Bristow Photos

[Dave Ed]

Channel Islands

Channel Islands






For a time The Channel Islands used to be the most the common detachment for Bristow engineers based at Redhill including myself who spent a leisurely weekend ( 9-10 Feb 2002 ) on Guernsey sorting out a weather radar defect on the corporate S76 below.


A common visitor to Redhill, G-BYDF was based in the Channel Islands but was supported by Bristows Redhill.





As I mentioned above I was in Guernsey working in the Aigle hangar being assisted by Roger Sweet who had been working at the airport for twenty eight years and can remember a number of occasions when Bristows operated around the Islands. He provided the pictures and info below.


On Christmas day 1973 any surfers in the water would have been surprised to have been joined by the huge cargo ship, Elwood Mead, which ran aground on one of the offshore reefs, west of Guernsey on her maiden voyage from Australia. She remained stuck for 61 days before being refloated.Bristow Wessex G-ATBY assisted in the salvage operation.








Now we might need confirmation on the two Widgeon Pictures. They are not in Bristows colours but Roger thinks they were Bristow operated, delivering items such as newspapers around the Islands - only for a short time though. This one is G-ANAL!!! Probably not a registration you would choose today.







As above but registration G-AOAJ.






Other Bristow aircraft seen at Guernsey include:

August 1972 - Wessex G-ATCA - hauling cement out to a damaged sea beacon.


February 1973 - S61 G-AZRF - mission unknown.


December 1975 - S61 G-BAKB - mission unknown.

December 1985 - AS332Ls G-BMCX and BMCY - Crew training Japanese military pilots - a summit meeting was going to take place in Japan and heads of state, including Maggie Thatcher, were to be ferried around in Super Pumas.

February 1987 - S76 G-BISZ - Crew change on oil rig "West Vision" which was being towed up the Channel. New crew flown in from Norway to Guernsey and "old" crew flown back in Convair 580.