Bristow Photos

[SASless]

Steve Medlin......ah yes....indeed!

Perhaps he should have stuck to the tea and post.:rolleyes:

[Tail-take-off]

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z74/Tail-take-off/TurkmenistanS76-1.jpg

[Alan Biles]

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/Khasab1980VR-BDX.jpg
VR-BDX

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/Khasab-1980Hookingup.jpg

Hooking up. Ron Moxham underneath while I stood by idly taking pictures. No change there then.

[Tail-take-off]

There are some interesting pictures of what Carson's are doing to ex-Lima Carlie on the "Life in the old girl yet (S-61)" (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/345355-life-old-girl-yet-s61-2.html)thread.

[Tail-take-off]

Alan

ref your last picture of VR-BDX why is the cowling around the main gearbox missing?

[Alan Biles]

TTO,

To save weight. The TRDS covers, the xmsn-driven Stby Generator, most if not all of the pax seats and the P2 seat (if not reqd) went the same way. Occasionally the pax doors would go too. We toyed with taking off the engine cowlings but they had firewires on them so we drew the line at that.

All so it could get off the ground with me in it!:) Some of the locations we flew into were 'hairy' to say the least and we wanted to be as light as possible.

[SASless]

.....all that and that was before you blossomed to all your current glory!

[Alan Biles]

This is the last of them. Well actually there's loads more but this thread can only take so many pictures of the same aircraft....

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/Khasab1980TypicalPad.jpg
One of the more interesting pads we flew into.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/Khasab1980Shotfrombelowwithload.jpg
Positioning a 3-pole on the Bukha side of Fine Peak.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/Khasab1980Typicalload.jpg
Another 3-pole being held in position while the ground crews secured ropes to hold it in place after we'd let go.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/DubaiDec1980VR-BDXVR-BDLTristar.jpg
Back in Dubai for Christmas 1980. 'DX, 'DL and a passing Gulf Air Tristar.

[Oldlae]

Alan, Great photos, I was surprised to see DL on wheels, do you know why it wasn't on floats? Didn't you take over DPC about that time?

[MrR]

Has Dave Edwards Bristow site gone? Tried to access today, but nothing. Anyone in touch with him to keep it going?

[Scotsheli]

I can confirm it was there just a few days ago so it might just be a temporary problem.

[Oldlae]

I've just googled it and all you can get is a cached copy of the site dated 21 November. Tim Collins was supporting it at one time, perhaps the credit crunch has kicked in.

[tawibowo]

Hello fellow ppruners, i'm a Duri native - which we like to call a Durian - and i was wondering for those who have more old Duri photos just to remember the old times. My dad worked for Caltex Aviation and Travel (Aviatrav) dept back then....

Cheers...

[Oldlae]

Welcome tawibowo, I was at Duri 71/72. What's happening there every square inch of the concession must have been drilled by now?

[Alan Biles]

Oldlae,

Ref 'DL on wheels - no idea. Maybe Mr Shilling can cast some light as he was at DPC at the time. Stace? And no I didn't take over DPC. When the Khasab job was running down in Jan '81, they plucked me out and sent me to Duri. Sh*tty job but somebody had to do it.;)

Selemat pagi Tawibowo dan apa kabar?

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/Duri1984Lineupof205206.jpg
Caltex Duri hangar & fleet on a quiet Sunday in 1984. Looking at Google Earth it would appear that the hangar is still there but the 'hill' has been built over.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/Duri1984205sinthehangar.jpg
A bit of work going on. I believe the legs belong to Chris Tait.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/Duri1984RawaMeIainSmithPeteCawthorn.jpg
It wasn't all work. This is me, Iain Smith, Pete Cawthorne and Mrs B having a silly hat competition on Pulau Rawa in 1984.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/Duri1984GrahamConwayDaveAtkinson.jpg
Graham (Boots) Conway and the late lamented Dave Atkinson in Duri.

[stacey_s]

'DL' was on wheels in '78' working up in the Hajar mountains at the back of Dubai when I first arrived there in June that year, we were flying geologists and drill rigs around, bit difficult on floats!!, pilots were Martin Bull and 'The Glove' Alan Price.
I believe the transition from floats to wheels took place early 78, there was another '55' there when I arrived (cant remember the reg) that was still on fixed floats.

[Tail-take-off]

Alan


this thread can only take so many pictures of the same aircraft....


I disagree. Your pictures are fascinating & backed up by interesting commentary & anecdotes from arguably BHLs heyday. Do keep them comming.:O

Mr R
www.skyweaver (http://www.skyweaver) is back up again now.

[Alan Biles]

A small avalanche in the attic yesterday evening revealed this selection.....

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/AbuDhabi1974Bell212VR-BEJ.jpg
Bell 212 VR-BEJ shut down offshore. This aircraft is currently in Belize with FBHeliservices as ZJ969. Pushing 30K hours.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/AbuDhabi1974Bell212VR-BFBDarSpalty.jpg

Bell 212 VR-BFB shut down on the same platform with Dar Spalty.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/AbuDhabi1974AlfieHillDarSpalty.jpg

Abu Dhabi. The late Alfie Hill assuring Dar Spalty that he (Alfie) is a good chap.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/AbuDhabi1974FWHC.jpg

An old licensed engineer. Serious shades or what?

[SASless]

Alan,

Dave Adams recently told me that Dar Spalty has died of cancer in the past few months.

[stacey_s]

Bought some model aeroplane tools (thats my fetish!!) from Dar Spalty a couple of years ago here in AUH, never knew he was an ex Bristow chappie, we should all wear that on our sleeves, best Company ever, and I say that unasamedly? (correct spelling?:)

Stace

[SASless]

Iran 1976.....Papa Charlie Operation 175nm East of Bandar Abbas

http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr92/Geronimo_33/th_Picture087.jpg




John "The Black Sardine" Black's first set of Alouette M/R Tip Caps.

Kind of a hard thing to do in the middle of a rocky desert!



http://s473.photobucket.com/albums/rr92/Geronimo_33/th_Picture001.jpg

[forget]

Wet Start. Djambi 1972 ish. In the style of Turner.:)

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/BR2.jpg

[Scotsheli]

"Wet start" LOL - pretty moist in the fire marshal's pants too I suspect!

[Tail-take-off]

check out the December rotorheads calendar http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/352889-rotorheads-calendar-december-2008-a.html

[forget]

Is this the first for Zagros? Zagros Eye-ran that is. Seem to remember it was the world's highest drilling operation.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/ZAGROS.jpg

[Alan Biles]

Found a few more.......

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/AbuDhabi1974Inthehangar.jpg
212, WS55 and 206.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/AbuDhabi1974KGPColinSole.jpg
Colin Sole and KGP. KGP's 212 conversion I think.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/AbuDhabi1974RayMcGrathoneoftheConaw.jpg
Steve Conaway (I think) and Ray McGrath. Steve had some excitement when the float cylinder pressure relief blew off while he was hovering Bell 212 VR-BEX. The ac had recently arrived from UK and the bottle pressure hadn't been reduced for the Ta.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/AbuDhabi1974FromtheroofoftheAlMulla.jpg
The view looking NE toward the harbour from the roof of the Al Mullah Bldg. No doubt current residents of Abu Dhabi will recognise the road on the left of the picture as Shk Hamdan St.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/AbuDhabi1974FromtheroofoftheAlMu-1.jpg
Another shot from the roof looking East. It was from a balcony in this building that an armchair was launched. Not by me I hasten to add.

[tawibowo]

Thanks for the pics, Mr. Alan. Terima Kasih.

Duri nowadays are most likely still looks like Duri then, but of course, with modern touches. Some of the old plywood houses are still there, also those built from Portacamps.

Unfortunately, Chevron (successor of Caltex) do not carry seismic helicopter operations anymore, so they chose to replace the Bell 212 with a more elegant Bell 430 of Pelita Air Service. It flies between Duri and Rumbai, sometimes Seletar, Singapore....

Our current bird:
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a202/chelsea_number_8/100_2150resize.jpg

[GCMOIR]

Hi Alan,

Do you have any pictures from Nigeria operations. On a more personal note I have a picture of "two (very very young) men in a boat", who are now not so very very young, no not you and me!! and some other pictures of barbeques at the river beach at Port Harcourt but sadly hardly anything of the operation.

Cheers,

Graeme

[Tail-take-off]

Graeme

Pictures of people & life in general on any Bristow operation (past or present) are as valid as pictures of aircraft. When I started the thread my intention was to carry on where www.skyweaver.co.uk (http://www.skyweaver.co.uk) had left off. To that end any related photo, video or anecdotal material is most welcome.

TTO

[Tail-take-off]

http://www.airteamimages.com/pics/49/49082_800.jpg

[leading edge]

Taken at Redhill.

S-58T (G-BCTX) in the foreground after being modified from Radial to Twin Pac in around 1974 or 75.

Wessex in the background, looks like a refurbished ex Nigeria aircraft destined for Skye or it could be ASWI from Great Yarmouth having had a paint job.

I can't work out what BCTX was doing there but I would date this picture in 74 or 75 or late 79 early 80?

So, Tail Take Off, am I right?

[SASless]

Queens of the Skies they was!

I enjoyed flying the T-Bird as much as any helicopter I have flown.....clambering up the side of the ol' girl after having slung your kit into the windy...now that is a Man's Helicopter!

Add in the Riff Raff being imprisoned below your boots....having that great big windy to open so you could lean out and see the world from a right perspective....you had to as Bristow had mounted all sorts of useful Decca stuff and a third Bar Alt on the panel and in the windows.

She was stable, dependable, well mannered....and in plain terms a "Lady".

She provided entertainment.....you could watch the snow cone form on the main gear wheel....then disappear as the weight of it caused the wheel to rotate.....she spit snowballs out of the EAPS just at the corner of your vision....and made you wonder what the heck had happened.

The brakes never worked equally....or one preferred not to work at all....the tail wheel lock would either not release or would not latch...dependning upon which mode caused the most angst.

....and.....if you needed to do anything under the bonnet....you need two HVAC tin bashers and a small boy to get at anything.

We had some grand times flying the T-Birds.

And some stories to tell....locating ourselves in London by checking the time, whizzing about the Rassay Sound not looking at torpedo's, sneaking into France under a Bomber's Moon.....great days.

Eh, Soggy?

Now as to the other imitation of the T-Bird there was the Wessex....which was a great bird too.....in her own way.

[GCMOIR]

G-BCTX brings back many memories. Worked extensively on her in Aberdeen and Sumburgh. Among the fleet of Bristow S58T's she was probably the most tempermental. In 1979 she was sold to Astra Helicopters in South Africa along with G-BCRV and G-BCRW with me tagging on behind. In SA she was completely different, perhaps the climate was more to her liking!! I left SA in 1981 and don't know what happened to the S58's after that. By the way, they were left in Bristow colors, even after paint striping one it went back into Bristow colors. Never did find out the real story to that - if there even was one!

Graeme

[206Fan]

SAS

Any pics from when you flew her?

Im kicking myself i never got any photos of the wessex landing on my doorstep over the years.. Now that was interesting!

[unstable load]

Graeme,
Was that the aircraft that was in Durban doing shipservice with the late Jeremy L of Court Heli's?

[SASless]

Got some old 35mm slides that I will one day get around to scanning and posting. I will have to withhold some of the names to protect the guilty....errrr...innocent however.

[GCMOIR]

No, Court Helicopters were doing the ship servicing. Although Astra Helicopters owned the ex Bristow 58's they were operated by Republic Helicopters supporting oil exploration. Jonny Kluer, Colin Sole were a couple of the pilots I remember that had an association with Bristow. It was Jonny that spent a few hours in the water off Durban after ditching a W55.

When I first went to SA I stayed at the Baragwaneth Flying Club in Jo'burg. In the main hall there was a bust - can't remember who it was - but it was dressed up in goggles, cap and silk scarf and according to the old waiter whose name was Nelson, these items were donated by Sharky Ward during his time there. I'm sure many stories could be told by some people on this forum about these long gone days.

Alan B - didn't you spend some time out there??

Graeme

[Alan Biles]

Graeme,

I did indeed. I went to South Africa in 1975, initially in Jo'burg on the Hiller 12E's and Bell 47's doing powerline inspections and survey work. It was great sport and we would spend 4-6 weeks in the field with a Bell 47 staying in places like Oliphantshoek and Sishen. Went down to Durban for a few weeks on the ship-servicing contract based at Virginia airport and that was good fun too. We had a Wessex, Whirlwind and an Alouette 2. The Wessex & Whilrwind were for ship-servicing but the Al 2 was used on a 6- weekly pipeline inspection that went from Durban to Middleburg in Transval via Sasolburg and back down to Durban by a different route. I did that once and it was brilliant but regretably I took very few pics in South Africa.

When in Jo'burg I stayed at Baragwanath too. It was the Johannesburg Light Plane Club and steeped in history. 'Bara G' is closed now but hopefully JLPC is still there if only as a museum.

[forget]

Not strictly Bristow - but when one of the two Bristow Wessex was written off, Djambi 72, a Puma was sent in as a replacement. Here it is two weeks after arrival, pictured on a jungle heli-pad.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/puma.jpg

[Tail-take-off]

I can't work out what BCTX was doing there but I would date this picture in 74 or 75 or late 79 early 80?

So, Tail Take Off, am I right?
Havn't a clue I was still running around in short trousers then. It's just a picture I stumbled across on the internet when I had a bit too much time on my hands. Thought it might provoke some interesting discussion. It came from Image of Sikorsky S-58. Photos from the AirTeamImages.com Collection of Pictures (http://www.airteamimages.com/49082.html) where the notes date it 1977 but who knows?

By the way the registration on the wessex looks more like G-BAWJ to me.

I know that the S58t & the Wessex were built by differant manufacturers in differant countries & that one was a modified single while the other was always a twin but did they have any common or interchangeable components. (I suspect I have already answered my own question).

[206Fan]

Forget.

What happened the 330?

Am i correct in saying thats the tail and tail rotor gearbox in the photo or the whole ship?

[SASless]

Funny how the US Army with the Bell UH-1 series was able to kill off the CH-34.

I always wondered why the Sikorsky folks did not put a GE Turbine in the 34 and save us from the back breaking Huey.:mad:

You don't reckon politics and a Texan in the White House had anything to do with it?

