George Bedford Retires

[Gordy]

For those who know George Bedford, and I'm sure there are many, he retired from active professional flying today. Here are some pictures of the event. (I have more if any one wants them).

http://weddingvideoflorida.com/george1.jpg

George without uniform ! !

http://weddingvideoflorida.com/george3.jpg

Saying "farewell"

http://weddingvideoflorida.com/george4.jpg

The flyby

http://weddingvideoflorida.com/george5.jpg

The Cyclic

http://weddingvideoflorida.com/GEORGE2.jpg

The plaque


Please feel free to post any fond memories you may have.

Farewell George --- enjoy

[farsouth]

I went through Bristow's Redhill Training School on Bell 47's in the mid-80's when George was CFI, and remember the progress tests with him - always very fair, helpful, and approachable

Best wishes for a long enjoyable retirement

[The Ferret]

An auspicious occasion - and as one of the pilots who flew one of the Hu269s/S300CBis in the formation seen above I am glad to see all the landing lights operating correctly!

George has been fundamental in setting me up here in Florida for my second career for which I (and my American wife!) will be eternally grateful.

Best of luck to George and Yuko for a happy retirement - although I suspect he has not yet hung up his flying gloves!

The Ferret!

[B Sousa]

What a neat thing to do for a guy who must be well liked.
Sort of scary though, he looks a bit young.........

[John Eacott]

Gordy,

Is he the ex RN George Bedford?

tia

[Horny Frog]

I had the privilege of flying with Cpt Bedford in 2002 @ Helicopter Adventures in titusville FL, where I was on a jaa commercial course.

I still remember doing engine off landings with him where he would take control of the aircraft just before the flare!!

Very good pilot indeed, & i'm sure he will be deeply missed by all who had the opprtunity or the luck to fly with him.

I wish you and Yuko all the best and many happy years in France



:D

[spinwing]

John,

Yes he is ... I believe he was In/1967 Out/1977 vintage ..... a bit like yourself ?


Cheers

[cl12pv2s]

Ex HAI instructor too....

Would like to wish George and Yuko the best of luck.

He certainly is an exceptional aviator and teacher.

cl12pv2s

[Richard Poppe]

A great aviator and a great instructor, and that was when he taught me to fly over 25 years ago!

George, I can still remember that a B47G2 climbs at 45kts with 3100 erpm & 24.5 inches of boost - AND I have still got the bruises on my knee from when I used to forget one or more of those numbers all those years ago! Ask me any relevant numbers from more recent types and the recall is far less clear.

I, and a great many others, owe our careers to you - thanks, and good luck for a very well deserved retirement. I hope the fishing is as good in France as it used to be in Sussex/Kent.

[John Eacott]

Spinwing,

Thanks: we joined on the same course (34) at BRNC Dartmouth, a few weeks ago in October 1967. Along with such other notables as Reg Jewel (RIP), Tony Ellerbeck, Derek Hazeldine, etc etc.

How time flies (excuse the pun), but I never cease to be amazed at how many of my contemporaries are still around in our industry. George has obviously left an indelible image on those he has trained, I wish him well in his retirement :ok:

[The Ferret]

Spin Wing and J Eacott

All the best are Senior Service - I joined 1977 and left 2005 so missed George (and apparently the 2 of you!) in the Service but was lucky enough to join the team as the JAA CFI at HAI with George this year before he retired as HoT - we have a hard act to follow - but with Mike Bowden (who is not ex service but comes highly recommended and now carries the HoT baton!) we will hold the proverbial flag high!

The Ferret
:cool:

[R1Tamer]

George,

It was a great pleasure to undertake the combined JAA/FAA training at HAI on a program managed so meticulously by yourself. It's a little bit special to have your signature against the logbook entry for the CPL(H) LST entry.

I bid Yuko & yourself a long and restful retirement and trust one day we'll meet again over a nice bottle of something french.

Best wishes

R1tamer

[spinwing]

Yes John,

You might like to know that Regie Graves has recently retired, back to Isle of Wight/Thailand ...

And Tom Brown is still working in the Middle East but lives in Eire.

Cheers :ok:

[bigglesbutler]

DAMNIT I knew I should have got back to HAI sooner, oh well too late now.

Thanks for all your help getting me where I am, and the end of course curry too :D.

One of the best and most caring instructors I have EVER come across, HAI will miss you, but those of us whom you helped will never forget you.

Best of luck.
Si :D

[Flingwing207]

While I was only one of the bazillion FAA louts to pass through HAI in the last 20 years, I know George is well liked and highly respected at (and beyond) HAI. Enjoy the vacation, George!

[Run-on Landing]

I had the privilege of doing my CPL(H) course under George a few years ago at HAI and I'm honoured to have his name in my log book. I'm extremely fortunate to have done my training before George hung up his gloves for good.

Best wishes to him and Yuko for their joint retirement.

[Up & Away]

..
Charlie Cantan and myself became George's first students when he arrived at 705 as a brand new beefer in '76.

I just wonder if he has really flown his last?

best wishes George

[splodge]

George may look young but there's more than one generation of pilot in the North Sea that have fond memories of their student days under George's supervision.

The cheeky grin and no bull advice got a few of us doing what we thought was impossible a few minutes earlier.

I tried to upload a photo of George at a party where everyone was wearing infeasably large underpants! Unfortunately the photo crashed on me. George and Yuko always were (and no doubt the tradition will continue) on for a good party. Any photos anyone??

Speaking of parties - when are you coming on the long promised trip to Aberdeen?? There's a few of us that want to buy you both a pint...

Happy retirement George and Yuko. No doubt the chateau in France will serve a good curry!!

[soggyboxers]

George is far too young to retire yet - he went through training after I did!!;) I'm sure it won't be too long before he yearns to leave Normandie occasionally and do some flying back in Africa where we still need good men of any age :} George was 'bitten by the mosquito' many years ago so he can never escape.
If the joys of Nigeria aren't able to temp you George, enjoy a well-deserved retirement in that corner of France where, it seems, so many aged aviators end up.:ok:

[peachpilot]

Wow - a staggering number of HAI grads have come out of the woodwork ! Best of luck George !

[212man]

Happy retirement George; well earned I'm sure!

It's 20 years since I first read your letter on our UAS notice board inviting applicants for the HP scheme, and it's probably the most useful address I've ever written down in my diary.

Cheers

:ok:

[Benet]

Thank you George, from one of your last CPL(H) graduates - you calmed my nerves and possibly forgave my newness on the Schweizer on 5 November... and kept me hanging on for what felt like hours in the debrief!

Thanks again and all the best
Benet

[Pofman]

Indeed the end of an era.
George was Head of Training at Bristow's training school from 1983 until they sold the goodwill to HAI in 1999 and since then has been HOT at HAI. During that 22 year period he has shepherded some 300 Bristow cadets and over 180 aspirants at HAI to their professional licences.
During that period there have been frequent 'discussions!' with the CAA to bring common sense to the table. With the introduction of the JAA we nearly slipped back 30 years in licencing to being forced to follow fixed-wing 'diktat' from people who knew little about helicopters and cared even less. Not all the battles have been won but fortunately the excesses have been curbed with common sense, in no small part due to George.
So farewell to George and if we follow our noses to the cheese and wine we will know where you are!