Channel Islands in the 1960's

[Guern]

Hi All

On another forum website someone has said that Sikorsky's were used between Guernsey & Jersey in the 60's. This predates me but I don't recall hearing of them operating in the Channel Islands. Any help gratefully received.

Guern

[Opssys]

Good Morning Guern.
Your source is correct. One BEA S61N (of the three allocated to the Scillies Service) was 'loaned' to the Channel Islands Operation for the period: 1st November 1965 until 28 February 1966. This was to provide an inter-island service whilst the Jersey Runway was rebuilt and strengthened.
My source for this is an excellent little book called Channel Silver Wings by Ian Scott-HIll and George Behrend published April 1972. Includes two B&W Pictures of the S61N one parked and the other on turnaround at Guernsey!
DIH

[Flap40]

I've got that book and I also remember seeing the Aircraft in the flesh in Guernsey.

Another very good little book if you can find a copy is Jersey Airlines International by George Behrend. It was published in 1968 and traces the history of Jersey airlines from its start in 1948 through to its merger with BUA in the sixties.
One fact that I find very ammusing is that when they started the engineering department consisted of one man and a boy. That "boy" was still there when I joined AirUK in 1992 and he retired around 1994. It must be quite a feat in aviation to be able to spend your entire working life with one company (even if the name did change several times!).

[Flightwatch]

I travelled on the helicopter service several times including once on the "jump seat" which as I remember was situated between the 2 pilots so that you sat three in a row. I think there were 2 rotations a day flown to connect with the midday BEA Viscount LHR-GCI, Jersey was open for the eaarly morning departure and evening arrival. To be pedantic I believe it may have been a S-61L, this was before North Sea Oil days and the registrations G-ASNL and G-ASNM spring to mind. Bearing in mind this was 40+ years ago and I was a teenage school boy at the time I might be wrong though!

[Mr_Grubby]

http://www.btinternet.com/~simon.gurry/Dadsphotos/S61GASNLHurn64small.JPG

G-ASNL Hurn 1964.

Clint.

[Flap40]

Philip Lo Bao's History of BEA says that G-ASNM was chartered from BEA Helicopters from 1.11.65 to 28.2.66 to run the service.
Edit to say that it later sank in the North Sea after a transmission failure and forced landing.

[Opssys]

One question Flightwatch and I am aware this is a very long time ago, but neither my 'Little Book of Planes, nor my Big Book of Planes is of any help:
Is there a simple way to tell the difference between a S61L and a S61N?

Re the Books, George Behrend has a an AOL Hometown UK Site where you can obtain copies of the Books mentioned by Flap-40 and Myself. For anyone with a specific interest in Channel Islands Aviation I think they are very useful.

As for the 'boy' who started with Jersey Airlines and ended his career with the 'heirs and successors' of that company, for a British Airline employee outside Imperial/BOAC/BEA that is impressive. Pan Am, TWA and Delta in the US did tend to breed them for several generations, but each of these Carriers were 'special' companies. Delta although still with us does seem to have changed it culture and possibly doesn't have the Mother/Father Son/Daughter all employees approach so much these days.

[jabberwok]

Is there a simple way to tell the difference between a S61L and a S61N?

I always thought the S61L didn't have floats on the main gear whereas the S61N did.

[treadigraph]

The S-61L didn't have the outrigger floats (do they count as sponsons?) - all UK reg were S-61Ns, presumably because of their over-water ops, apart from G-ATYU which was a Sea King presumably used by Westland for developing the home-grown version.

New York Airways had S-61Ls (and wasn't there a similar San Fran operator?)

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0582954&WxsIERv=Fvxbefxl%20F-61Y&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Arj%20Lbex%20Nvejnlf&QtODMg=Arj%20Lbex%20-%20Wbua%20S.%20Xraarql%20Vagreangvbany%20%28Vqyrjvyq%29%20%2 8WSX%20%2F%20XWSX%29&ERDLTkt=HFN%20-%20Arj%20Lbex&ktODMp=Nhthfg%207%2C%201978&BP=1&WNEb25u=Ubjneq%20Punybare&xsIERvdWdsY=A617CN&MgTUQtODMgKE=&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=1435&NEb25uZWxs=2004-05-21%2000%3A00%3A00&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=61425&static=yes&width=1024&height=709&sok=JURER%20%20%28nveyvar%20%3D%20%27Arj%20Lbex%20Nvejnlf%27 %29%20%20BEQRE%20OL%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=1&prev_id=&next_id=0534932

[Opssys]

Thanks Jabberwokand Tredders.
So to help my failing memory S61L = Landlubber S61N=Nautical Type.

I worry about me sometimes
DIH

[Guern]

Cheers guys I knew you would come up trumps!

[Plank Cap]

Now that we've sorted out the S61N vs. the S61L, who can tell me what the S61NM is? Believe only one ever appeared on the UK register.

[WHBM]

Most comprehensive book on this is I believe "BEA to the Islands", still in specialist bookshops, that covers CI, Scilly, Scotland etc.

[Tiger_mate]

Probably the wrong side to compare doors etc, but here is the aircraft you are talking about:
http://www.artistic.flyer.co.uk/S61pprune.jpg
& it has numerous baggage compartments down the LH side.