[soggyboxers]

TTO,

The Wessex was by no means always a twin. It started off in life as a single and in its life as the Wessex 1 or Wessex 3 was used for ship-borne SAR or anti-submarine duties. The Wessex 2 (RAF) and Wessex 5 (RN) came a lot later. The Wessex 60 was the civil variant of the Wessex 2/5. It had a lot more power than the S58T, but the 58T didn't suffer the intake icing problems of the Wessex and was also much smoother as it had bifilars. When I'm next on leave I'll look at my old photos and logbooks as I flew all the Bristow 58Ts. As SAS says, Queen of the Skies :ok:

[GCMOIR]

The picture of G-BCTX could indeed be 1977. I can see it has the fuel dump mod on the aux tank which we only did around 76-77. I can't place the location but for it to be parked next to the Wessex I can only think of Great Yarmouth or Redhill.

Graeme

[Phil Kemp]

The picture of TX is definitely taken on the Redhill ramp, I spent a long time looking at that view :}. The cheat sheet notes on the picture provide the following data:

Manufacturer: Sikorsky (http://www.airteamimages.com/search.php?&p1_id=73)Type: S-58 (http://www.airteamimages.com/search.php?&p1_id=73&p2_id=1059)Version: Registration: G-BCTX (http://www.airteamimages.com/search.php?&id=G-BCTX)Sector: Commercial - Current (http://www.airteamimages.com/search.php?&s1_id=1)Colours: Bristow Helicopters (http://www.airteamimages.com/search.php?&s1_id=1&s2_id=154)Country: United Kingdom (http://www.airteamimages.com/search.php?&t1_id=35)Location: Redhill (http://www.airteamimages.com/search.php?&t1_id=35&t2_id=374)Photo by: Carl Ford (http://www.airteamimages.com/photographer62.html)Date: 1977-06-04

I remember packing up the last of the 58's with Graeme back in 1980 or 81 when they headed out to South Africa. I got a lot of great experience on the S58T, and worked some very talented people on that programme. If I am lucky and get a scanner for Christmas, I have thousands of shots of all this stuff that I can stick on here. Back in the early 90's the company I worked for bought a 58T, it was the biggest bag of crap I have ever operate - I was very happy to see it fly away. Still quite a number of them around in the US, and old round motors as well. Come to that, theres a lot of 55's still out there.

Give us a call sometime Graeme, I'm on Skype if I'm awake. I saw Al at Helitech last year, and others with secret identities on here that I am not at liberty to disclose! :eek:

I was very sorry to read about Bob Innes if that information is correct. Bob was a very positive influence on a lot of people who are in this business today. He always had time to stop and BS, and always caught up on the news of everyone he had ever worked with or known. A good man.

[forget]

Davy07. What happened the 330? Am i correct in saying thats the tail and tail rotor gearbox in the photo or the whole ship?

I didn’t see it burn but the story was – it had landed on a river-side wooden helipad for a running re-fuel. See the fuel drums. Two pilots on board. At some point it ‘twitched’ and both pilots went for the rudder pedals. The result – it rolled off the helipad onto the fuel drums. No one hurt.

The mess you see on top of the fuel drums is the main gear box and engines. Probably lying at the bottom of the Batang Hari river.

[forget]

Found another picture from above.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/PUMA2.jpg

[206Fan]

Must of been a big twitch if both drivers stood on the pedals.

Thanks for the information :ok:

[Tony Mabelis]

Johannesburg Light Plane Club, at Baragwanath is most definitely defunct I'm afraid,
I went to the site a couple of years ago while on holiday, its a horrible Industrial area, the only thing left in amongst the garbage is the beautiful old WW II hangar that we (Helicopter Services Pty) rented.
The ONLY sign that JLPC ever existed was a large chunk of concrete with blue tiles on it, part of the swimming pool, behind the hangar.
Is Colin Sole reading this forum, we were together in Warri and friends in Joburg. he purchased my motor cycle when I left.

[Tail-take-off]

Soggy


The Wessex was by no means always a twin.
As one who knows next to nothing about either type I bow to your superior knowledge.:O What I was getting at is as I understand it the Wessex 60 was built as a twin turbine where as the S58t was a modified piston single.

Did Bristows do the conversions of the S58ts themselves or were they already modified?

[SASless]

Bristow bought the aircraft from the German Army as I recall and did the "T" mod themselves at Redhill.

The 58T used a twin pack concept....two Pratt and Whitney PT-6 engines driving a combining gear box then a drive shaft input to the man transmission.

The twin pac is generally the same as in the Bell 212.

With Dash Six PT-6's the old girl had good single engine power....not as good as the Wessex with two big Gnome's unfortunately.

The Wessex used a different concept to get the drive to the MGB.

[soggyboxers]

TTO,

Yes the Wessex 60 was always a twin, but in the military it operated as the Wessex 1 and 3, both of which were singles and as the Wessex 2 (RAF), Wessex 4 (Royal Flight) and Wessex 5 (RN). The Wessex 60 had excellent single-engine performance for its day and an excellent fuel control system. As SAS says the 58ETs were modified by Bristow from ex German military machines, the old radials being changed to PT6s. In the cabin you could still see some of the ex-military markings in German! I could never understand why Bell never went for the much easier Sikorsky system of a manual flight idle gate, rather than an electric idle stop. The Bristow aircraft had engine air bleed heaters which were never as effective as the BAH paraffin burners, and the passengers often complained in winter when the cabin only attained a few degrees above freezing. They were very smooth because of the bifilars and the worst thing the company did was to remove them from aircraft on the Teesside contract to save weight. We operated them from many bases in UK - Aberdeen, Sumburgh, Haverfordwest, Southampton, Bournemouth and Skye that I remember. This gave us lots of variety. I was also lucky enough to operate one in Portugal for a few months from the old BEAS pad in Figueira da Foz in support of Shell's last offshore well in Portugal in 1977.

[SASless]

Sogs,

Ever pump your onshore diversion fuel over the side by forgetting to shut off the transfer pump while topping up the internal tanks from the external tank?:ugh:

[Thridle Op Des]

I also seem to recollect a story about a 58T external tank which had its vent taped and re-sprayed during a check. I believe a very impressive demonstration of the ability of the fuel pumps to draw down to a vaccumn resulted in a somewhat flat but wrinkly ET. Perhaps 'That Pilot' could confirm?

TOD

[GCMOIR]

I have been looking for some pictures from Nigeria and have found a couple. I'm sure I have some more need to do quite a bit of digging.

This is on the Sea Trucks boat going to Bony Beach for barbeque. Jan Biles, Bill Denman, Alan Biles, Tony Barrett.

http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp98/gcmoir/P1000054.jpg


This is a certain persons farewell night at Port Harcourt, Alan Biles, Ian Jonson, Annie Queen.
http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp98/gcmoir/P1000055.jpg

Santa Claus arriving at the Port Harcourt Golf Club, I think it was Jim O'Brien but too long ago now. Sorry for the poor quality picture.
http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp98/gcmoir/P1000058.jpg

[GCMOIR]

Okay, this is driving me NUTS!! How do you get the pictures on the website. I have followed some instructions from an earlier post - well obviously I haven't - but I can't see where I've gone wrong.

Help please.

Graeme

[Droopy]

Do a search on posting, titles, rotorheads.

Unless of course you reckon a posting is something a Nigerian uses to support his gate..........

[demon_duck]

A few more from Duri:

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn118/demonduck550/bhl/Duri-OldHangar.jpg
The Old Hangar 1983

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn118/demonduck550/bhl/Duri-PK-HBK.jpg
PK-HBK with test load. Sorry about the crop!

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn118/demonduck550/bhl/Duri-Rebuild.jpg
Serious rebuild! Graham "Boots" Conway, Alan Biles, Dennis Cummings and Graham Chiverton.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn118/demonduck550/bhl/PK-HCAJakarta.jpg
PK-HCA at Kamayoran(sp?) Jakarta

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn118/demonduck550/bhl/Joko.jpg
Joko Prayogo in PK-HCH on ferry from Jakarta to Duri prior to being painted in Heineken colours and sold to a PNG company.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn118/demonduck550/bhl/DuriBar2.jpg
The late Dave "Badger" Atkinson with Pete Harris outside the Duri Bar

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn118/demonduck550/bhl/DuriBar1.jpg
Pete Cawthorne's leaving party, Duri bar 1986

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn118/demonduck550/bhl/Snods.jpg
Snods!

And if you were in Duri you must have been here!
http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn118/demonduck550/bhl/CharliesBarSingapore.jpg
Pete Cawthorne,Tony Sollit, Bob Turner and Martin Heather

[GCMOIR]

Okay, I think I have the hang of posting pictures so here are some more.

5N-AJT had some problem and put down at Bony. For the life of me I cant remember what it was but must have been serious as extensive surgery was required!

Tom Ridgers directing construction of work base platform.
http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp98/gcmoir/P1000060.jpg

Work on-going. Derek Queen on the left and Tom Ridgers.
http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp98/gcmoir/P1000061.jpg

Twin Pac out and "C" box removed. Bennet at the left and Monday in the foreground.
http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp98/gcmoir/P1000059.jpg

Replacement main rotor blades arrive. Gordon Woods is the pilot.
http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp98/gcmoir/P1000062.jpg

Job completed. Ralph Ashcraft on the left, myself at the cabin door.
http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp98/gcmoir/P1000063.jpg

Along for the flight back to Port Harcourt. Annie Queen on the left, Tup Moir on the right.
http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp98/gcmoir/P1000064.jpg

Graeme

[GCMOIR]

From one climate extreme to the other.
This is in Applecross on the West Coast of Scotland. We had a brand new B212 which had taken over from the Wessex on the Navy support contract. In this incident the lockwasher locking the nut on "C" box output flange had not been properly installed and allowed the nut to back off. This allowed the flange to have excessive movement which very soon destroyed the output bearing. They landed at the Applecross base after getting chip light illuminated and that was as far as it was going. We managed to position the helicopter between two buildings and rigged up a work gantry to support a block and tackle. Then we had some of the worst winter weather in years. All good fun!!

"C" box change at Applecross.
http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp98/gcmoir/P1000056.jpg

On the left is Malcom Innes and on the right is John Neilson. Andy Crossland is kneeling pretty much out of sight.
http://i401.photobucket.com/albums/pp98/gcmoir/P1000057.jpg

Graeme

[SASless]

This was the same Applecross with the Palm Trees....iddn't?

[Tail-take-off]

Graeme

So pleased you got the hang of posting images. Your pictures of 212 repairs are fascinating. Got any more?

TTO

[leading edge]

Demon Duck

I ran into Joko Prayogo a couple of years ago in Jakarta. He was with Airfast as CP and Training Captain on the rotary wing fleet. It was good to see my old friend again!

I also ran into another old Duri hand, Steve Day, in Malaysia recently.

Thanks for the pictures DD and Graeme.

[SASless]

This the same fellow?

HAI Announces Recipient of the 2009 Robert E. Trimble Award

HAI is proud to announce the 2009 Robert E. Trimble Award recipient, Djoko Prasetyo; Pilot, PT Airfast Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Prasetyo graduated from the Civil Aviation Academy, Indonesia, in 1975 and from South West Airline/Arizona Helicopter Aviation School in Scottsdale, Arizona in 1978. He has more than 18,000 flying hours; more than 10,000 of these have been accident-free high altitude operations.

Prasetyo has worked for many organizations, including as Operations and Safety Manager for Conoco Oil Company. He has amassed an impressive knowledge of equipment and procedures including offshore; onshore; logging survey; heli-rig; seismic; laser equipment survey; aerial photography up to 20,000 feet; geology; drilling rig moves; long line up to 13,000 feet; and hoist operations.

Prasetyo joined PT Airfast Indonesia in 1992. His regular flying region includes Tembagapura village at 6,000 feet, and Grasberg Mountain at 14,000 feet. In 1995 he executed a pinnacle landing at 14,500 feet to retrieve the remains of American and Australian flight crews lost during the Second World War.

In 1996, several Dutch and British tourists were abducted by separatists near the gold and copper mine at Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. During the three-month release negotiations, Prasetyo flew Red Cross negotiators from village to village, on several occasions coming under fire from the separatists. When he retrieved the hostages from no man’s land, he was forced to again execute a pinnacle landing on a hanging rock. A kidnapping of a timber company’s employees also resulted in Prasetyo bringing out hostages under fire. For these acts, the Indonesian Government awarded him the State Medal of Bravery.

In June 2006, Prasetyo was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from PT Freeport Indonesia in recognition of his outstanding contribution to search and rescue by finding numerous people missing on Aru Island. He was again awarded a Certificate of Appreciation in November 2006, in recognition of his outstanding service in the evacuation of victims of the Trigana aircraft crash at Jaya Wijaya Mountain.

Prasetyo is active in providing high altitude mountain training for Airfast Helicopter crews and for Indonesian Army Aviation. Special Forces and Indonesian Army Aviation groups have named Prasetyo an “Honorary Member."

All winners will be recognized at HELI-EXPO 2009’s annual “Salute to Excellence” Awards Banquet on February 23, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. in Anaheim, California. For more information about the 2009 “Salute to Excellence” Awards Banquet, contact HAI’s Communications Department at 703-683-4646, fax: 703-683-4745, or email: [email protected]. For more information on HELI-EXPO 2009, visit Home (http://www.heliexpo.com).

[leading edge]

No SAS, I don't believe its the same person. Joko Prayogo was ex BHL and did some training in the UK on the 212 which is where I first met him.

[Oldlae]

Bell 205A-1 accident Balikpapan 1981 flown by Willy Blume.

http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/fchammings/bristow/205blume1.jpg

After trees cut down and a/c stripped for airlift.

http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/fchammings/bristow/205blume12.jpg

The culprit, the centre gear is the input to the engine reduction gearing, all the teeth have been worn away due to a loose adapter.

http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/fchammings/bristow/205blume123.jpg

[heli1]

Airlifting it out ...was it worth bothering ?!

[Oldlae]

I understand that it was required for insurance purposes, it was stored in Singapore for several years.

