Hi there,
My Dad (Mike Tuson) was Denis's helicopter pilot for a few years in the mid-1970's. EI-ATY was used a lot up on the estate at Meoble (Loch Morar) for taking the deer stalking parties up into the hills and underslinging the days kill back. I spent a couple of holidays there at the age of 15 or 16 and had my first flight in a helicopter there (in ATY) with Dad. Also had a flight in the Jetranger from Massbrook, Denis's house in Co.Mayo, down to Galway (landed at the same spot as EI-AVN in Savoia’s post#68 I believe) and on down to Shannon before heading back to Massbrook. Decided that it looked a fun way to earn a living.
I have now been flying for a living for 25 years - Bell 47, S61, AS332L, BN2 (Islander), DHC6 (Twin Otter), DHC7 (Dash 7) and now back on the S61.
As Shane101 said, EI-ATY became G-HSKY, and in 1986, while I was on my CPL course at Redhill, it was involved in a mid-air collision with a Bristow Bell 47 G-AXKO flown by Mark Wake. Everyone survived that incident. (Sadly, Mark later died in the S76 accident off Yarmouth)
Regards,
Ant Tuson