G-BALZ

[longone]

Been with the old bus for years, anyone know her fate?

[soggyboxers]

Ah, a registration to conjure with (well, not really, but you can't have a G-Abracadabra :}). I saw some photos of her on Prune a while back, painted all white and on a UN contract somewhere, but don't remember where that was now.

[zalt]

Still with Bristow according to GINFO

Kosovo http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0458388/L/ then perhaps Iraq http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=103825&pp=20&highlight=737500

[John Eacott]

S2,

Here's a touch of nostalgia ;)

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/2011-1/G-BALZ+on+deck+02.jpg



and the reason for the landing :rolleyes:

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/2013-1/G-BALZ+turbine+failure.jpg

[212man]

What's Ron Jeremy doing there?:}

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

Doesn't seem that long ago (it is only 14 years) that I was doing my 212 conversion with two other "candidates" in BALZ. Lydd ILS's ad nauseum etc. Ably conducted by Brains with long debriefs in the Heli Club.

The other two went on to greener pastures while I'm still here. I wonder if someone's trying to tell me something ? Must get that skin thinning operation done...............

Queen Of The Skies !!

Cheers,

NEO

[flyer43]

Re Pickie from John Eacott
Whatever happened to Ray Farnes, he of the large beard?

[Taff Missed]

Ray retired about 10 years ago I believe. I think he finished his time with BHL in PH.

Taff

[HOGE]

Well, a look through one of my older logbooks tells me that it was flying in the Brent field at the end of 1990.

[NorthSeaTiger]

The guy with the Tash is called "village" admittadly he looks like Big Ron.

[soggyboxers]

Ray is happily retired in UK, still has the beard and has nothing to do with helicopters any more - lucky fellow.

zalt - now you reminded me, the photo I saw of it was in Kosovo with the UN.

S2 - thanks for the photo, I'd forgotten about the original paint job.

We must all be getting sad, sick, boring old farts, reminiscing over one of the Queens of the skies :}

[John Eacott]

Soggy

This one? It's at Rasheed, from about 4 years ago.

http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/Rasheed1.jpg

http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/Rasheed2.jpg

[AlRuts]

Still going strong, last spotted in Mauritania, Bristow.

[Ronald Jeremy]

Yup, that's me. The tool of my trade has been airbrushed out of the photo.

:E

[Tail-take-off]

G-BALZ is indeed still going strong and currently looks like this:

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z74/Tail-take-off/G-BALZ.jpg

There are lots more pictures of her at www.skyweaver.co.uk (http://www.skyweaver.co.uk/) a selection of which are below:

http://209.196.171.35/images/jod8.jpg

Sumburgh:
http://gi97.photobucket.com/groups/l229/GIVXG4CHIZ/jod8.jpg


Bangladesh:
http://209.196.171.35/images/bangladesh2.jpghttp://gi97.photobucket.com/groups/l229/GIVXG4CHIZ/sandiebalzbangla.jpg

Bangladesh:
http://209.196.171.35/images/bangladesh3.jpghttp://gi97.photobucket.com/groups/l229/GIVXG4CHIZ/bangladesh5.jpg


Kosovo:
http://209.196.171.35/images/kosovoflightline.jpghttp://gi97.photobucket.com/groups/l229/GIVXG4CHIZ/balzsunset.jpg


Kosovo:
http://209.196.171.35/images/kosovogroup.jpghttp://gi97.photobucket.com/groups/l229/GIVXG4CHIZ/untitled14.jpg



(http://www.oilandgasuk.co.uk/issues/health/docs/aviation3.pdf)Incidentally does anyone recall her early history? http://www.geocities.com/rotorspot/g-1.htm (http://www.geocities.com/rotorspot/g-1.htm) quotes her first registration as N2961W then VR-BEK followed by G-BALZ. VR-BEK was a Bermudan registration and Skyweaver has her appearing with this reg at http://209.196.171.35/bases_santcarles.htm (http://209.196.171.35/bases_santcarles.htm) and quotes:

Bristow Base: Sant Carles de la Rapita, Spain.