[forget]

The insurance company sold the airframe and it flew again, or at least its all important manufacturer’s Data Plate did. The aircraft was re-built in Hangar 152 Seletar and went back onto the PK register. The Oz guys who re-built it arranged for a Singapore Lion Dance as it left the hangar- with a 'few' cans of cold. :ok:

[Oldlae]

A rare sight, 212 VR-BEJ on fixed floats, Abu Dhabi 1973.

http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/fchammings/212onfloatsad-1.jpg

[Oldlae]

VR-BDL as PK-HBM shown on drilling ship Discoverer between Borneo and Sulavesi. Also at Masalembo 1970. Bill Farnell flew it to Singapore from Kuala Trengganu when the 61's arrived with me as crew. We removed the floats, installed wheels, obtained an Indonsian CofA with new reg. Went down the east coast of Sumatra to Palembang and on to Djakarta, wheels off, floats on, and across Java to Surabaja. From there to a small island called Masalembo about halfway to Bandjarmaisan in Borneo where we operated for nine months flying about 1000 hours. After that we went to Duri for a few months before it was shipped to Dubai as VR-BDL. It was an ex-Brunei aircraft purchased when we lost an aircraft off KT.

http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/fchammings/pkhbm.jpg



http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/fchammings/masalembo.jpg

[Tail-take-off]

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

Full story here Veritas Associates Drilling rig inspections, acceptance testing (http://veritas-assoc.com/Ocean%20Prince1.htm)


On March 7, 1968 I traveled to the Bristow Heliport at Tetney, near Grimsby to travel out to the Ocean Prince. The purpose of my trip was to escort some rig inspectors from The NMD (Norwegian Maritime Directorate) to the rig as we had planned to drill some wells in Norway. When we arrived at the heliport we were told that the weather was too bad to make the flight. The pilot, captain Balls said that the winds were gusting over ninety knots and the helicopter was only designed to fly in winds of less that sixty knots. The Norwegians returned to Middlesborough and I went to a hotel near the heliport. Captain Balls called me later in the day and said that the winds had modified somewhat and that it was a possibility that we could fly. I returned to the heliport. However, the Norwegians could not be reached as they were in route to Middlesborough. I went to the heliport and Captain Balls flew me to the rig, which was about one hundred miles out.

After I arrived on the rig the weather began to deteriorate once again.

I went to bed around ten thirty that night. I was sleeping in the same room with Ronald McDonald, the barge captain and George Moystin, the tool pusher. About three o’clock in the morning of March 8, a very large rouge wave hit the rig on the starboard side. The rig shuddered violently which awoke the three of us. As I awoke I looked over and saw George on all fours on the floor. I looked out of the window and saw in the rig lights a very large wave that was just moving away from the rig. That wave was followed by a series of other large waves the caused the rig to shudder and bounce off of the bottom of the sea floor.

The three of us got up, dressed and went out on the deck. The wind was very strong and the seas were very high. It was very cold. We then went to the radio room which was located just mid ship on the port side of the rig and called the rig manager who was in Middlesborough. Our call woke him. We could tell that we had disturbed his sleep. We informed him that we thought that the rig was breaking up and that we needed to be evacuated. His advice to us was to “stick with it men as it was probably not as bad as you think”. He then promptly went back to bed. We then called a mayday in to the RAF (Royal Air Force) and they informed us that the winds were in excess of what it was safe to fly a helicopter. They said that they could and would send out fixed wing aircraft to look at the conditions. A fixed wing aircraft was of no use to us. We then called Capt. Balls, our regular helicopter pilot. He was asleep in his hotel room in Scarbourgh. We explained the weather conditions to him and explained to him that it was highly possible that the rig was breaking up. When we asked him if he could fly out and rescue us, his only comment was, “Well I’ll give it a go”.

The sea temperature was near freezing. We know that if the rig broke up and we had to abandon the rig and get into the sea we would not last very long. Hypothermia would quickly set in and we would certainly die.


The stand-by boat, the Hector Ganett, was completely awash. Large waves were crashing over the bow of the boat The boat was very near the rig, however, it was generally lost from view as the bow and the decks were being completely covered with large waves crashing over the entire boat and the boat was lost from view as it was not possible to see the boat in the large wave troughs.

The rig was not fitted with survival boats, only inflatable life rafts were available on the rig. We did not have survival suits and the sea temperature was near freezing. The starboard bow life boat washed overboard and was instantly shredded as it washed up and down the forward column. Shortly after making the radio call to Capt Balls, the port after side of the rig along with the radio room fell into the sea ending any communication with the shore base. Everyone began to realize that if the rig sank we would all be lost, drowned or die of hyperthermia if we fell into the sea. No one panicked or became hysterical. I remember the rig electrician going into the engine room and turning off equipment as it fell into the sea. Everyone was on deck as the doors to the living quarters were jammed due to the rig decks being warped.

The weather was miserable. It was misting heavily and the visibility was very poor. The wind speed was far in excess of what the helicopter was designed to fly in. The stand-by boat, the life rafts and the temperature of the sea all left very little hope of survival that day.

We were very close to another drilling rig, a jack-up named the Constellation, but that fact offered us no hope. The visibility was so poor that we couldn’t see it.

The sea was so noisy that we could not hear the helicopter approaching. Someone saw it and it landed without incident. We decided that the first crew to leave the rig would be the third party personnel, i.e. non-ODECO personnel. The second crew leaving the rig was to be the off tour personnel and the last crew was to be the working (on tour) personnel. Again there was no panic, pushing or shoving. The crew (eighteen people) boarded the helicopter with no luggage. They were flown to the Constellation as was the second crew. The last crew was flown to the shore base heliport.

Only four Americans were aboard the rig when it started to break up and eventually sink. They were, George Moystyn, Joe Moystyn, Curtis Evans and myself (Paul Baumgardner)

When I reached the apartment where I was staying, I was very tired and went promptly to bed. The next day I got up and picked up some newspapers. When I began to read the newspapers, I became even more frightened that I had been aboard the rig. Less that an hour after the final helicopter took off from the rig the entire rig collapsed and sunk below the waves.

Were we heroes? Yes, perhaps but only in the sense that everyone was brave and no one panicked. The evacuation was orderly and efficient. The real hero was the helicopter pilot, Captain Balls, who rescued us in winds far in excess of what his Wessex helicopter was designed to fly. He made three landings on the Prince, two on the Jack-up Constellation and one back in Scarborough, England.


From an article in the Bristow news letter

“On at least three occasions, by their skill and bravery, Bristow pilots have saved rig crews in dire peril. Early in 1968, when the Ocean Prince was being pounded by hurricane force winds, Captain Robert Balls flew out to the rig from the Bristow base at Tetney, near Grimsby - a distance of 100 miles - in a Westland Wessex 60 and, loaded with the minimum of fuel, transferred the 45 members of the crew, in three trips, to another rig 20 miles away. Captain Balls was later made a Member of the Order of the British Empire, and the citation read: "....... but for his initiative, bravery and splendid airmanship, the members of the Ocean Prince crew would have probably lost their lives". Just as the last group was lifted off, the helicopter platform collapsed and, soon afterwards, pounded by mountainous seas, the Ocean Prince sank.”


A British government official came around and visited each of us. They asked us if we thought that captain Balls deserved to be made a "Member of the Order of the British Empire". We would have surely recommended that he to be made the king of England, if that had been possible.

[Brilliant Stuff]

Thanks for sharing that with us.:ok:

Is the gentleman still with us?

[heli1]

Interestingly the Helicopter Museum has a set of Bristow Whirlwind floats but apparently no idea how to fit them ...there may be some bits missing.Anyone who knows how might try getting in touch.

[Oldlae]

heli1, I have enlarged photo of PK-HBM to show float structure. I am surprised that the Museum are perplexed, I know they have all the civil manuals which show the modification and parts, perhaps the a/c does not have the fixed fittings. They could PM me.

[soggyboxers]

Here's the new Bristow S92 arriving in Lagos. It will soon be on the 5N register and start flying for Chevron. More pics on the What's New in West Africa thread:

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c361/evansniger/P1010441.jpg

[B412]

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

[Tail-take-off]

Brilliant Stuff

Thanks for sharing that with us.http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/thumbs.gif

Is the gentleman still with us?

Bob Balls retired quite a number of years ago but I guess what you are really asking is whether he is still drawing his pension. That I don't know. His son Kevin was until recently flying the SAR S61 out of Portland. Not sure if he frequents this site.

I flew a few hours with Bob in G-AVII from North Denes where Bob was a 212 Training Captain. I understand he was also involved in the certification of the increased MTOW of the S61. I flew with Kevin rather more while I was based in Aberdeen.

[Richard Taylor]

Hi gents, some great photos there.

As a youth I recall Bristow operating a Bolkow 105, G-AZOM I think. I recall seeing it a few times at ABZ.

Was it owned by Bristow, or only operated by them & owned by someone else. What was it used for & how long was it in the fleet?

Oh, & any photos of it, seen as it is a photo thread.

Thanks. :ok:

[leading edge]

I used to fly G-AZOM in Aberdeen in 1983. We used to do a flight to inspect the Oxy pipeline. Routing was ABZ - Piper A - KWL - ABZ and it mostly used to take place on a Sunday. Lunch and a stock up of "biscuits" on the Piper A. The flight number was 61A. At other times, G-AZOM was based in Inverness to fill in for the Bell 206 when it was undergoing maintenance.

G-AZOM was leased to Bond in 1985 and was written off after a tail rotor failure of some description. The final resting place is somewhere in The Wash off East Anglia.

I never liked the BO105 much. Politically incorrectly, it was known as Hitler's Revenge.

[Richard Taylor]

Thanks for the replies chaps. Very kind. :ok:

[hico-p]

quote "Thanks for sharing that with us. Is the gentleman still with us? "

Bob Balls was certainly looking very well two years ago, when John Millward arranged a BAH / Beccles reunion at Flixton air museum near Bungay. It was great to see a number of old Bristow friends (ex North Denes) there including John Odlin, Dave Winter, John Hall and John Waddington.

The Ocean Prince rescue was a remarkable piece of flying.

[Alan Biles]

Wonderful news!! I just got a Chrissy card from Bob Innes. Rumours of his death are greatly exaggerated.:ok:

[Oldlae]

Good news :). Tell him about these forums.

[Tail-take-off]

Copied from www.skyweaver.co.uk (http://www.skyweaver.co.uk) (which seems to be down again)
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z74/Tail-take-off/bolkow_big1.jpg

[Bob Innes]

No, Bob Innes is still with us. I hope the Queen does not read these entries or she may cut my pension. Alan was with me when we had the falling out drama.

[js0987]

Abu Dhabi circa 1975. And yes that is Alan Bristow coaching his soccer team. the american girls won

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr311/jayhovers/abidabi3.jpg?t=1230051551
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr311/jayhovers/abidabi2.jpg?t=1230051601

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr311/jayhovers/abidabi6.jpg?t=1230051662

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr311/jayhovers/abidabi4.jpg?t=1230051719
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr311/jayhovers/abidabi8.jpg?t=1230051765

[Phil Kemp]

Merry Christmas Bob, and of course, to Doris as well.

[Alan Biles]

Stone me! What a sorry bunch. In the last pic from R - L, I think we have Rick Storr, Pete Harris, Roddy MacLean and it looks like Roy Moore from air traffic(?), some faces I recognise but can't put a name to, then on the end, Paul Crawford.

[Schinthe]

I recently came across this Photo of a long lost friend.I hope he views these threads and is still going strong.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc229/Schinthe/DadsPhotos79.jpg

[Alan Biles]

Here's a few more from the attic...

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/DXB1976Bell212VR-BEEshutdowninUAQ.jpg
Bell 212 VR-BEE (The Lemon) shut down in the main drag at U.A.Q. August 1976.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/DXB1976Bell212VR-BEEshutdowninUAQwi.jpg
And again with admiring audience. The policeman was desperate to be in the photo. Dave Cramp and I had gone to R.A.K. International (such as it was) to collect the local sheik chap. He insisted on sitting in the left seat despite our having fitted the VIP cushion in the back. He kept telling Dave to fly lower and lower so he did. Our passage over the desert was such that I could see the dust come up in our wake. After a few minutes of this, the sheik chap decided we could go a little higher. :E

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/DXB1976Bell212VR-BFOontheline.jpg
Bell 212 VR-BFO on the line at DPC with a couple of Dubai Air Force 205's in the background. July 1976.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/DXB1976Eveningcompwash.jpg
Waiting for the engines to cool down for a comp wash.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/DXB1976ViewacrossthecreekatShkLatif.jpg
The 'Zoo Bar' scene of many an alcohol-fuelled thrash, was on the 7th floor of this building. It's since been demolished but the 'Intercon' Hotel lives on I'm told.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/DXB1976ViewacrossthecreekfromShkLat.jpg
And this is/was the view from the 'Zoo' looking out over the Creek. The green area on the opposite bank was the British High Commision. The smudge on the horizon beyond the High Commision was the beginnings of the 'Sunley' Tower. Aug 1976.

[swift313]

Keiran Murray, haha!

My No. 1 student in HAI haha..........Hi Rosh....this is West!

[spinwing]

Mmmmmm .....

Yes "Bristow Zoo" Dubai (C. 1980) ..... have quite a few fond memories of entering the place ..... strangely NO memories of leaving it (???).


:uhoh:

[Tony Mabelis]

I remember a waterfilled condom bomb being dropped from the zoo balcony and going through a parked car windshield, it was only when the bomber staggered off home, he found it was his own car!!!
The rest of the story....no spares available in DXB, had to import one from the UK, that arrived as a box of glass chippings! Number 2 arrived in due course and we the engineers fitted it for him.

[Oldlae]

Re Football team, I'm pretty sure Al Christie is there but not too sure about Sandy Jacobs. I met up with Sandy at The Royal Flight of Oman when I paid a visit there in the early nineties. Paul Crawford was last seen at Shawbury.

[dg93]

Hi Alan, it was good to see your pictures of Dubia taken July 1976 as I was with you June - August along with geoff Green on detachment for four months. I must admit that it is nice to see the old machines again having left BHL about 20 years ago. Best wishes to the Shetland army and the Unst Pioneers. I was there!!!

[Ainippe]

I will go and search the loft for pix from Iran/Nigeria(Eket) and the far East. I certainly recognise some of the posters on here and have "grunted" on a lot of the aircraft shown. Nice to see you are still alive Stace! Al its about time we had some more coffees(Singapore 1981).
Well hopefully some pics coming soon

Nick:ok:

[Tail-take-off]

The "Old Man"
http://thedreweryfamily.com/photos/GroupByAircraft.jpg

North Denes
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photos/29/58/295815_5eb98044.jpg

[Alan Biles]

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/DSCF0008.jpg




Now based at Middle Wallop as ZK067.

[Smeagol]

Mr Biles

If you read this please PM me. I have many happy memories of Duri (82-84), the Bristow Bar, my Guy Fawkes night bonfire, etc, etc.. You along with several colleagues had Christmas lunch in my house in 83 (I think). I will dig out some photos soon.

