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Earl: Great to see Cy Rose's Brantly along with the workshop photo of the Dancer, many thanks.
I knew that Villeneuve was a pilot but there were so many in those days (both fixed and rotary wing) and I didn't get to meet them all. G-JAMI, as you rightly point-out was, to the best of my knowledge, the second 206L registered in the UK and one of only three 'straight L's' (I think) with the third being G-BFTR (Hanson). I think Heart of England (JAMI) performed a cross-charter for Ferranti but that's about the extent of the involvement as I recall.
On the matter of the Dancer (G-AYTF) being at Bristow's - that I can answer!
The Dancer was bought from new from CSE in the early 70's by Douglas Bunn (developer of Hickstead jumping ground). Being a neighbour to Ferranti my godfather lost no time in befriending Bunn and inviting him to the Beehive where the Colonel showcased the process of 'Ferranti-ising' an aircraft.
To 'Ferranti-ise' an aircraft involved (for the 206) installing a custom VIP interior, applying a high gloss polyurethane finish to the fuselage and adding a small array of avionics which included; VOR, ADF, Decca's DANAC moving map display and Ferranti's in-house stability augmentation (auto-stabilisation) system (SAS).
By all accounts Bunn was impressed and my godfather doubtless believed that he had gained a new client. That was until Bunn received Ferranti's quote!
The story goes that Bunn called up Bob posing the question; did my godfather wish to sell him a new helicopter? From there, there was some sort of exchange which ended with the Colonel quoting the phrase 'horses for courses' whereupon Bunn hang up!
But, it didn't end there. Some weeks after the phone altercation Bunn appeared in the skies over the Beehive, landed on the grass near Bob's office, left the Dancer turning and burning, walked into my godfather's office and told him he was en-route to Bristows who had evidently offered him a better 'deal'!
This was one of the few Ferranti stories I got to hear from Major Warby who recalled watching Bob escort Bunn back to the Dancer, advising him not to leave the craft unaccompanied while still running, and expressing his disappointment that Ferranti would not be servicing his mount.
According to Warby, Bob stood for many minutes watching the sky as Bunn disappeared and for those who knew Bob they might understand why. To this day I have never met anyone quite so enamoured by everything to do with helicopters as he was. Bob would form attachments with each of the aircraft he flew, giving them names and referring to his encounters with them as though recalling aspects of a treasured friendship.
Beneath the falling out between Bob and Bunn was, I believe, a frustration that the connection was not ultimately realised for at heart the two men were highly compatible with Bob already possessing many close alliances with those in equestrian pursuits including Robert Sangster and a number of Arabs at least one of whom would later go on to support Hickstead.
For Bunn's part he merely wanted to 'jump' in his craft, fly it and have it maintained from time to time and which I am sure Ferranti could have done but, as Bob no doubt explained, their specialty was in supporting executive aircraft - or in creating them!
When Bunn bought a brand new 206 III from Alan Mann in '78 (G-JUMP) the Dancer was taken in on part-ex and sold on to Colin Chapman.
Colin was already a Ferranti client and earlier on in this thread it was mentioned that PPRuNer
Speechless Two had participated in at least one Ferranti charter for Chapman when he collected King Constantine II of Greece from the Team Lotus base at Hethel and flew him to Brands Hatch.
So, the connection to the Dancer was restored but, by the time Chapman had bought the aircraft Ferranti was is its closing days and it was Bob who recommended to Colin that he maintain his support from Mann's.
A Ferranti 206 advertising the fact that it was 'Ferranti Stabilized'
Helipixman: What can I say, you have stunned me twice now! First off with G-CHOC which, it was believed by some PPRuNers, did not exist - and now with the Dancer in its JPS livery - Bravo!
It is extraordinary how something as simple as a photograph can evoke so many memories and emotions for aside from my godfather's many encounters with the aircraft she retains a special place for me too in that this was the first helicopter I received instruction in (thanks in large measure to Colin), was the first (and only) helicopter that I have experienced an engine failure in and was the helicopter I performed my first solo in (on my 17th birthday) at Booker courtesy of
Antonio 'Nobby' Clarke!
Thanks for all the memories - your efforts in sourcing these images motivates me to recall these events from times past.
S.
ps: Bunn evidently passed the flying bug on to his son (Jonathan?). What I heard was that he purchased a Gazelle which he pranged but, this happened long after I left the UK so I am not sure of the details.