Bell 212 VR-BEK awaiting its next task against a
rocky backdrop. It was the first Bristow Bell 212,
being a Bell demonstrator at the time.
Picture;: http://209.196.171.35/images/gcspain2.jpg (http://209.196.171.35/images/gcspain2.jpg)

Further more the Bermudan registration shows her Registered to Bristows as VR-BEK then re-registered as G-BALZ on 10 January 1973.

However the Speachless Two’s photo above shows her in BEAS colours in 1973 but BEAS was not to be part of Bristows for a few years yet.

I know she went to Ireland registered to Irish Helicopters until 16 July 1974 when she was re-registered as G-BALZ.

Did Bristow originally just lease her or was there already a relationship between the two companies?

[MPR]

I think potted history is something like this.....


N2961W
VR-BEK
G-BALZ 10/01/1973 - 05/03/1973 Oxford Heli-Services Ltd.
EI-AWK 05/03/1973 - 16/07/1974
G-BALZ 16/07/1974 - 10/01/1977 British Executive Air Services Ltd.
N99040 10/01/1977 - 18/03/1977
G-BALZ 18/03/1977 - 19/10/1979 British Executive Air Services Ltd.
N8069A 19/10/1979 - ??/??/????
VR-BIB ??/??/???? - 12/05/1982
G-BALZ 12/05/1982 - ??/??/???? British Executive Air Services Ltd.
G-BALZ ??/??/???? - 03/03/1994 Bristow Helicopters Ltd.
9Y-TIL 03/03/1994 - 17/02/1995
G-BALZ 17/02/1995 - 07/06/1995 Bristow Helicopters Ltd.
EC-931 07/06/1995 - ??/??/????
EC-EGR ??/??/???? - 03/10/1995
G-BALZ 03/10/1995 - 30/05/2003 Bristow Helicopters Ltd.
EC-IPD 30/05/2003 - 30/09/2003
G-BALZ 30/09/2003 - date Bristow Helicopters Ltd.


Mike

[k12479]

Anyone know how many hours its clocked up?

[Jed A1]

27,180 hours

as at 31-Dec-06

[Cyclic Hotline]

Still almost new then! :8

[Impress to inflate]

Just run in !!

[Tail-take-off]

Redhill 1989:
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z74/Tail-take-off/G-BALZRedhill1989.jpg

Bournemouth:
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z74/Tail-take-off/1036456F1.jpg

[he1iaviator]

Tirana Albania
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z78/he1iaviator/Bristow/212satTirana.jpg
Men With Guns! Kosovo
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z78/he1iaviator/Bristow/PoliceAssaultTraining.jpg
Chittagong, Bangladesh
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z78/he1iaviator/Bristow/psn00001.jpg

[k12479]

What's the blister on the nose, weather radar?

[he1iaviator]

Yes. Weather radar.

[africacorps]

:) Try glass cockpits out here!!!

[k12479]

"out here" - out where? where in the world is she currently?

[anjouan]

Elle est au Mauritanie, non?

[bellboy]

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff150/jamiehelicopter/P6200109.jpg
R De Castro in Mauritania Jun 06

[John Eacott]

Someone's nicked the Decca DANAC: but the radar looks familiar ;)

Any starters for how many hands here have held those twist grips? :ok:

[John Eacott]

These photos were sent to me last July by UWAT, but didn't get hosted at the time :ugh:

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/3934-2/G-BALZ+1_001.jpg


http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/3935-2/G-BALZ+2+Mauritania_008_001.jpg


http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/3936-2/G-BALZ+3_001.jpg

UWOT's description:

Again enclosed G-BALZ and its old mate G-BFER Mauritania 2006 and they're still there !!! The 412 replacement due January never materialised: well it was Tyreburst who said they were coming !!