Fred S

[GGR]

John is, as TTO says, in VZ. I am in regular contact by email and phone, I am sure he looks in on us PPRuNers so watch your PM's. As TTO, I can forward message for you if required. John has many adventures under his belt since Bristows mainly of a nautical nature and some of them will make your hair curl

GGR

[Plank Cap]

Late 1970's, Sumburgh. The photos were taken on very average equipment 30 years ago, so sorry for the quality.

http://968eha.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pVTFEATosnlGhZaDC8B4yj787ry_xmRxuLNo_956M1QraYavsRNlTuqdr-qtN0dzLtVBRHuSUrH_amr1ohyXUQg/Bristow%20SA330J%20Puma%20Sumburgh%201977.jpg

http://968eha.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pJJHTctEnZt7amhNeK5RqVEa5gIe4ogfoaPJPcQo900EyzjHY0N5R7D54-tWolwxXJmE-jXeDOhg/Bristow%20Sumburgh%201977.jpg

http://968eha.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pZCIbPHqcp2XsiMUTwEukZP8pATrL2TrKo6HPcM08jgnmd9rcC6Tv1Vwjk u4fyv85ispfbNPp8EQ/S61N%20Bristow%201977%20Sumburgh.jpg

http://968eha.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pTq9bJWvD1ox4iYdBGmatKCYynPCFHbA6gDrHGL29jD7m13xFBfw724lwS XjRqyATYOWL04zwovQ/Sumburgh%201977.jpg


Apologies to the eagle-eyed amongst you, who will of course recognise the imposter in the bottom right corner of the last photo. This is actually the-then BAH 212 G-BAFN. The green and white BEAS 212 alongside was by then a sort of Bristow machine, the famous G-BALZ no less.

[forget]

A couple from Djambi, Sumatra. 71/72. Pete Frean, middle. Russ Smith, bottom.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/nmnhg.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/hgc.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/dgdf.jpg

[SASless]

......and World War II vintage throat mikes!

[stacey_s]

supurb bits of kit!!

[WhirlwindIII]

Throat mics were great!

[eagle 86]

Yes - particularly if someone was airsick!!
GAGS
E86

[rick1128]

Here is a shot of a Bristow S-76 departing Lagos

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m89/rick1128/DSCF0201.jpg


And when you though airline travel just couldn't get any worst, especially for the Americans.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m89/rick1128/DSCF0208.jpg

[Schinthe]

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc229/Schinthe/IMG_NEW_0001.jpg


This is EP-HBF after a rebuild at Redhill, about to depart Stansted on a ferry flight to Iran, in the capable hands of Pete Frean. See previous postings.

[Alan Biles]

'Allo 'allo muckeeer. Is that Jean Dennel?

[Foggy Bottom]

Where did BF crash? Was that on the BICC job building a power line?

Anyone know whatever became of Master Bates?

[SASless]

I seem to remember it was the BICC job. Gunter Burmeister was flying it when the tail rotor shucked itself off the aircraft and Gunter narrowly escaped tumbling all the way down the mountain side. As I recall....the aircraft had been way over-torqued prior to Gunter arriving on the job. He had come to a stationary hover as he was either setting down a load of steel or dumping a bucket of concrete....when the world starting spinning on him. The aircraft rolled over several times and fetched up agains a huge rock which stopped its rolling down the mountainside.

We came awfully close to losing Gunter that day!

[sonas]

Just a quick one heard Big Chris had a retirement party in SY last week after 22 years SAR with Bristow's and the new mob.

Apologies no Pictures!:rolleyes:

[212man]

BTW it's 'Bristow' not Bristow's - if you're going to exalt his long service, at least get his employer's name correct:ugh:



Response to management bashing removed. Let's keep this thread on track :ok:

Senior Pilot

[Tail-take-off]

S61-N Helicopter G-BHOG leaving the "taxi rank" Lerwick.
http://shetlopedia.com/images/thumb/f/f9/Lerwick_---_S61-N_Helicopter_G-BHOG_%28Bristow%29.jpg/410px-Lerwick_---_S61-N_Helicopter_G-BHOG_%28Bristow%29.jpg

Beas Bell 212 (G-BCMC) 1978
http://shetlopedia.com/images/thumb/b/be/BEAS_Helic..JPG/800px-BEAS_Helic..JPG

originals here Sumburgh Airport - Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia (http://shetlopedia.com/Sumburgh_Airport)

[Tail-take-off]

http://www.11sphinxbtyweb.co.uk/mediac/400_0/media/bristow.jpg

[Foggy Bottom]

As it was related to me by the guys on the ground, Gunter stuck his tail into the tower being constructed.

[Opssys]

I wouldn't normally post here but this Caz Caswell Photograph (posted with permission) may be of interest:
http://www.douglas-ian-holland.co.uk/shared_pix/ac10-gavne.jpg
G-AVNE Bristow Wessex 60 flying over what will become the site of the North Terminal London Gatwick- summer 1973

Opssys

[SASless]

Foggy Bottom,

I was in Iran flying Alouettes on the same contract as Gunter when the accident occurred. I have first hand knowledge from multiple sources....not hearsay information....and all of the sources including persons involved in the investigation that stated the same thing.

The gear box separated from the aircraft causing the aircraft to spin.

The aircraft had been overtorqued/over pitched by a pilot earlier and an inspection had taken place. That was stated to me by the Engineer that did the inspection.

I am well known here amongst the Bristow gang.

Perhaps you might provide us corroborating information to support your statement suggesting Gunter hit the tower thus causing the accident. That statement flies in the face of what I know to be the facts of the matter and wrongly impugns his reputation.

I was there, I talked to numerous people involved, including Gunter....then and later over the many years we worked together.

As a reminder....Gunter still works for Bristow and quite easily is the most senior pilot still with the company in years of service. I would be surprised if there is anyone with the length of service he has with the company.

I look forward to your response.

[squib66]

first hand knowledge from multiple sources


Is that not second hand information?


I was there,


So did you see the accident first hand?

[SASless]

Squib,

I did not say I was there at the accident scene when it happened. Thus your quote of "I was there" is incorrect.

Perhaps, it was "second hand" as you suggest....but it came directly to me from the individuals that held the bits in their hands and did the inspection before and after the event. Their recounting of their actions was "first hand" to me.....and not by means of a third party.

How many people telling you the same thing independently does it take to form the opinion they are both telling the truth and are agreeing upon what they are saying?

Perhaps we can get someone at Bristow to pull up the accident report and tell us the final determination arrived at by the investigation.

[Foggy Bottom]

I wasn't at the jobsite at the time of the accident anymore then you were. I only repeat what I was told. I was told this by MR and JB, but I was not there at the time. I have no need to get into a long distance argument. You heard one thing, I heard another...

[WhirlwindIII]

MR and JB - there's a couple names I haven't run in to lately! Last I heard it was a B&B in west of Scotland and the other somewhere in Florida.

[Foggy Bottom]

I spoke with Joe just a few weeks ago. He is living in Floriday and is doing well. I haven't spoken to Mike in many years. If you remember Freddie, he also is doing well and traveling back and forth between Tehran, LA and Denver where he has family.

[SASless]

I received an email this morning from an engineer involved with the event in question. He stated there was an overtorque, the pilot downplayed the event, the incident was reported to Tehran, the Area Engineer said to take a look at it and if nothing was found to leave the aircraft serviceable. That was done.

The tail rotor gearbox failed without the aircraft coming into contact with the tower.

The prior over torque was not mentioned in the accident report and the Engineers involved in the matter wrote a joint letter detailing what had happened and company policy was changed to require compliance with techncal manuals for all future over torques.

I hope this puts this matter to rest.

This engineer is one of the signers of that letter and was directly involved in
maintenance of the particular aircraft in question at the time of the accident.


Whose travel money is Freddie using for his trips these days?

[biggestboy]

From the old :eek:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v655/zorgs/Flying/Ang-scan0007.jpg
to the new...:D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v655/zorgs/Flying/P1180512.jpg

For once Nigeria Civil aviation was helpful and might I say efficient - but it still took weeks of bumbling bureaucratic bull**** by the oil majors to get her flying. First commercial S92 flight in Nigeria on Monday - watch this space.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v655/zorgs/Flying/P1180515.jpg
Me????? No!!!! I'll be flying the desk.:yuk:

[Brilliant Stuff]

Nice one!

What type of helicopter is that in the old picture?

[Alan Biles]

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/Durilineup.jpg
Yet another Sunday morning photoshoot with Bristow-Masayu's finest...

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/PK-HCH.jpg
PK-HCH on arrival at Duri from Badak. We painted it green and sold it to some mob in PNG whose name escapes me. It was the only dual hydraulics 205 we had. The others were all single system, complete with all the cyclic feedback problems and 'jo-seal' changes.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/PK-HBI.jpg
PK-HBI on a compass swing at the Duri airstrip that never was.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/PK-HCC.jpg
And the other 206, PK-HCC departing Duri.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/JPwithNN.jpg
Mrs B and Nick Nothnagel about to go on a 'test flight'. Mrs B looking rather dubiously at the collective going up and down.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/DaveThomas.jpg
Dave Thomas.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/Check2.jpg
The first of the Bell 212 Check 2's at Duri. When Badak folded (84-ish?), BMH convinced Caltex that they really needed the 212 so the 205's were phased out and sold off.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/DTGCCT.jpg
Dave Thomas, George Cunningham and Chris Tait, relax after a gruelling day in the tropics.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/Crewchangeday.jpg
Crew change day. L-R Chris Tait, Me, Jess Bermudez, Geoff Steward and 'Pops' Elopre.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l318/AlanBiles_51/GarudaF28.jpg
And having survived the two and a half hour bus ride to Rumbai and Pekanbaru, we then diced with death while the teenagers in the cockpit of the Garuda F28 joined up the red dots on the weather radar to take us back to Singapore.:eek:

[skadi]

Nice one!

What type of helicopter is that in the old picture?


looks like a russion one, MI8?

[Brilliant Stuff]

That's what I was thinking.

And another stupid question, what are the fishing rods for? Aerial? Super accurate Pitots? My money is on aerial.

[skadi]

And another stupid question, what are the fishing rods for? Aerial? Super accurate Pitots? My money is on aerial.


Aerial is correct! For HF-Radio!

[Droopy]

HF aerials.

[unstable load]

Alan,
How is Mr Tait doing? I had the pleasure of working with him all too briefly before he retired.

[Tail-take-off]

Alan

Great photos as always. I never tire of looking at your posts.

TTO

[SASless]

Mr. Tait was an excellent worker.....when cornered!

He is a true Gentleman....and married to a lovely lady.

[TipCap]

If I can figure out how to post pics on here, I will attach them from the time I joined Bristow's in 1968. Got a few gathering dust somewhere which could be of interest!! Still flying and enjoying it........

[Smeagol]

Thanks for the latest photos Alan, more memories of Duri in the early 80's recalled!

Occasionally see Dave Thomas as he lives a couple of miles from me.

Note to self: Must dig out some piccies and add to the thread. (Some old S North Sea ones from the 70's.)

[Tail-take-off]

Tip Cap

See Image posting on PPRuNe: a guide (http://www.pprune.org/spectators-balcony-spotters-corner/203481-image-posting-pprune-guide.html) for how to post images.

Alternatively PM me if you would like me to host them for you. (I'll email you my email address & you can send them to me as jpegs. I'll send you the URL for inserting into your post.) The same goes for anyone else who would like me to host their Bristow Photos for them.

TTO

[C.C.C.]

Finally managed to get some slides scanned for this great topic.

Silverstone 1988 will be remembered for the following: -
1. Professional North Sea Pilots mistaking a disused airfield (Grafton Underwood?) for Northampton (Sywell).
2. Bad weather with cloud base going below 500' before CAA closed Silverstone Airfield. We were allowed to fly in (twin engine helicopters only) during the race to catch up with the passenger backlog.
3. Only RNAV 2 equipped Tiger kept getting lost meaning those of us with jump seats fitted were carrying a 20th suitably briefed passenger.
4. 214ST spent most of the weekend U/S.

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Silverstone1988_01.jpg
G-TIGJ parked at Milton waiting for Silverstone Airfield to re-open.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Silverstone1988_02.jpg
G-TIGB, G-TIGJ & G-TIGC parked in South Park.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Silverstone1988_03.jpg
G-BGWJ parked on one of the hotspots.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Silverstone1988_04.jpg
G-TIGS, working for Marlboro, parked at a hotspot.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Silverstone1988_05.jpg
Line-up of Bristow's, British International Helicopters, and the lone Irish Helicopters SK61N.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Silverstone1988_06.jpg
The line-up from a different angle with a BIH Chinook just arriving.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Silverstone1988_07.jpg
The Bristow vantage point during the race.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Silverstone1988_08.jpg
We had to give G-TIGJ to another crew on the Monday, and the Tiger we inherited at Newcastle went U/S on start-up, so ended up being delivered to Aberdeen in the 214ST. Downwind right for 17, with one engine in manual throttle - note the lack of fixed-wing then!!

[C.C.C.]

2nd half of 1988 some of the Duri-based 212s went to Muara Tembesi to support a heli-rigging operation. The rig (forgotten it's name) had come from PNG and had been previously lifted by SA330Js. Thus some of it was well above the contract limit of 4,000lbs, and in addition the sites chosen were in hilly terrain so a level flyaway was not an option either. Thus the 212s struggled a bit.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/MuaraTembesi_01.jpg
The all important ground team - hook-up man, marshaller & Loadmaster.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/MuaraTembesi_02.jpg
PK-HCK, the IFR 212 for the night stand-by & callouts to Singapore. Had weather radar & SFENA fitted, which occasionally worked properly.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/MuaraTembesi_03.jpg
A 212 earning its money. This photo made it onto one of the Bristow calenders when they asked for employee contributions.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/MuaraTembesi_04.jpg
PK-HCF with an example of the poor flyaway, plus cabin doors removed to save a bit of weight as well.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/MuaraTembesi_05.jpg
The office - PK-HCF, one of the 3 VFR 212s based at Duri.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/MuaraTembesi_06.jpg
The final staging area, with portacabins waiting to be trucked out.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/MuaraTembesi_07.jpg
An empty rig site, Kapas, at the end of the rig move.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/MuaraTembesi_08.jpg
Muara Tembesi with hangar and adjoining portacabin camp. Other 212s already left for Duri.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/MuaraTembesi_09.jpg
End of detachment. The remaining team about to see off PK-HCF for Duri, via Rumbai.

