well not affairs of the romantic kind .. unless of course they are accompanied by photos lol!)
- Any interesting photos of the AM team, early AM helicopters as well as images of aircraft belonging to clients
The prominent red and gold colours of Alan Mann racing
I was told that the reason Alan didn't apply the red and gold livery to AMH was because of the involvement of his business associate Niki Papadakis (the Greek shipping magnate) who's corporate colours were yellow and black - can anyone verify this?
A youthful Alan Mann
S.
Thread Starter
Antarctic Incident
.
Newforest: Many thanks - I have ordered this photo!
Antarctic Incident 1950's
In the 50's my godfather served as Chief Pilot for Christian Salvesen's whaling expeditions in the Antartic flying the Mk I Westland Whirlwind (S-55).
He had reached the outer extremity of his spotting sortie about an hour away from the vessel (either the Southern Harvester or Southern Venturer) when the MRGB depleted itself of its precious content!
The flight manual instruction for such an event was (I believe) to land immediately. Turning to his observer my godfather indicated his preference to remain aloft as opposed to placing the Whirlwind upon the frigid seas a good 80nm from the ship and to which course of action the observer readily agreed.
Just over an hour later they landed back at the ship and when eventually a message was radioed through to Salvesen's base at Leith Harbour on South Georgia island the engineers were at first disbelieving of the event.
Word got back to Westlands that one of the 'Antarctic Whirlwinds' had flown for over an hour with no fluid in its MRGB and they too were astonished by the claim.
Westlands, unable to rationalise this performance, ended up by dry running a Mk I gearbox for more than 6 hours before it seized!
S.
Newforest: Many thanks - I have ordered this photo!
Antarctic Incident 1950's
In the 50's my godfather served as Chief Pilot for Christian Salvesen's whaling expeditions in the Antartic flying the Mk I Westland Whirlwind (S-55).
He had reached the outer extremity of his spotting sortie about an hour away from the vessel (either the Southern Harvester or Southern Venturer) when the MRGB depleted itself of its precious content!
The flight manual instruction for such an event was (I believe) to land immediately. Turning to his observer my godfather indicated his preference to remain aloft as opposed to placing the Whirlwind upon the frigid seas a good 80nm from the ship and to which course of action the observer readily agreed.
Just over an hour later they landed back at the ship and when eventually a message was radioed through to Salvesen's base at Leith Harbour on South Georgia island the engineers were at first disbelieving of the event.
Word got back to Westlands that one of the 'Antarctic Whirlwinds' had flown for over an hour with no fluid in its MRGB and they too were astonished by the claim.
Westlands, unable to rationalise this performance, ended up by dry running a Mk I gearbox for more than 6 hours before it seized!
S.
Thread Starter
.
Dennisimo: Another view of the first helicopter you flew, G-BALT, which was published online today!
Enstrom F28A G-BALT at an unusually quiet LHR in 1975
Dennisimo: Another view of the first helicopter you flew, G-BALT, which was published online today!
Enstrom F28A G-BALT at an unusually quiet LHR in 1975
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G-BALT
Hi 'S' ... still avidly following the thread's progress through the times & years and enjoy some of the earlier types I flew cropping up. Now G-BALT .... ah yes I remember her well. Made my first rotary solo on LT at Shoreham on 5th June 1973. Seem to remember her serial as 127. How daft is that! Capt Bill Bailey later sent me on my qualifying X country on LT .... Shoreham to Sunderland and back! There was an air show there.
The LHR pic was probably taken on my visit September 21st. I sold the machine there to a David Mappin who then leased it back to Spooner Aviation. Such happy and mostly profitable days. In total I sold 138 Enstrom models between 1972 & 1982 after which I left the Spooner business to form my first company, Skyline Helicopters at WAP. Sales were easier then as there was no Robinson or B47 competition and little from Hughes.
In fact the now well-known, G-AYTF ex Colin Chapman was my first heli purchase for Skyline. See earlier notes. She languished in my back garden for a month as I worked out my notice from Southernair who acquired the Spooner business a year earlier.
Then just out of interest, the new business lost two helis on the same day and within minutes of each other. The sad date was April 1st 1982. The local rag's headline was ... "Riddle of double 'copter crash at Shoreham!" That wonderful guy John ZZ was the first to put down on Truleigh Hill following a control malfunction. Number two 'roll over' accident, was the machine that was sent to the site to bring John ZZ and his student back to the airfield. I then jumped into the company Jetranger to bring all three back and as I surveyed the double wreck on the 'Motte & Bailey' sloping ground practice area, how well I recalled saying to myself ... "this is not a good time to have a third accident!" Such memories, although not always good.
Keep the buzz going guys.
Dennis Kenyon.
