Bristow Photos

[Dave Ed]

Redhill FTS

Redhill FTS

The Flying Training School developed from the naval training programme which had begun in 1962. In the late 1960s as the North Sea operations of the company expanded and twin engined and twin crew helicopters were introduced the need for more and more pilots and co-pilots became paramount. The company therefore applied for CAA approval to give training for the Commercial Pilots Licence - Helicopter.
Early in 1971 the CAA gave its approval having vetted the company's flying instructors, ground school, aircraft, accommodation and subsistence facilities.
With this approval the company started its cadet helicopter pilot training scheme calling it the HP course.

The course consisted of 100 hours on the Hiller and 50 hours on a Bell 206 Jetranger. This met the 150 hours basic requirement. Originally candidates had to have a Provisional Pilots Licence (PPL) and an Instrument Met.Conditions (IMC) rating, though gradually these requirements were reduced.

By the mid 1970s the Bell 47G2, which the company had used successfully in Iran, took over from the Hiller and in 1980 this was supplanted by the Bell 47G4A . The G4A was not as cramped as the G2 and with its Lycoming 540GN engine had masses of power.

Around 1988 the Bell 47s were themselves replaced by the Robinson R22s and a Slingsby T67C later joined the fleet being used for initial fixed wing training and pilot grading.

The Bristows Flying School was unique in that its aim was always to set standards above the required minimum and indeed pass marks were set deliberately higher. The Flying School closed around 1998, a victim of cut backs.

In 1961 Bristows secured a contract to train 32 naval pilots for the new helicopter squadrons on their Commando carriers. They gave basic training on Hillers and converted to Whirlwind 1s.
All but two passed successfully.








An HP course being given ground instruction on a Hiller UH-12






A nice shot of the whole FTS set-up including Bell 47s and Bell 206s.






An FTS Robinson R22 in the circuit.






A bleak Redhill in January 1962 with Hiller 12 and Whirlwind S-55 Mk 1 waiting for their students.