[WBlume]

A friend told me about seeing my name on this site so I had to take a look. Seeing the Duri pictures and the names has really taken me aback.
Will dig out some of my old snaps and post whenever I can find them.
Regards to all
Bill

[C.C.C.]

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_01.jpg
The Miri hangar with 2 Pumas & the Pocket Rocket under maintenance.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_10.jpg
9M-SSB, a BAe 125, A.K.A. the Pocket Rocket.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_02.jpg
9M-SSI was sold and exported to Australia. This required all equipment, including the winch & ferry tanks, to be fitted for the ferry flight. One of our finest Training Captains who liked to exercise his fingers on that round shaped spring loaded control under the collective head, had to do a quick dash downtown to buy the engineers a few crates of beer, after the above control operated the winch cable cut with the distinctive clunk of the hook hitting the ramp on his ground run.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_03.jpg
9M-SSD being refuelled at Labuan. The MAF DHC5 Buffalos were always a great sight to watch with all that oil they burnt in great clouds of blue smoke.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_04.jpg
9M-SSH, one of the 2 Twin Otters at Miri, being refuelled at Bintulu.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_05.jpg
Shutdowns offshore were usually a daily occurrence, and here is 9M-SSF basking in the sunshine.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_06.jpg
Terminal building at Lutong, the Sarawak Shell airfield. Bootneck will remember that we always arranged to arrive on right base so that the Controller would get to roll his 'R's the most - RRRoger, RRReport RRRight Base for RRRunway XXX - he always saw the humorous side of our last minute change of runaway requests!
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_07.jpg
The office - cockpit of the SA330J.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_08.jpg
As Thridle Op Des has already posted, not getting at least one tyre on those wooden slots was a rare event. Here is one of about only 10 landings where I achieved all 6 tyres on the deck - normally it was at least one tyre on a slat.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_09.jpg
The rear view mirror. Always thought it was wrong not to have these fitted to the Tigers originally, and was proven right after one lost a doghouse cowling, and at least one other landed at Aberdeen being advised by ATC 'Do you know that one of your engine cowlings is fully open'!

[C.C.C.]

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_11.jpg
Who needs a lifejacket! Andrew Doyle trialing the new one man liferaft.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_12.jpg
The only way to get a free Bristow T-shirt, be a member of the Miri It's A Knockout team. A.N.Other pilots Dave Cramp through the obstacle course whilst trying to balance green grenades (Heineken cans), ably guided by 2 of the Bristow wives. I think Janet Flexman was one of the judges, hence no Bristow t-shirt.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_13.jpg
Peter Dove's leaving Bristow beach barbecue.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_14.jpg
A long haired Co-Pilot posing offshore.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_15.jpg
Mark Cameron setting the new fashion trend of sporting facial hair.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_16.jpg
Above long haired Co-Pilot now with a haircut and starting to grow his trademark beard, which is somewhat grey these days.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Miri_17.jpg
The 'Tranquilliser Bar'. Originally in the Bottom or Beach Co-Pilot's house, it was moved up to the Top Co-Pilot's house. After a certain Co-Pilot left the beer cans in the freezer too long in the Bottom house, all future Pilot/Flight Safety meetings were held in the Top House, which had the advantage of a flat roof for entertaining.

[Tail-take-off]

CCC

Great pictures. I recognise a few faces from the Silverstone "Bristow Vantage point" shot notably Bill Pollard, John Ridings, Andy Paton, Tim Noble & Robbie ......? (Aberdeen Engineer).

Do you have any more?

TTO

[Oldlae]

Willy, Hi, see page 30 post 583, I came out with Mike Griffin (RIP) to help in the investigation. Best Regards.

[zpringer]

Hello Willy,
Stu Rawlinson here. Do you remember me?? Still flying (at 65) in Australia.
At Karratha in NW Aust with Bristow. Flying the 332 offshore.
Give me a call at-- [email protected]

[C.C.C.]

CCC
Great pictures.
Do you have any more?

Sadly no, this was the only people shot from that day as the weather was poor. Just left of Tim Noble you can see Dave Smith talking to Andy Edgecombe, who is on the flatbed, and is that not a young Bob Turner in centre foreground.

Next 2 times I did Silverstone was with a Jetranger out of Redhill, and we were very restricted on payload as we were operating out of the South side, alongside the Bristow twins, and needed to clear the race track by some hundreds of feet, with 5 on board & floats as well. So no space for a camera!

[he1iaviator]

The mention of youthful Bob Turners brought this to mind
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z78/he1iaviator/Bristow/BobTurnerPhilippinoPigRoastersDuri1.jpg

And a few other youths

Richard Poppe at Lutong 1980
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z78/he1iaviator/Bristow/RichardPoppeMiri1980.jpg

John Hoskins on Miri Beach 1980
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z78/he1iaviator/Bristow/JohnHoskinsMiriBeach1980.jpg

Ian Richardson and Tyreburst in Duri Mess Hall C 1982
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z78/he1iaviator/Bristow/IanRichardsonAlainTyrebasDuriC1982.jpg

[1helicopterppl]

Silverstone 1988 was a trip down memory lane......I attend every year but miss the 'heavy' side terminal heli's, it does not happen nowadays.

Also think the overseas oldies are fantastic but what about current day overseas postings ?
There are quite a few British reg heli's operating overseas, I make it.....
Atyrau, 76's G-KAZA/B, Nouakchott, B412 G-OIBU & possibly 212 BALZ still out there ? Malta, 332 G-BMCX, Accra, 76 G-BJGX, Las Palmas , 61 G-BDIJ,
Estonia ? Any more ?

[magbreak]

1helicopterppl G-BJGX is currently back in Norwich.

[1helicopterppl]

Silverstone 1988 was a trip down memory lane......I attend every year but miss the 'heavy' side terminal heli's, it does not happen nowadays.

Also think the overseas oldies are fantastic but what about current day overseas postings ?
There are quite a few British reg heli's operating overseas, I make it.....
Atyrau, 76's G-KAZA/B, Nouakchott, B412 G-OIBU & possibly 212 BALZ still out there ? Malta, 332 G-BMCX, Accra, 76 G-BJGX, Las Palmas , 61 G-BDIJ,
Estonia ? Any more ?

[soggyboxers]

Tireburst brought back all the memories of the dark, hateful days of Bristow and why I left for 14 years. That man must have been responsible for a huge turn over in Bristow during his years of abusing his power. But hey-ho life deals us the pack it deals :(

[Thridle Op Des]

Since Casper rattled my cage, a couple more here:

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/BHL19840214-AS332LSARcopy.jpg

As an answer to the request for a closer to home photo, TIGO in SAR fit for the Beryl Contract about 1984ish. Not my photo but one dashed to me by NMG.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/5N-BHOAirtoAir3-1.jpg

This is for Stace since he secretly harks back to the good old days (bit like me).

I do have the HP15 course photo waiting in photobucket but that may be a little unfair to those who don't want to be reminded of that brief moment of time captured in celluloid.

[stacey_s]

Ah!! 5N-BHO, I remember helping to take her across the Sahara with Colin (I'll never forget whats his face) to Nigeria early Nineties

[SASless]

Young Master Cameron and then so innocent!

Tyreburst....me old mucker! Missed opportunity....one of life's regrets!

Will Rogers never met him!

[C.C.C.]

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_01.jpg
Aerial view of the 'new' heliport, with 6 parking spots and the departure helipad. Had a separate radio shack for VHF & HF communications, and a working NDB. As Alan Biles has previously posted the adjacent strip was going to be made into a runaway for the other 212s, locally licensed built CASA 212s, but the drop in oil price end of 1985 / start of 1986 killed that plan. Looking on Google Earth the strip was never built although the heliport still survives - 1۫ 14’ 06.56’’ N , 101۫ 13’ 12.14’’ E
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_02.jpg
In 1985 the hangar facilities would be the envy of most overseas operations at that time. Here is the immaculately kept engineering records section.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_03.jpg
1985 saw a mixture of accommodation in use, with those new to the operation placed in portacabins. Had a room on each end with a shared toilet in the middle. OK as long as they did not leak, and this one had the all important short wave aerial fitted for listening to the BBC World Service, etc.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_04.jpg
The Heli-Rig uniform. A part paid for by the company Gentex helmet, and orange Nomex flying suit. Suits took a while to arrive so mine did not get used much as we were posted when the oil crisis hit and Caltex took the option to release 1x212 early with 4 expats being posted elsewhere overseas.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_05.jpg
One of the permanent staging areas. The silver fuel installation was flown out empty from Duri and filled up on site. Much quicker than refuelling from 45 gal drums.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_06.jpg
Lunch time scene on Rig 56. When busy the 212s would do 10hrs flying each a day, with 2 being shutdown on the Rig for the all important mid day inspection, including the 'lift link'. Here we see Steve Armstrong about to start up PK-HCJ, with Simon Wilton looking on.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_07.jpg
And PK-HCK departing after the lunch time break.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_08.jpg
Rig 56.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_09.jpg
When the 205s were sold, 2 of them were flown to Australia. Here is the locally crafted ferry tank installation.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_10.jpg
Fitted inside the 205 with 2 additional 45 gal drums. Gave a total endurance of some 7 hours, which was needed for the crossing of the Timor Sea.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_11.jpg
205 PK-HCE departing Duri for the last time en-route to Australia.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_12.jpg
Like most bases in S.E.Asia, Duri had a local Hash House Harriers Club. Think it was originally set up by Bristow employees many years ago, and was given its own 'house' as part of the new camp improvements. Did not get frequented by our American colleagues as they were more interested in the floodlight Softball court which you can see in the background.

[C.C.C.]

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_13.jpg
The Bristow Bar, Duri. Dave 'Di the Load' Thomas, Ian ' Whisky' Smith, and the late Dave 'Badger' Atkinson.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_14.jpg
A quite day in the hangar with the late Dave Atkinson 'acting' as Chief Engineer.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_15.jpg
And a busy Chief Pilot, Simon Wilton.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_16.jpg
The 2 villages adjacent to the camp were provided with electricity by Caltex (not 365 days 24/7 though) and here are some expats enjoying a meal downtown prior to leaving Duri for Xmas in Singapore. Geoff Steward, Pete Cawthorne, Graham Chiverton, Ian Smith & Bill Vaughn.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_17.jpg
Xmas Singapore 1985. After a Singapore Sling in the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel, a fleet of rickshaws took us to our Orchard Road hotel (The Mandarin?) where we were treated to a magnificent Western & Local buffet, a free bar!, and everyone got a Xmas present as well. Here we see the Chivertons, the Armstrongs, Margaret Wilton, and yours truly. Table behind includes John Willis, Simon Wilton, and I think the world famous Bristow Singapore Office Manager 'Kat' as well.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_18.jpg
Nigel Barry-Taylor (?) receiving his Xmas present from Simon & John.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri_19.jpg
Xmas Day was started with Smoked Salmon & Champagne at the Wiltons, and here we see a young Tony Sollitt (my camera was on GMT time!).

[griffothefog]

Excuse spelling if the surname is wrong, but can anyone tell me what Tony is doing these days?

Trog, you should know if you are on forum... You two were a right pair!!! :E :oh:

[SASless]

Trog is a right pair all by himself....the partner is just window dressing!

[C.C.C.]

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_01.jpg
Aerial view of Galeota Point. And no real space for a running landing with a Tail Rotor problem. Heliport is shown with the red arrow, and the blue arrow was the Trintopec Heliport. Operated by a Canadian Company called Sealand Helicopters, we were threatened with the sack by Redhill Management to avoid any co-operation with Sealand. Craig Dobbin's Sealand Helicopters of course became the father/mother to the 'Canadian Holding Company', Bristow's main rival worldwide from 1987.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_02.jpg
All landings at Galeota were planned as deliberate single engine zero speed landings, and with 9Y-TEY parked on Spot 4, an arrival on Spot 1 as here was the least preferred option as it had a very early LDP, no safe go-around like Spots 2 & 3. And we only had PT6-T3s then, 3Bs came later.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_03.jpg
Occasionally got visited by the Gazelles & S76s from National Security - Government of Trinidad & Tobago.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_04.jpg
The largest platform in the Teak Field (all Amoco fields were named after types of Trinidadian trees). This one had 3 helipads, 1 out of shot to the left, 2nd under the white portacabins & temporary helipad of the workover rig, and 3rd on the gas platform to the right which was only strong enough for the Sealand Longrangers, and they used to park 2 there for lunch sometimes.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_05.jpg
Unlike the other fields, the Mora had a single platform and no lit flare, and was some 30nms offshore. So single pilot night landings were interesting here in the rainy season.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_06.jpg
Question - Helicopter breaks down offshore on single small helideck and we have no winch on the operation. How do you recover it? Answer - Travel to/from by boat. Approaching one of the Poui's I think to bring back a 212 after it was repaired.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_07.jpg
Dave Tye at work fixing the broken 9Y-THH. Yellow tarp over the rear end suggests CBOX or Oil Cooler problems.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_08.jpg
Accommodation at Galeota was of a poor standard. Leaking roofs, A/Cs that broke down regularly, contaminated water that came from an oil well as opposed to a water well, and an unreliable electricity supply which went out on average every 32 hrs in my 2 year posting. Back-up generators, when they worked only provided 115 AC, so no A/Cs. This is the Top House, which had the dining area & kitchen. What made the operation work was the excellent food produced by the girls here - still remember Bernie's Rotis and was it Shirley's (?) pizzas.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_09.jpg
Across the road and just down a bit was the Bottom House, which had the Bar on the 1st floor which opened out onto a sea view balcony.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_10.jpg
Between the crew houses & work we had 2 Bailey bridges. Although a fine piece of British engineering, they were subjected to very harsh corrosive conditions, and regularly overloaded. This is one of 3 failures that occurred in my 2 year posting, with the bridge collapsing under the weight of that crane. Fortunately on each occasion we managed to have 2 company cars on each side of the blockage so transport was not an issue. Another blockage was caused by a local Rastafarian taxi driver who suffered a blow-out mid bridge, and got his taxi wedged between both sides of the bridge. He spent several hours stabbing his taxi with a machete, before being calmed down by the police allowing his taxi to be removed and the road re-opened.

[Thridle Op Des]

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/BHL19800401-CoursePhoto.jpg

Due to overwhelming popular demand I present HP15 (actually only one person asked, but that was good enough).

Who would have though such bold aviators would have emerged from such a motley crew?