By the way I also can remember G-BALZ in the BEAS green because I worked on her in the Brent 77 to 79 along with G-BBBP. but the little yellow BEAS sticker seems to be missing from the C Box intake area.

If memory serves she has about 28000 hrs TT now

UWOT

[exlatccatsa]

Was it G-BALZ in 1976/77 who used to wake us Anderson High School Students up at about 0715, about half an hour before the wake up alarm sounded, in the Janet Courtney hostel in Lerwick?
Could never get back to sleep after that!!
Cursed her many times!!

Chris

[Phil Kemp]

I think you're right. She was working off the Viking Piper at the time.

After listening to her at the JCH, I worked on her for many years. :) Maybe I'll get my scanner working, I know I have a ton of pictures of her over the years.

[Tail-take-off]

G-BFER is in bits at Shawbury and will reappear as a military machine at a future date. It will replace the the Shawbury aircraft (ZJ969 ex VR-BEJ, EP-HCZ, G-BGLJ, 5N-AJX, 9Y-TIJ) which went to Belize to replace ZJ965 (s/n 31170 ex 9V-BMG,G-BJGU,5N-ALS,G-BJGU) which crashed last year.

[bellboy]

The desert wind brings tales that LZ has been sold, off register. Not confirmed.

[Mac the Knife]

Just out of curiosity, would there be any original bits left from when it left the factory?

Mac

[Brilliant Stuff]

Name plate?

[Gaseous]

Name plate?

Wouldnt even bet on that. G-BDKD had a new name plate in 2002. Old aircraft are definitely like Trigger's brush.

[212man]

G-BALZ sold - what's the betting it's gone to these chaps? ;)

http://www.eaglecopters.com/mainframe.htm

[exlatccatsa]

I found this on a recent visit to the Unst museum (the old school in Baltasound) looks like it was taken in the '80s

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o187/cmorewood/unstabout1980.jpg (http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o187/cmorewood/unstabout1980.jpg)

[Tail-take-off]

some of you might find this interesting:
GINFO Registration History | Aircraft Register | Safety Regulation (http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=reg&fullregmark=BALZ)

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-BALZ.pdf

Still appears to be registered to BHL unless anyone knows different!?

[Senior Pilot]

Posted on the What's new in West Africa (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/145176-whats-new-west-africa-167.html) thread:

http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo67/paulblues412/002.jpg

[scooter boy]

... I was half expecting some smart-arse to post something about G-BALZ being finally reunited with G-COCK after many years of separation.

Great hair, clothes and moustaches in the Ron Jeremy shot - must've been circa 1975?

What were ELO doing working on the aircraft anyway?

SB

[Tail-take-off]

I wonder how many hours Bob Balls (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/287207-bristow-photos-30.html#post4586412)has on G-BALZ.

[unstable load]

How many hours does G-BALZ have these days?

[C.C.C.]

Recent crew room rumour at EGPM was G-BALZ was up for sale.

Some googling found the 'For Sale' notice on the Bristow Group website ( http://www.bristowgroup.com/services/doc.php?id=81 ), and the entry in controller.com has gone as well.

Interesting to note that she was being sold with 14 seats - what happened to the 15th!
How many hours does G-BALZ have these days?
Being sold with 27696.5hrs

[Tail-take-off]

How Sad. G-BALZ is probably the most iconic aircraft in the fleet. I see that G-BIXV was recently sold & with the remainder of the 212s all with the MOD I suppose it was just a matter of time.

[idle stop]

Got her in my log book too. She's sitting in the Bristow corner of the old main hangar (now leased by LHC) at Redhill, looking a bit sad. Sorry, didn't have the camera with me, but we'd probably prefer to remember her in better days. Told she's already sold. Pity not being kept in the family by FBH; less than 30K hours: must be a youngster!

[Alan Biles]

At 27K she's barely 'run in'. 'ER is still going strong with 32374 on the clock.

