Because the Reindeer had trouble with the humid temperature in Malaya Santa got help from the Army Air Corps, this was him at Kluang in 1969. Happy Christmas Steve
As much to keep our favourite thread on the front row of the grid... and to say it was good to see one of my old Bell 206s G-SHCC turn up. CC was in fact the third helicopter I purchased in 1988 having started my second new company Starline Helicopters at Biggin Hill. She was purchased as a twin of G-SHBB and originally sold to that affable Welshman, Gwyn Humphreys. Other B206s in the SH line up were G-SHJJ, SHRR, SHVV and SHZZ, the latter bought my Mr Mark Thatcher. To close by wishing all Ppruners a really good Christmas and a promising 2013. God bless us ... everyone! Dennis K.
Here are a few seaonal photos. This vessel is the "Nella Dan". It supported Australian expeditions to the Antarctic between 1962 and 1987. It played host to numerous helicopters including those from Helicopter Utilities (Bell 47 and FH1100), Jayrow Helicopters (Hughes 500), Vowell Air Services (Hughes 500 and Bell 206) and (I believe) Chopperline (Hughes 500D). It also transported other forms of transport including the DHC Beaver, Pilatus Porter, amphibious landing craft, the Sno-Trac tracked vehicle and the VW Beetle! The helicopter landing pad was approximately 100 square metres in size and must have felt positively airport-like when compared to some of the compact helidecks on show in the "Superyachts" thread.
It looks like one of Vowell's blue and red 500s is resting on the stern in the photo above.
The aforementioned A.N.A.R.E. VW Beetle.
Finally, here is a beautiful photo of Jayrow's colourful Hughes 500 VH-SFS cruising along in front of an impressive background.
500Fan ... some memorable pics you have dug up .... they take me back !!!
You remind me that I must have some 500 slides from my various trips to Antarctica that I must go through and digitise ... perhaps when I get home (?) I shall do so and hopefully post same ...
Hi Spinwing. I'm glad you like these photos. The whole area of Antarctic Aviation Operations is a fascinating one. I reckon the only place more remote than Antarctica that man has visited is the moon. If you have more Antarctic 500 photos hidden away, please dig them out when you get a chance. They will be appreciated.
I hope you'll permit the intrusion of a fixed wing PPL (and engineer) with a few pictures I took during my youth. I would get a PPL(H) - but only if I could afford the H500 to go with it....
(Apologies for the less than perfect scans)
Dundee August 1979 (I was completing an RAF cadet flying scholarship):
Lilford Park Show (near Oundle, Northants) late 1970s?
Lilford Park Show 1980:
RAF Halton Show 1982:
RAF Halton Show 1984:
East of England Show, Peterborough, 1981:
East of England Show, Peterborough, 1979:
Not sure where or when (H500 G-BMJH, Long Ranger looks like G-L???):
Last edited by smarthawke; 28th Dec 2012 at 18:45.
StrangeSteve: Thank you for the Scout photos on the previous page, wonderful!
EricFerret: I had a job picking you out in the photos .. I think you may have put on some weight since our days in Africa, lol! Happy New Year!
500 Fan: Great shots as always (I have some more 500 nostalgia on the way). Tell me, do you suppose the shot with the Beetle is to scale? If so .. then I never realised how large penguins were!
SmartHawke: Some great nostalgia there, thank you. I think this may be the first time G-BFZE has appeared on the thread and so this is much appreciated. Without checking the files I think she may have been the second or third Ecureuil in the UK after Tommy Sopwith's - certainly one of the first having been delivered to 'Valley of Gleneagle' Helicopters in October 1978.
Great to see some other JetRangers in your collection, some of which have made rare appearances on the thread.
You enquired about the registration of the LongRanger in your photo. There was only one 206L in the UK with that colour scheme and that was G-LRII, owned by Castle Air and painted in similar colours to the 'famous' G-BHXU (the helicopter which transported Anneka Rice around during her Treasure Hunt days). G-LRII was flown (at one time) by one of our own .. PPRuNer Geoffsincornwall!
