Originally Posted by
Steve Stubbs
TIPCAP
BCAL Helicopters did not operate the LHR-LGW airlink. It was operated by BAH using their S61s and pilots / engineers on their AOC and in their colours.
BCAL (the airline) provided the ground handling and the hosties in the back.
Steve's memory is a little like mine on occasions
. I never recall G-LINK being in BAH colours - it was in a pseudo BCAL livery but had no 'lion'. See below when BCAL Helicopters operated the LHR-LGW airlink.
Originally Posted by
Non-Driver
.....
G-LINK was definitely a BCalH machine, I thought BAH provided the maintenance cover airframes only and the staffing was joint.
Sorry, but G-LINK was never a British Caledonian Helicopters machine, but it
was registered to British Caledonian Airways from 1978.
BAH provided pilots and maintenance until 1984 when they increased their prices so much that British Caledonian did not renew the contract and British Caledonian Helicopters then operated and maintained the service from 1984 until it ceased in 1986.
For anything historical to do with Airlink have at look at Bill Ashpole's site - the Airlink Manager and in BAH days the Airlink Chief Pilot:
Gatwick/Heathrow Airlink 1978-1986