[stacey_s]

Sad Indeed Al, worked many a night on the Brent on her.
Ps but dont tell the missus!

Stace

[1helicopterppl]

latest on G-INFO is that BALZ sold to Canada, 09/11/09. To Boundary Bay facility ?

[Ainippe]

Being loaded on a lorry today to go to a company in British Colombia - Eagle Helicopters? . Spent many hours fettling away on this beast.:ok:

[Tail-take-off]

So the last BEAS aircraft is gone. I don't suppose there are any ex-BEAS staff still with the company now either????

[Dave B]

Yet another colour.http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab221/MountKenya/CopyofG-BALZ.jpg?t=1258996004

[David Clarke]

Has now been registered as C-GCVP by Campbell Helicopters Ltd.

Dave

[Tail-take-off]

Got the hang of this embedding youtube clips now!

B6-_xHNkVj4&hl

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/B6-_xHNkVj4&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/B6-_xHNkVj4&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

[ABZ155]

Working now with chaps in Canada, said they had an HUMS equipped 212.

Turned out to be G-BALZ, 30548.

Now working for Coldstream Helicopters, pics can be found here:

http://www.coldstreamhelicopters.com/uploads/CSH_WEB_2.pdf

And here:

Coldstream Helicopters (http://www.coldstreamhelicopters.com/services.html)

Long way from Mog, Bangladesh, Brents and whereever else, but is in good hands working hard and looking good

[crs1]

http://www.crs.kz/images/index_files/image3201.jpg

[bellboy]

LZ in Bangladesh with a Donut and a WAWA!:)

[chopperdropper]

I last flew her from Mauritania to Ghana in 2009. Bell sure knew what they were doing.

[A30yoyo]

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/A30yoyo/N2961W900.jpg
I took a pic of this Bell 212 on Heathrow autumn 1972 when, according to Flight Global Archive, it was working towards British IMC/IFR certification for CSE Aviation and Bell Helicopter Corp...post 1284 in..
http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/419023-rotary-nostalgia-thread-
65.html (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/419023-rotary-nostalgia-thread-65.html)

[Martyn43]

Hi guys i'm in the middle of building this beauty in a 90 size rc model.
if anyone has some nice interior shots could you please mail or post some up.

http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/rr14/hawkeye2112-08/g-balz1.jpg

it would be very much appreciated

[uxb]

Last contract for Bristow was offshore support from Takoradi, Ghana, 2011 if memory serves, then to be sold. It was a surprise to see the old girl there as I have vivid memories of the BEAS fleet in the Brent from 1977, when it was common to see different livery as Peter was robbed to pay Paul in order to remain serviceable. One 212 turned up for a shuttle with a tail and a door from 2 others, all in different colour schemes. LZ and G-BDIL were I believe 2 but I forget the other.

[John Eacott]

G-BALZ currently For Sale (https://www.aso.com/listings/spec/ViewAd.aspx?id=177207&fbclid=IwAR39le6a6uR0WKxhqcAgaMPWaPDUdbm5sUwBZXpu-uz-RjUB3j7IEht-qNI)1972 Bell 212
Serial # 30542
Price: Inquire/ Make Offer
TTAF: 29,687 Hrs.
Location: BC, CA


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/500x325/b212_20_20sn_2030542_web_1801c99bae0addb47c73b90c3ca103ea24e d2d55.jpg

[Democritus]

Here's G-BALZ in her very early youth at Kidlington in February 1973 before we took her over to Dublin as EI-AWK. Good to see that 46 years later she's in good shape - seems to have survived the years perhaps a bit better than me!

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/800x552/g_balz_kidlington_feb73_bcd06cb911cab09181f13a5cf32b28fba17e 6052.jpg

[419]

One 212 turned up for a shuttle with a tail and a door from 2 others, all in different colour schemes. LZ and G-BDIL were I believe 2 but I forget the other.
G-BFER perhaps?