Left to Right

Keith Mileman - ?
Ian White - BA
Paul Quick - Chief Training something in ABZ
Steve Watts - bmi then lost contact.
Mark Cameron - EK
Chris Cairns - Back to BHL.
Nick Norman - Chief something 225 in ABZ.
Andy Edgecombe - Last heard corporate helicopters (think P&O).
Tim Collins - Sikorsky Helicopters.
Paul Robinson - BA (Training?) never allowed to forget this photo!:}

Aah SAS - innocence is lost so quickly in the aviation world!

Regards

TOD

[Tail-take-off]

he1iaviator


John Hoskins on Miri Beach 1980

No related to Bob Hoskins by any chance (striking resemblance):}

[leading edge]

Thanks TOD for posting that, what a bunch we were in those days. It brings back memories!!

[HOGE]

Anyone else got an HP Course photograph?

I understand all the course photos from the training school were lost when the place closed down.:(

[C.C.C.]

For the record, HP15 was the first all Bristow HP course that had a 100% pass rate. The previous 100% pass rate had been a mixed course of BHL & British Airways Helicopters if I remember correctly.

And that photo was taken in April 1980!

Keith Mileman last heard of with BA.
Paul Quick, Training & Standards Manager, European Business Unit, Bristow Group.
Nick Norman, Chief Training Captain EC225, EBU, Bristow Group.
Andy Edgecombe, Air Harrods.

I understand all the course photos from the training school were lost when the place closed down.

Sadly that's what appears to have happened. I was based at Redhill when the Flying Training School was put into a container to start off the JAA part of HAI in the US of A. Rogue's Gallery was supposed to have been kept safe, but when I rejoined BHL last year, Paul Quick asked me about the Rogue's Gallery as they were looking to put it into the new Bristow Academy.

Thridle Op Des - Do you have one of our chalk board mural for Graduation Day?

[soggyboxers]

Looking at that graduation photo it's amazing that, just like me, all of you look exactly the same today :}.

[C.C.C.]

it's amazing that, just like me, all of you look exactly the same today

We must all be using the same Hair Colour restorer that a certain Chief Pilot was famous for!

[Thridle Op Des]

Just as a point of accuracy, the photos were taken at the start of the course, one could then walk past the photos of the failed between classes as Les was happy to point out at the time!

Sadly no other photos from that time apart from a box of slides of the Bell47 G-2 from different angles. I hope we can get a few more group photos from the other courses as well. The photos were taken by a professional photographer in Redhill, if he can be located he is bound to have the negs.

TOD

[SASless]

Soggy,

I do believe that particular Chief Pilot moved on to being a Director of Ops in the sandbox.....and odds are he still uses that same potion!:E

He was a bit sensitive to being exposed as I recall (much to my chagrin!):uhoh:

[C.C.C.]

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_12.jpg
Who remembers Ozzie (?), one of our finest radio operators & hangar odd job man? Gave me my CCC nickname. Security Guards at the terminal gates could not cope with my surname so they called me Mr Cranes instead.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_13.jpg
On the left, Tony Vieira.
The brainchild of Captain H. Anthony Vieira, Hummingbird Helicopter Services Limited commenced actual operations in 1996, offering contract Helicopter Pilot services to Bristow (Caribbean) Limited.

Cannot remember the name of the engineer whose leaving do this was - was it Don xxx ?
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_14.jpg
There were several Rum Shops / Bars around the Mayaro area where one could 'wet your whistle' after a long day. Here we see Dave Tye, John Nielson, Ray Farnes & Terry Carter (?) enjoying a Carib or two. The venue was Angie's Bar, Guayaguayare, which as the tail rotor blade top right proves, was a favourite with the engineers.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Trinidad_15.jpg
Having a beach on the door step of the crew houses led to some fine 'Sundowner' sessions. Here we have a Rum & Coke evening with Dave Simpson, Alistair Hutcheon & Ray Farnes. I did not drink rum, but occasionally took part in the Pina Colada evenings which lead to a visit by the 'Gorilla' the next morning!

And who has heard of the famous 'Yellow Submarine' Rum Run?

[C.C.C.]

Only photo (not mine) that I've managed to find of our Graduation. If you look closely you can see the original position of 'Rogue's Gallery' in the background. After the Engineering Training School moved out of this block, Rogue's Gallery filled the bottom corridor from the original front entrance. As well as the HP courses, it also had all the other courses held like Command Courses, F.O. Courses, Instructor Courses, etc. A sad loss if it has truly been lost.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/HP15_01-1.jpg

The photos were taken by a professional photographer in Redhill, if he can be located he is bound to have the negs.
Assuming that he is still a member of the living.

[leading edge]

CCC

The Engineer in the leaving do was Don McQuaig who then went to Yarmouth....he was a great hand and a gentleman to work with during my time there.

In the "Graduashun" picture, I think the presentations were done by Cranley Onslow (local MP?). I can also see the late Alistair Gordon and TOD Senior on the left??

[C.C.C.]

The Engineer in the leaving do was Don McQuaig
Thanks for that.

And it was Stan Sollitt who was sorting out our wings and the CRP-1s (still carrying mine in the SK92 just in case the FMS goes funny, which it did last week during my line training - thought it was done intentionally by the LTC!).

[Brilliant Stuff]

Thank you chaps for reminiscing, it gives us young uns something to look forward to and remind us to savour each day.

[C.C.C.]

Story time.

Having registered a complaint about being paid less than some of the less senior pilots to me, following the controversial introduction overnight of the 'North Sea Commander's Allowance', I received a phone call from management asking me if I would go back to Duri on detachment following the loss of a 212 (PK-HCI?) with the crew (Pilot & Loadmaster) being pulled from the burning wreck by the passengers, and recovering from their injuries.

A replacement 212 was flown up from Australia, and was mainly used on the VIP trips, although got involved in the Muara Tembesi detachment as well.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri1988_01.jpg
Refuelling VH-BEL on a VIP trip with Mike Moran.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri1988_02.jpg
VH-BEL in action at Muara Tembesi.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri1988_03.jpg
One of the best Bristow inventions. A convex cargo mirror, where the focal point of the mirror was the mounting point, thus the mirror was free to vibrate but the picture remained steady. Used not just on the entire Bell fleet, but other types as well.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri1988_04.jpg
VIP Training Captain for your flight, Mike Moran.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri1988_05.jpg
Only other expat Line Pilot at Duri (rest were all National Pilots except Mike & Managing Pilot - Bill Vaughn), Richard Hambly.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri1988_06.jpg
Another VIP flight, this time to a Seismic location with a packed lunch, and your Captain Kabiyono (?).

Another story.

I flew down to Muara Tembesi with Mike Moran I think in VH-BEL. The prevailing winds were from the west, so a tailwind meant this flight was easily achievable with basic tanks.

I then had to fly PK-HCF back to Duri, via Rumbai at the end of the detachment. Of course we now had a headwind, and basic tanks would only get us to Rumbai. We had to take most of the engineering equipment, and had a Caltex Manager to drop at Rumbai. So we fitted the 4 man seat facing forward, manager was happy that his emergency exit was out my cockpit door, and we filled the 212 up to 11,200lbs. Take-off can best be described as Group Z, and I arrived at Rumbai with required minimum reserve.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri1988_07.jpg
Jess Bermudez and our Loadmaster (forgotten his name?) en-route to Rumbai.

At Rumbai I changed seats and handed control over to our Training Captain, Nasir.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri1988_08.jpg
But with no fuel at Rumbai, and not enough to reach Duri or Pekanbaru, what did we do? Answer we carried our own and with both engines back at idle the Zenith pump managed to keep ahead of the engines.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri1988_09.jpg

And a happy ending. At the end of my detachment, the accident crew had both arrived back at work. To get the Loadmaster Panji's confidence back they held a winch training exercise in VH-BEL.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Duri1988_10.jpg

[Flingingwings]

Thank you for the HP15 photograph :ok:

As one of Andy E's current colleagues I can confirm he looks exactly the same, albeit a 'tad' greyer in the hair department :E

[Tail-take-off]

Originally Posted by Thridle Op Des
The photos were taken by a professional photographer in Redhill, if he can be located he is bound to have the negs.
As I recall the gentleman's name was Malcolm Pendrill. He did all the company's photography at Redhill. skyweaver.co.uk (which seems to be permanently down now) had some of his work. I'm sure that when he did our course photo in 1988 he was in his fifties or sixties so possibly no longer around. I googled "Malcolm Pendrill Photographer" & came up with a book about Redhill & Rigate including aerial photographs but nothing else.

Not the official course photo (that must have got lost in a house move at one point) but a picture of HP32 is here (http://www.pprune.org/3468863-post31.html) post 31 of this thread.

Thridle Op Des I emailed a copy of your HP15 photo to Paul Quick's brother John who is going to forward it to him in case he hasn't got his own copy anymore.

[T4 Risen]

I am sure there was a gallery at the white house with all the courses on it aswell, Mr and Mrs peek might have info......

[Tail-take-off]

C.C.C.

the loss of a 212 (PK-HCI?)


Info suggests it was more likely to be PK-HCJ (ex G-BBBP) which was written off 17/6/8.

PK-HCI was re-registered in Nigeria as 5N-AQW where it was written off.

I must try harder not to be a spotterish geek:8

[C.C.C.]

Tail-take-off - Yes I agree with your observations about Malcom Pendrill, as he did my Instructors Course photo in 1989. Found this entry online -
Mr Malcolm Pendrill
24 West Street
Reigate
Surrey RH2 9BX (01737) 246576 CHAIRMAN PENDRILL FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY

But looking at the current Pendrill Family History Society it has a different Chairman now.

You have probably looked through the Rotorspot Register like I did. What confused me was there is a photo of G-BBBP in Post#23, and then 212man said he did his 212 conversion in G-BBP in Post#25. So he must be wrong as I now agree it was PK-HCJ which was written off after suffering a complete loss of tail rotor & inclined pylon on short finals to a staging area NE of Duri.

Registrations can be confusing. What was 5N-AJL (clue - there was actually 2 of them if you believe the internet!).

T4 Risen - The Rogue's Gallery in the White House was only of the later courses that went through there, not the whole Gallery from the 1st Bristow course.

[parabellum]

A bit of anecdotal stuff. The very first two civilian B205 went into service at Rumbai/Duri in May 1968. They started life as N4022G and 4023G, -22 then became VR-BCN and eventually PK-HBB and -23 became VR-BCO and PK-HBA, due to Vietnam being in full swing they were delivered with the 204 engine! Sadly one of them crashed in 1969 and took Dave Barnes, Harry Luffman and one other with it. I think they were both fitted with mirrors but probably not the vibration free variety?

My memory is a bit sketchy as I was on the B206A working with Delta Exploration, the seismic company and had the doubtful honour of the first of Bristow's Indonesian 206A engine failures! (PK-HBC).

[soggyboxers]

C.C.C.

The NCAA has been known to make things confusing. When I was with Schreiner I flew 365C2 5N-ALJ - now there is a Twin Otter with the same registration flown by Caverton from the next-door ramp here in PHC.

Oops - senior moment - it's actually 5N-BLJ :oh:

[Troglodita]

Tony S last seen by me in Star King bar PH a couple of years back (BHNL S76's) before the **** hit the fan security wise and we all got locked up in our respective hovels!

Soggy - can you update? Snake Island?

I must dig out some of my Bristow 80's phots and publish any interesting examples (after suitable censorship)

Trog

[Thridle Op Des]

These were taken around 2000-2003, I was going to say 'shot' but that's probably inappropriate these days :sad:

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/EketRain2.jpg

For those who haven't been, the weather was either doing this..........

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/CanoeinHarmattan1.jpg

or this - de Harmattan. Trying to get onto a Ubit (I think that should be 'an Ubit' but is doesn't sound right) without over torquing was always a feat, especially in 'de Harmattan' with it's sneaky tailwinds, mind you doing the same with the stair rods was always fun as well.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/JohnDeakin.jpg

Some of the characters in Eket: John Deakin

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/LeslieandSammy2.jpg

Lesley E and Sammy.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/5N-BHOMikeMontecillo.jpg

Mike Montecillo in concentrated mode.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/GrantonEdop.jpg

Grant on the Edop striking a pose to please the Buddha

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/Eket001.jpg

Ivan in flames.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/AerialViewQIT1.jpg

The Asylum

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/5N-AXXAirtoAir1.jpg

Another 'Queen of the Skies' doing what it did best, XX inbound from Idoho.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa266/thridleopdes/CZ2.jpg

And the sign of the future (albeit not an EP)

Anyone live near Reigate to see if y'man is still in the land of the living?

TOD

[Thridle Op Des]

Oh and one extra bit of information relating to the 'Graduashun' photo, this is the moment that ccc gets his 'Top of the Class' cup, he was too modest to mention this! :}

[Oldlae]

For the record, PK-HCJ flown by Capt Zuesdi crashed in the jungle near Duri as the forward catch of the port oil cooler scoop panel failed and the panel detached and hit the T/R. The 90 box sheared off leaving the mounting flange on the pylon. The pylon was severed by a M/R blade on landing when the MGB broke loose. The A/C caught fire as one engine was still running and the spilt fuel ignited.

I'm sad to report that Tommy Bayden died last week after a hernia operation.

[C.C.C.]

he was too modest to mention this

Perhaps it was but as I said it was not my photo. Did not think it was necessary to mention on here about getting the 'Cup'.

Your photos of 5N-AOF are very interesting in relation to the variations of the 'Coastguard' paint scheme that was adopted overseas. Some did not have the front blue line go all the way onto the cabin roof, thickness of the blue line varies, but the red highlight around the particle separator intake is a nice touch - not seen that one before.

Of course I recall you did a lot of graphics for the Company when this scheme was introduced, but it seems that the UK, Australia, Indonesia & Nigeria were all using a different copy.

Oldlae -Thanks for setting the record straight regarding the loss of PK-HCJ. Sorry to hear about Tommy Bayden.

soggyboxers - Must be something to do with the 'J' & the 'L' then. 5N-AJL was one of the Wessex 60s which returned to the UK when the fleet was withdrawn by Bristow. Now sits at the Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare as G-AVNE. The 2nd 5N-AJL was a Bell 212 that was written off at Onne Port on 30/06/1998 (Monty Hartley + 4 paxs - RIP).

[soggyboxers]

C.C.C.

Another 'senior moment' :{. The Dauphin was actually ALJ Lima Juju :\

Poor Monty - you fail to mention your own presence there also.

Trogs, I believe Tony has again departed Bristow but not sure where he's gone.

[SASless]

Sad to hear of Tommy Bayden's passing....he was quite a character in his own right. Many a good night listening to his stories about ferrying Whirlwinds about the Sahara from one end to the other and crossways.