The LHR pic was probably taken on my visit September 21st. I sold the machine there to a David Mappin who then leased it back to Spooner Aviation. Such happy and mostly profitable days. In total I sold 138 Enstrom models between 1972 & 1982 after which I left the Spooner business to form my first company, Skyline Helicopters at WAP. Sales were easier then as there was no Robinson or B47 competition and little from Hughes.
In fact the now well-known, G-AYTF ex Colin Chapman was my first heli purchase for Skyline. See earlier notes. She languished in my back garden for a month as I worked out my notice from Southernair who acquired the Spooner business a year earlier.
Then just out of interest, the new business lost two helis on the same day and within minutes of each other. The sad date was April 1st 1982. The local rag's headline was ... "Riddle of double 'copter crash at Shoreham!" That wonderful guy John ZZ was the first to put down on Truleigh Hill following a control malfunction. Number two 'roll over' accident, was the machine that was sent to the site to bring John ZZ and his student back to the airfield. I then jumped into the company Jetranger to bring all three back and as I surveyed the double wreck on the 'Motte & Bailey' sloping ground practice area, how well I recalled saying to myself ... "this is not a good time to have a third accident!" Such memories, although not always good.
Keep the buzz going guys.
Dennis Kenyon.
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Senior Pilot looked away once, I'm not sure if he will do it again though!
But I agree, it was a very attractive helicopter!!!
In the meantime and for our German Rotorheads, what about this beautifully preserved photo!
Vertol H-21C Shawnee, Itzehoe-Hungriger Wolf, 1964
Earl
.
But I agree, it was a very attractive helicopter!!!
In the meantime and for our German Rotorheads, what about this beautifully preserved photo!
Vertol H-21C Shawnee, Itzehoe-Hungriger Wolf, 1964
Earl
.
Last edited by Senior Pilot; 10th Nov 2010 at 18:21.
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Can anyone remember who flew the Anglia Windows 206? I used to see this aircraft on occasion during the 80's.
Anglia Windows AB206 III G-WILL Battersea 5th February 1981
Earl
Anglia Windows AB206 III G-WILL Battersea 5th February 1981
Earl
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S76C G-PACO arrives at Fairoaks 8th November 2010
Registered to 'Cardinal Helicopter Services' Isle of Man but does anyone have further details about this aircraft's operations?
Dedicated to PPRuNer PACO!
Earl
Thread Starter
.
Earl: PACO is the newest S76 in the UK (as far as I know) and the latest 'ride' of John Whittaker - he of the Peel Group Homepage - The Peel Group
Peel own a number of airports including Liverpool, Doncaster and Durham as well as ports (Glasgow) and are HQ'd at the Trafford Centre Manchester.
I think PACO should contact John for infringement of username!
S.
Earl: PACO is the newest S76 in the UK (as far as I know) and the latest 'ride' of John Whittaker - he of the Peel Group Homepage - The Peel Group
Peel own a number of airports including Liverpool, Doncaster and Durham as well as ports (Glasgow) and are HQ'd at the Trafford Centre Manchester.
I think PACO should contact John for infringement of username!
S.
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You know I always wondered if it had been used - I'll have to think of something else when I get my own helicopter (yeah, right!) 
The best I've done so far is get it on my Corvette in Canada:
Phil
The best I've done so far is get it on my Corvette in Canada:Phil
Last edited by paco; 17th Nov 2010 at 19:40.
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G-Info says it's a S76 C how come it's not a C++ which I would have thought is the latest standard until the D comes online proper.
I know nothing about S76's hence the question.
I know nothing about S76's hence the question.
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Just had a look on G-INFO
CHC S76C models G-SSSC & G-SSSD (formerly Humberside BP aircraft) are designated on the database as S76. They have the Arriel 1S1 engine.
G-PACO is in fact a S76C++ with Arriel 2S2 engines fitted
CHC S76C models G-SSSC & G-SSSD (formerly Humberside BP aircraft) are designated on the database as S76. They have the Arriel 1S1 engine.
G-PACO is in fact a S76C++ with Arriel 2S2 engines fitted
Duke of Westminster (Grosvenor)
Noted the list of the DoW aircraft and it does not mention this company Grosvenor Aviation Services at Manchester Ringway, was this another of his companies ?
If so can add:-
G-POLO Piper PA-31 Navajo Chieftain 350
G-OCAL Partenavia P.68B
G-OGRV Piper PA-31 Navajo Chieftain 350
Helipixman
If so can add:-
G-POLO Piper PA-31 Navajo Chieftain 350
G-OCAL Partenavia P.68B
G-OGRV Piper PA-31 Navajo Chieftain 350
Helipixman
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Brantly
G-???? at Warners Holiday Camp. c. 19??
Mr Osato's Brantly B2 in "You Only Live Twice"
Last edited by Earl of Rochester; 7th Jun 2013 at 09:00.