A little game of snap to match your shot of AVIG:
Bristow Agusta-Bell 206B (upgraded from an 'A' model) and the first 206 delivered to the UK, G-AVIG lands at Gloucester's Staverton Airport on 13th March 1980. This aircraft perished in Antarctica on 5th January 1985 in poor visibility conditions (Photo: Keith C. Wilson courtesy of David Haines)
And another 'snap' to match your shot of G-BFAY which in fact recently cropped-up for the first time on the thread on page 89.
Sloane Aviation Hughes 500D departing Farnborough in 1978
Hughes 500C (369HE) G-BFYJ as seen as Henstridge on 10th April 1988
Another new entry for the thread BFYJ and another new operator for the list of 'lesser known operators' with 'YJ' having been bought by Wilford Aviation in 1978.
G-AVIG was on the Redhill Flying Training School at the time of the low skid picture above. It was mainly used for Command Course training. I think it was also based at Dalcross when the BO105 was on maintenance. I last flew "IG" in September 1981 according to my logbook.
Savoia, interesting to know of 'IGs heritage and the registration of the Long Ranger (looking closely at the original that would be the machine's identity). I've edited my post - the photos of G-BFAY were in 1979.
I'm pleased to know the pictures of interest.
Last edited by smarthawke; 28th Dec 2012 at 18:47.
SmartHawke: Yes your contribution is much appreciated.
As mentioned, this is the first image of G-BFZE on the thread as photos of her have been rarer than red squirrels in Piedmont!
Here is the only shot I have of her:
Valley of Gleneagle Helicopters AS350B G-BFZE as seen at Edinburgh's Turnhouse Airport in 1980 (Photo: Robert Pittuck)
Clearly 'Gleneagle' picked-up a job from Barratt's who (perhaps understandably) did not wish to haul G-BEKH or G-HELY up to WBS (wee bonnie Scotland)!
Some more joining of the dots .. if you can bare it?
You posted a photo of the JetRanger G-BHYW which, as it happens, was bought in 1983 by .. Gleneagle Helicopters.
You also posted a JetRanger photographed at the Lilford Park show near Oundle. This helicopter was G-BAKF. "KF" was (back on page 3 of this thread) one of the 'mystery' helicopters in Speechless Two's photographic journal of his exploits in Rhodesia during their elections of 1980.
G-BAKF was operated by Dollar Helicopters at the time of your photo .. who in turn were the owners of another JetRanger you posted .. G-BALC, which you photographed at the RAF Halton Show in 1984.
Now G-BALC was of interest to us some while back on the thread because before her days with Dollar she was owned by F.W. Farnsworth of Nottingham. Now what (one may ask) was significant about F.W. Farnsworth? Well, not much really, except that they traded as 'Pork Farms' and (according to my godfather) this helicopter at one time used to have the slogan "Pork Farm Sausages" emblazoned across her hide! This was a matter of some buffoonery on the part of my godfather who chided her pilot enquiring if they were going to apply for the call sign "Pork Farms 206" or perhaps even "Sausage 1". All done in good humour of course!
And seeing as I have mentioned the Colonel .. G-BBBM (which you also posted) was at one time (1973-74) operated by my godfather before being sold to Alan Mann. The craft ended-up being purchased by the Daily Express newspaper who owned her for 7 years before selling her to a Belgian buyer.
BA S61N G-BEWL at Dublin Airport with a USMC VH-3D on 3rd June 1984 (Photo: Ken Meegan)
That photo was taken at the end of the day when President Reagan was in Ireland and he visited the village of Ballyporeen where his great-grandfather lived. As well as BA 61's they had a couple of Chinooks, BCAL 61's and a 214ST ferrying the media circus around.
Fairey Ultra-Light Helicopter G-AOUK, First flight 1955, work abandoned 1959. Plenty of photos etc on Google. One to see at the rotorcraft museum, Weston Super Mare
Last edited by ericferret; 29th Dec 2012 at 18:10.
Fairey Ultra-Light Helicopter G-AOUK, First flight 1955, work abandoned 1959. Plenty of photos etc on Google. One to see at the rotorcraft museum, Weston Super Mare
One of it's sister ships G-APJJ is on display at Midland Air Museum Baginton (aka Coventry Airport).