I wonder who wound up with the sword stick?

[Tail-take-off]

5N-AJL was a Bell 212 that was written off at Onne Port on 30/06/1998 (Monty Hartley + 4 paxs - RIP).

Was that the one where a main rotor pin failed in flight?

[SASless]

Engineering error....frozen bolt found but not removed....nut replaced and aircraft released for flying. The item was due time change in nine hours of flying but failed on the next flight. The aircraft crashed into a canal or river and sunk immediately. Survivors did an underwater escape to get out of the aircraft.

Chris Cairns survived the crash along with some passengers.

Was on a drive link if I recall properly.

Not a good day by any description beyond some did survive.

Perhaps Stacey or someone knowledgeable about the actual sequence of events can give us a summary of what happened.

[C.C.C.]

I will not get involved in character assassinations online, but can confirm it was a bolt on one side of the scissor assembly (above the swash plate) that failed, leading to one main rotor blade being uncontrolled in flight. The sequence of events as posted by SASless in his first 2 lines is incorrect.

Chris Cairns (passenger in LHS cockpit) exited underwater through open door. A Belgian or French passenger, with a Nigerian passenger alongside exited cabin on left side. 4th survivor, another Nigerian, apparently jumped out of a removed cabin window on the right side as the fuselage hit the river at Onne port.

For those who question doing HUET drills, I had done one 6 weeks prior to this accident, with an American and a Canadian helicopter pilot, in Norwich. It can help save you life.

[stacey_s]

Yes I can, but I'd rather do it on a personal pm to those that really want to know, the reason being is that this particular incident is close to my heart in the fact that this was a serious engineering :mad: up and the engineer concerned decided to keep his mouth shut until he was found out, this caracter is back in aviation! but to add salt to sore wounds he is still working!!

[C.C.C.]

Glad we are in agreement Stacey over any more postings about the circumstances leading to the loss of 5N-AJL.

Watch out for yourself shortly in some Nigeria photos that I'm scanning just now.

[SASless]

C.C.C,

I really feel bad my comment harmed this un-named individual's character.

I would suggest however, as reinforced by Stacey's post.....the "character" did that by his felonious actions and lack of moral character at the time of the events during which several people were killed due to his misconduct.

You will have to excuse me for being less than willing to be charitable about this but when someone kills innocent folks who have placed their trust in his "character" and professional abilities, I consider it the most contempible of conduct in aviation.

As Stacey posted:

this was a serious engineering :mad: up and the engineer concerned decided to keep his mouth shut until he was found out


CCC.....please explain why you consider the discussion of the causes of this fatal crash from long ago...and fully investigated...as being inappropriate?

I would suggest it should be a case study for "How Not To Do Maintenance" and be used to remind young budding Engineers of the critical nature of their profession where lives can be lost if they make a mistake.

The vast majority of Engineers I have known all lived up to the highest level of responsibility and professionalism but as in any profession there are some that should not be in the business.

The tragedy is even innocent mistakes can result in horrible results.

[C.C.C.]

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Eket_01.jpg
When the operation was being moved from the Eket Airstrip to the Q.I.T. the gantry was moved from the old to the new hangar ahead of the actual move. Here we see the equipment that Bell Helicopters provided to allow you to carry out maintenance without the necessary ground facilities. Barry Pettitt supervising an engine removal.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Eket_02.jpg
Those of you that have or are working in Nigeria will be aware of the many religions & cultures associated with this large nation. The refueller here on the Idaho felt that I was stealing his 'soul' (apologies if that is the wrong expression) by taking this photo of 5N-AJX with Colin Paterson in command. On my next rotation I became friends with the refueller again when I presented him with a copy of this photo and returned his 'soul'.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Eket_03.jpg
With a country that rarely had any serviceable national SAR helicopters, the Bristow group looked after its own SAR, with Eket normally having 2 winches. As well as keeping a pool of qualified pilots, we were very fortunate in having the dedication of some engineers in providing winch operators & winch men. Part of the training for new winch operators started with Dry Winching, and here we see Ron Varney (in his shorts) being coached by Barry Pettitt on how to get the hook exactly onto that clump of grass, and again it looks like Colin Paterson at the helm.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Eket_04.jpg
A German company, MAN Ferrostaal AG, were building a huge Aluminium Plant, with Deep Water Port, Township and Hospital, at Ikot Abasi to the west of Eket. We were asked to do a site survey of the 2 helipads they were building and here is 5N-BHM undertaking that task. With the help of Jeff Lee, and the kind assistance of the Chief Engineer & Chief Pilot, we set up the famous 'Cold Meat' run as we had befriended the German butcher on this project, and managed to persuade several pilots & engineers to undertake this run, as there was free beer in the bar on arrival (even Bristow put on a barrel!).
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Eket_05.jpg
5N-AJS outside the old airstrip hangar.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Eket_06.jpg
5N-AYX outside the old hangar. This was an FAA IFR 212, which as well as having the collective/yaw mixing unit, also had a collective/cyclic mixing unit as well. After a couple of rather exciting arrivals during Hydraulics 1 off landings we stopped using this one for Hyd 1 failures on VMC checks. It was later converted to UK IFR standard once a design scheme had been approved, and of course we could afford to do it.

I got a good laugh from the Mobil dispatchers when the guest helicopter in these last 2 shots turned up on the hotspot and I announced that we were waiting to take 11 to the Idaho. It is actually a Graupner Bell 212 R/C helicopter which was later to be painted in the Bristow 'Coastguard' scheme courtesy of a Check 2 and the artistic skills of Thridle Op Des.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Eket_07.jpg
It was always a pleasure to conduct air tests with our engineers as some of them were very good at flying, and I got to practise my instructional technique. Here is Barry Pettitt enjoying himself.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Eket_08.jpg
Bristow Bar, Esa Akpan, Eket with 'The Young Ones'. Andy 'The Black Destroyer' Walters, Andy 'Deputy Deputy Chief Pilot' Hudson, Graham 'Another Deputy Deputy Chief Pilot' Walker, Richard 'Sheep' Evans, Randy Bartlett & Ralph Chappell. Just above Ralph's head you can see a photo of the late 'Tigger' (RIP) who was the famous base dog. At his end we laid him to rest offshore so that he would not end up as a '504' dish downtown (local delicacy was to eat dogs that had been run over - 504 was a type of Peugeot car available then).
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Eket_09.jpg
Horse racing night at the Mobil Compound. I see Andy Hudson in Lane 2 on the right. Anybody recognise any of the others?
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Eket_10.jpg
We held a morning beach barbecue in the Mobil Beach facility, and I was part of the advance party that went down to set up the barbecue the night before, sleeping in the open under the stars. Here are my partners that night Stacey Shilling & Mick Rennie (?).
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Eket_11.jpg
Cannot remember what the barbecue was for, but here is Ron Varney (who had woken us up in the wee hours as he tried to find us in the dark on his Triumph Tiger 750), Mick Rennie, John 'the Greek' xxx (?), Fred Layton, Stacey Shilling, and Ed 'Easy Ed' Doucette.

[Tail-take-off]

Didn't mean to open a can of worms.

Was Monty Hartley in Trinidad in 1990? If so I think I may have met him briefly while I stayed with Henry Boyt out there.

[C.C.C.]

Didn't mean to open a can of worms
No problem.
Was Monty Hartley in Trinidad in 1990?
Yes Monty was in Trinidad before being posted to Nigeria. Met him only twice. 1st time was in Redhill on his way to Nigeria, 2nd time was when he arrived at Eket in 5N-AJL to offer me a lift to Aker Base, PH.

I will always remember in the Post Crash investigation how everyone, including the client and the surviving passengers, all spoke very highly of Monty. Had a rather solemn night in Trinidad later that year when I had to debrief the accident to many of his fellow workers & friends.

[Senior Pilot]

C.C.C.

What a shock: SASless with hair and a waistline :eek:

[Tail-take-off]

I thought the recent release of the new "Pink Panther" movie might give us an oppertunity to celebrate the orininal Inspector Clouseau!
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z74/Tail-take-off/Zing.jpg
"Zis Steeve Marrtin, ee looks nossing like mee!"

[Tail-take-off]

G-BBVA Sumburgh 1989
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z74/Tail-take-off/G-BBVASumburgh.jpg

G-BFMY Falklands 1991
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z74/Tail-take-off/61.jpg

[SASless]

SP,

I do wish I had been born rich instead of handsome but one cannot have everything out of life!

[C.C.C.]

To finish off my contribution some odds & ends.

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Odds_01.jpg
In 1985 I carried out my 212 conversion mainly on the 'Desert Fox' G-BCMC at Aberdeen, but completed it at North Denes. G-BJJP at North Denes in 1985.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Odds_02.jpg
During a quiet period at the Redhill FTS in 1991 Bob Evans and I did some 212 line flying at North Denes. G-BJJO shutdown offshore, probably on one of the Leman platforms.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Odds_03.jpg
Tim Collins reluctantly handing the cup over to the Bond Helicopters Captain after they beat the Bristow team at cricket.

Got involved with getting several 212s at Redhill ready for export to new ventures, but watched most of them depart as well.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Odds_04.jpg
VR-BIJ departing Redhill. Forgotten its destination (think it was some short term contract prior to Nigeria).
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Odds_05.jpg
G-BGLL departing for Nigeria.

Had forgotten about this one, and it is not too clear what it is about from the photo. However does bring back some FTS history.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Odds_06.jpg
In April 1990 the Redhill FTS celebrated 30 years. As I was duty instructor we devised a suitable but fictitious flying program. Before 09:00 we have Alan Boswell carrying out practice formation flying although I see he was not allocated a ship in the subsequent flypast. At 15:30 we have a champagne reception, followed by the 7 ship flypast. Cannot remember how this program went down with George & Derek at the time.

However the programme in the middle was real, and the names for history purposes -

Instructors - George Bedford (Principal), Derek Jones (CFI), Alan Boswell, Paul Quick, Gordon Hewitt, Ian McDonald & Chris Cairns. Steve Menham & Dick Whidborne (AAIB, ex Bristow) on Instructors course.

Students - Jonathon Binnie, Dave Reid, Tim Pennington, Tim Rolfe, Robert Trives, Eric Swaffer, Ainsley Boodoosingh, Brian (?) Fitzpatrick, James Liebers & Obi Nwana.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Odds_07.jpg
I had the privilege to teach some students on the Slingsby T67C G-BLRF.

Hmm. As it is my only R22 photo I had to think long about posting this one. If a Can of Worms progresses it will be deleted from this posting.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Odds_08.jpg
The ill fated R22 Beta G-BOEY. In 1990 it suffered a hard landing following an engine off demonstration, which severed its tail boom. Was Rebuilt. In 1994 it rolled over during a hover engine off. Again Rebuilt. In 1997 it was written off during night flying sadly with the loss of the solo student (RIP). I was Duty Instructor that evening hence my hesitance to post it here.

And to finish off something completely different. Did Bristow have a Canal Boat?
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w283/CCairns_2007/Bristow/Odds_09.jpg
Indirectly Yes. In the British & Commonwealth days we had access to some unique holiday opportunities. Hidden amongst the list of various Holiday Homes, Villas, etc. was this canal boat 'Narrow Squeak' which was based at Braunston. It was a very well equipped boat, and really cheap for us compared to a boat of similar spec available to rent by the public.

[212man]

Great photos ccc - brings back lots of memories! Hope you are enjoying your new toy in Scatsta!:ok:

[C.C.C.]

Yup, a heated cockpit & cabin prior to starting engines, and a beautiful 3 Cue Radalt Height coupled ARA.

Expecting flak from the EC225 drivers now!

[rick1128]

Here are a few more pictures from Lagos.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m89/rick1128/2008_0301enstrom0046.jpg


http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m89/rick1128/2008_0301enstrom0045.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m89/rick1128/2008_0301enstrom0047.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m89/rick1128/2008_0307enstrom0020.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m89/rick1128/2008_0307enstrom0026.jpg

[SASless]

I posted the following and C.C.C said the first part was correct but the next two lines were incorrect. I wish to correct those two lines with additional information.

Engineering error....frozen bolt found but not removed....nut replaced and aircraft released for flying. The item was due time change in nine hours of flying but failed on the next flight. The aircraft crashed into a canal or river and sunk immediately. Survivors did an underwater escape to get out of the aircraft.

The corrected version of events follows:

A National Engineer was tasked to conduct a scheduled 25 hour drive link inspection and when he could not remove the bolt reported that to the Expatriate Engineer in Charge (Deputy Chief Enginner).

That Expat Engineer attempted to drive the bolt out of the link, was only able to get it to move about a quarter of an inch. He along with a second engineer agreed to drive the bolt back into position, replaced the nut, installed the safety lock and then released the aircraft for service. The explanation given was the scissors and sleeve were very close to time change.

To replace the drive link would have taken about an hour with no need for tracking.

Subsequent to the fatal crash, at some point there was a change of Chief Engineer at the base (reason unknown to me) and within his first two weeks on site was approached by a delegation of local employees who had friends killed on the aircraft and who knowing of the bolt problem felt a proper investigation of that should be carried out.

The Lagos based Engineering Manager conducted an interview with the Expat Engineer involved after being informed of the situation by the new Chief Engineer at the base. This occurred approximately six months after the event. The Engineer departed Lagos very soon afterwards.

So...C.C.C., is this version meet your approval?

For the lack of an hours work Monty and some passengers died.

Until confronted with the truth the culpable individual hid his mistake and bad judgement....as did the second engineer. What I wonder is how did the investigators miss the fact very recent work had been done on that particular bit that failed? Who did the investigation? Is there a record of that at Redhill these days?

[Alan Biles]

Thanks for that. Let's let it go now. The thread is 'Bristow Photos'.

[zalt]

Alan

Well said - Especially as some selective recall and perhaps some selective interpretation is occuring (the Redhill FSE - a well respective Type Engineer later poached by an OEM - was sent out and did extensive work on site and back at Aker base, also involved were Alan S of UK AAIB and Joe S of Bell and a full AIB report was published in 1999 - the probable cause was corrosion induced fatigue of the bolt).

[whirlwind]

Here are some of my many photos from Eket, when we were still at the airstrip:

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t73/helicopterdcr/eketairstrip-1.jpg
On final to the airstrip, with the Bristow accommodation (and swimming pool of course) beyond the hangar on the left.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t73/helicopterdcr/freddyk.jpg
Freddy Kissinger; and do I see Tony Keller and Clyde Lou Hing behind?

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t73/helicopterdcr/dink-1.jpg
Eket albums would be incomplete without Dink Smith!

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t73/helicopterdcr/nickowen.jpg
Here's Nick Owen and...

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t73/helicopterdcr/nigeltanner.jpg
Nigel Tanner, Chief Pilot, when Fred Layton was his DCP

[John Eacott]

The mention of youthful Bob Turners brought this to mind

How youthful should we go? Flares were all the go, way back when :cool:

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/3008-2/Bob+Turner+01.jpg

[magbreak]

John, That Ironing board cover may need a thread of it's own!! :eek::):ok:

[carholme]

John Eacott;

What is Bob doing these days? I remember him when he did a few tours in Egypt in the early '70s.

Regards

carholme

[Hilbre]

Seeing these happy snaps of Eket have brought back fond memoirs of Eket & QIT from a slightly earlier time of the mid eighties when Jeremy Wright was CP. Had some great nights as guess of Jem prior to going offshore or home the following day. Alot of the guys would come offshore at the weekend for some fishing & stay over onboard the DSV Krantor........

[C.C.C.]

What is Bob doing these days?
Chief Pilot for Bristow Australia operations. See Page 5 in this Corporate Newsletter - Here (http://www.bristowgroup.com/pdf/Bristow_Corporate_Newsletter_November_2007.pdf)

[Alan Biles]

CCC,

You must have posted the wrong link. All I could find on page five was some grey-haired old bloke.:E

[Droopy]

Seeing these happy snaps of Eket have brought back fond memoirs of Eket & QIT from a slightly earlier time of the mid eighties when Jeremy Wright was CP. Had some great nights as guess of Jem prior to going offshore or home the following day. Alot of the guys would come offshore at the weekend for some fishing & stay over onboard the DSV Krantor........

Will post some Eket fishing pics soon. In the meantime another set of 1980 reprobates.....

HP16

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c173/chestnut1675/HP16.jpg

L to R Matthew Lawson - retired CHC; Neil Anderson - Bristow ADN; Steve Brennan - didn't complete; Tony Moore - last known Buzz Stansted; Ian Saunders -BA, presently grand fromage at BALPA; Neil Popkin - didn't complete; Bob Whitehouse - Bristow Den Helder? Peter Lavender - BA; Ian Hay - didn't finish; Andrew Doyle - CHC Blackpool.

[Droopy]

Eket 1985-87; lots of pics of 212s around so just a few people..............


Grant Jones, Paul Gliddon, Dave Middleton on a Sunday fishing trip. You had to be there to realise how bad we smelt.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c173/chestnut1675/Eketfishing1.jpg




The Asabo Delta "A" team Feb 1987...Paul Robinson, Richard Hambly, Jasper Bardon, Andrew Doyle; Fred Kissinger and Geoff Lee background. The tuna fought Robbo so hard we had to hold on to him to avoid him being pulled in to the water.


http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c173/chestnut1675/Eketfishing2.jpg




Jasper Bardon driving the boat on the Eket river; I doubt if it would be wise these days....though this was the one and only time I saw those engines working in the two years I was there.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c173/chestnut1675/Eketwaterskiing.jpg




Bertie the parrot....some rascal taught him to say rude things about a certain TRE. Quite a lot of rascals actually.....

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c173/chestnut1675/Bertieparrot.jpg




Finally Tigger. He would wander along the dorm corridor, decide who was in favour and jump up to open the room door, sometimes a bit of a shock if you got up for the loo in the night.....

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c173/chestnut1675/Tiggerdog.jpg

[stacey_s]

All pre 1987 fishing records broken by me and Basil Pettet, unfortunately Mr Pettet has the photo,s so no proof at this time, however, in the photo by the chop store in the background in singlet and shorts is Sammy Sammarashina excellent greenie and seriously good friend unfortunately murdered in London by a hit man organised by his wife!!, she got 22years I believe, they never found the perpetrator.

[SASless]

The fishing was good fun......and it appears the fish still keep growing despite having been cooked and eaten years ago!:=

[phive]

Not Stansted actually - Gatwick!

[WhirlwindIII]

Remember George Bedford bringing in a very large Barracuda from offshore Eket. I believe it weighed in at the 80+lb range and almost as long as he is tall. George does have a picture of it.

[Mike Bill]

There were a number of Wessex (I believe three) at Gt Yarmouth until replaced by the Bell212 in 1980.

[Grumpyasever]

50lbs actually, but it was as long as I am short!

[GCMOIR]

Hi Stacey,

I'm shocked to hear about Sammy, I had never heard this up to now. I knew him well in Eket as we used to fly model aeroplanes together, sometimes he came up to PH.

You don't have any pictures from the Tharos and Iolair days do you? Looking back I kick myself for not bringing a camera around more often.

Take care yourself,

Graeme Moir

[Thridle Op Des]

I think you are a year out Mike, I recall a cluster of very muddy engineers returning from the middle of a dark Yarmouth fen having recovered Tony English (I think) from an all engines flameout in a WS60 and that was Jan 1981. I operated Feb/Mar 1981 with the 330J and the Wessex were still going then.

Regards

TOD

[AS332L1]

I must dig out my slides from the loft from the Tharos/Treasure Finder days

[flyer43]

When I can find them, I'll try to scan some pics from my time on Tharos, Claymore A and Treasure finder from the early 80s. It may take a little while though! Watch this space...................... --->

[Rosh]

Great to see so many great pictures (particularly flared trousers!) and stories from the past.

A couple more recent ones.

Pics taken while operating an S-76A+/++ out of Takoradi and Accra, Ghana.
Sept - Dec 2008


Arrival at Takoradi

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06741.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06738.jpg




Takoradi Air Force Base

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06423.jpg



Fitting in amongst the resident vultures.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06486.jpg



Africa Beach Club, Takoradi

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/Ghana2036.jpg




Exploring on the bike.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06704.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06725.jpg




Night Deck Landing practice on the Deepwater Discovery.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06459_2-1.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06451.jpg




Takoradi Air Force Base

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06528.jpg




Leaving Takoradi for Accra.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06746.jpg




Day Off. Offroading in the hills to the North of Accra. Steve Martin getting wet, and myself waiting to see how he gets on!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06793.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06862.jpg




On the pan at Accra.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06962.jpg




Big news in Accra.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06672.jpg

[leading edge]

Mike Bill

Good to have you on the thread. TOD is correct, the Wessex were retired after the Ben Breach G-ASWI accident in 1981 and were replaced by Bell 212s BJJO BJJP and BJJR.

JR met its end sadly with Pip Smith and Tony Liston in 1985 during a night Rowan Crew change to the Cecil Provine.

[MamaPut]

Rosh,

Nice photos, but did you have 2 S76s there - I see G-BJFL and G-BJGX.

[WhirlwindIII]

Grumpy

Nah, 80lbs - you're thinking kilos. Biggest I ever saw.

WIII

[Droopy]

Had a passenger turn up once, I think on the Idoho, with a 90kg grouper. There was nearly a mutiny when he realised that as it was frozen it wouldn't fit in the boot so it travelled back to QIT strapped in beside him.


I have only a very few of the first weeks in the Falklands in 1983, this one is on Beauchene Island for a senior officers' picnic.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c173/chestnut1675/BeaucheneS61.jpg

[Rosh]

Rosh,

Nice photos, but did you have 2 S76s there - I see G-BJFL and G-BJGX.

Well spotted. We actually had the use of 4 different airframes during the contract, due various reasons.

We started off with G-BHBF, then Nigerian 5N-BCT lent a welcome helping hand when BF went AOG, before being replaced by G-BJGX, which, in turn was replaced by G-BJFL. Musical airframes!

We only had one aircraft on site at a time, except for the odd occasion such as below. G-BJGX arrives, and 5N-BCT is getting ready to head back to Nigeria.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v513/rjaypalan/DSC06382.jpg

[WhirlwindIII]

90kg Grouper from offshore Eket is now the record in my book, George's barracuda gets second place.

[SASless]

You guys keep on and before long ol' Moby Dick himself will show up ....was there ever a Captain Ahab in Eket?:E

[WhirlwindIII]

No Ahab, but Jonah cruised by a wellhead once in the early 80s with engineers fishing from it - as it passed by, very closely, its eye moved as if fixated on them.

[Droopy]

Hang on, I didn't say I caught it, just transported it....but if anyone remembers the shark's jaws behind the bar at the airstrip that were us. They looked much bigger when still attached to the shark than when mounted.

Now that I've started digging into my shattered memory I seem to recall someone at the time mentioning a 75lb barra which sounds like it must have been George's.

Whirlwind, you wouldn't be thinking of a big spotty thing would you? I seem to remember seeing whatever the big veggie shark is.

[5711N0205W]

To get access to SkyWeaver try the wayback machine at the link below, the pages can take a bit of time to load but there does seem to be a reasonable selection there :)

Internet Archive Wayback Machine (http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.skyweaver.co.uk)

[flyer43]

Sorry for the lack of quality, but I've just taken a snap of some fairly basic quality photos from a few years ago. When I've got more time, I'll try to scan them properly to improve the quality and replace the ones in this post.

Maybe some of you can provide names to some of the faces.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/Redhil_1976b.jpg
G-AODA at Redhill in 1976

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/Redhill_1976a.jpg

Kilo Sierra - Redhill FTS 1976

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/Redhill_1976c.jpg

Uniform Kilo - Redhill FTS - 1976

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/HP7.jpg

HP7 - Redhill FTD 1976


http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/Sedco704_1980.jpg

Sedco 704 - 1980 ish

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/Tharos1980a.jpg

MSV Tharos - 1980 ish

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/GBCMC_1984.jpg
G-BCMC over the Aberdeen Lifeboat - 1982 ish

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/Galeota1984a.jpg
Galeota Point, Trinidad - Xmas 1985

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/Galeota1984b.jpg
Galeota Point, Trinidad - Xmas 1985

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/GBFER.jpg

Echo Rollover - 1980 ish - Claymore Field

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/GBCMC.jpg
G-BCMC - MSV Tharos 1980 - Peterhead Harbour

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/GBBBBP.jpg
G-BBBP - Claymore Field - 1980

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/GaleotaPt1.jpg

Galeota Point, Trinidad - 1985

[Oldlae]

Flyer43.

HP7, Steve Hogarth second from left.

[flyer43]

Oldlae

Actually, I was on the course and Steve was also my Best Man a few years later. The others in the frame are, from the left:-

Mike(?) White (Didn't complete the course)
Steve Hogarth
Brian Teeder
Dick Ball
Bob ?? (Didn't complete the course)
Mike Lightfoot

It would be nice if one of the other members on the course could confirm the two names I am having trouble with. It would also be nice to get names to faces in the shots from Galeota point, although I can remember a few of them...... I think!

[flyer43]

A shot of the 4 succesful students from HP7 in 1976. From the left, Mike Lightfoot, Dick Ball, Steve Hogarth, Brian Teeder & Dick Tudor.
The picture was taken as one of the publicity shots when the BHAB started sponsoring students on the Ab Initio CPL(H) courses at Redhill.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l83/Flyer43/BHL%20Pics/HP7b.jpg

[WhirlwindIII]

Droopy

Yes, I assumed a passenger was heavily attached to the 200 pound Grouper, and not letting go! Don't blame him - bet it fetched a good bit at market.

Once upon a time, there was a huge shark circling a workover barge tied up to Ekpe WW - not sure if it was spotted, I couldn't get past the height of the fin once the back finally appeared. My Nigerian copilot was unaware there were shark in those waters - hard to believe, but after he viewed this particular shark he was pretty upset. He got over it.

Not sure what kind of whale did the cruise-by but it obviously had an articulated eye, and used it. The engineers were really pleased to have seen it so close by.

75lb barra sounds close enough to George's - I may have that pic in the box - perhaps I'll send it to George.

WIII

[pzu]

Does anyone remember an Ian Stockly/Stockley, early '80's Bristow sponsored trainee ex Occidental North Sea - Flotta Lab Tech?

PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)

[leading edge]

Yes, I knew Ian, he left Bristow and went to fly corporate I think. Can't remember where he went though.

[Snarlie]

Ian spent some time with KLM ERA at Norwich then joined Air Harrods at Stansted. After a frank exchange of views with a certain very crusty old training captain over sock selection, he departed to pursue his studies in psychology and was last heard of as a boffin with Qinetic at Farnborough advising on matters cerebral. Present whereabouts not known.

[Tynecastle]

S61-Lima Charlie.

On another thread Phil Kemp posted some photos of LC in its new colours across the pond, this brought back happy memories of my time with it in the North Sea.
I remember in the late 70s, when Bristow Sumburgh was going crazy, there was 61's, many 330J's, and we also had frequent visits from the offshore 212's.
One Sunday on the afternoon shift, we seemed to have lost one of our engineers, one of the guys thought he probably went back to his suite in the Hotel Annexe, due to the fact he had a long shift the previous day [night], however just before we knocked off for the day, he was found kipping in the forward baggage bay of Lima Charlie !!!!!
I wonder where he is now, someone mentioned he was doing PR work for the company, but I think he still might be in the Northern Isles.

[3D CAM]

someone mentioned he was doing PR work for the company, but I think he still might be in the Northern Isles.

Ah the Bristow Annex.... windows and roof as optional extras!!:D
Think you might find the "sleeping arrangements" have been changed for that Certain Engineer for the Northern Isles!:}
3D
P.S.
I think we may know each other?:ok:

[Upland Goose]

Flyer 43

Bob Lovell - Bob had an engine failure in a Piper Cub 3 weeks prior to the course starting and crashed into trees at Blackbushe and he had lost his nerve. The instructors worked hard to regain his confidence. They failed. A great loss, he was a great guy.

Mike White - was a real Essex "geezer" free spirit and his confidence was too much for some of the instructors. He and I got together at JCB some 30 years later. By that time he was a high time corporate jet jockey, still is. Great guy!

Dick Ball got chopped for Ground School "attitude". another free spirit. As expected he did well with BA fixed wing.

Mike Lightfoot is a BA 747 Captain

Me, I feature in Rosh's night deck landings picture as TRE(LHS) offshore Ghana on the Deep Water Discovery. Nice place - nice operation.

Rosh Jaypalan, Steve Martin and Darryl Kelly ensure that the spirit we all so believed in lives on - wonderful young men. They don't moan and groan they just get on with it and have a good time as well.

Good luck you HP guys, wherever you are - it is a superb brotherhood/sisterhood.

UG:ok: