Bell 205 Woodhead Pass

[Droopy]

Just being nosey.....anyone know if that was a 205 I saw today in the distance doing load lifting by the A628 between Manchester and Sheffield?

[chopper2004]

Only Hueys up that neck of the woods are

Bell Huey UH-1H 72-21509 - The UK Huey Experience at www.huey.co.uk (http://www.huey.co.uk/)

But I don't think they're certified for commercial / public work and apologies if I am wrong. A theory is that as they perform with re enactment groups (plenty of them around Yorkshire area), then perhaps demoing underslung loads as in the Vietnam war and practising in a area that the CAA have said they are able to as long as its not anywhere neae the general public?

[Droopy]

No, I'm familiar with the Huey......this one was white and possibly blue, load lifting above the reservoirs near Tintwistle. Could have been a 204, difficult to snatch more than a glance on the twisty road.

[chopper2004]

There's no Bell 204 or Agusta Bell 204 on CAA register as far as I am aware and the nearest AB204 be in Austria and Italy and Spain might have a few kicking around. But can't see them being brought in for a job albeit limited restrictions due to only G registered a/c can do commercial work.

Only Hueys or Twins kicking around are the Huey.co.uk or the AAC Bell 212s and there's one Bell 412 G-CCYX registered to RCR Aviation.

Cheers

[hueyracer]

A german company operated in the UK last year (with a 206 afaik), but they are also running a few 205´s for Utility work...maybe they got a contract over there?

[Droopy]

Dunno, as I say difficult to spot while driving. Definitely a big Bell.

[ShyTorque]

I've also seen what was probably the same aircraft in similar colours in that area a few months back. I was surprised to see it but it was definitely a Huey type, I have flown them a few times so was able to recognise it well enough.

It was carrying out USL work on the hills, moving builders bags of something (the white 1 cubic metre type). I assumed it was for footpath renewal work but couldn't see precisely from the Woodhead Pass road.

Approx location when I saw it was N53 29.5, W 01 47.8

[Torque and temp]

Sounds like it could have been one of the Norwegian company Helitrans' Bell 214Bs. They are a rather frequent flier in Europe from time to time, and they do operate two White-Blue-Red 214s for sling and fire ops..

LN-OPO: Nordic Rotors - LN-OPO (http://www.nordicrotors.com/LN-OPO/3532)
LN-ORM: Nordic Rotors - LN-ORM (http://www.nordicrotors.com/LN-ORM/1105)

[danthechopperlad]

D-HAFH I'd imagine. :)

[chopper2004]

I love a mystery :cool: and trying to rack my brains to see what (if any)CAA exemption that allows a non UK registered airframe to carry out commercial work as deemed necessary.

I may be putting 2 and 2 together and trying to force a 4 into the answer by hoping to find a pic of the former Indonesian owned and built now G-CCcYX 412 owned by RCR Aviation (probably in between customers) and hoping its white/blue. Sadly I can't find a pic on the world wide web.

The reason why I mentioned the above is Droopy mentioned it was a 'big Bell'. Barring the release of the 525 Relentless recently at Heli Expo, the largest of the Huey type design/ descendant is either a Bell 214ST (which Bristows operated one in Aberdeen years back) or Bell 412 and Torque mentioned could be the Norwegian 214 which brings back the question of commercial work exemption to non G reg a/c

Cheers

[chopper2004]

Oh Agrarflug Helilift ones :ok:

[chopper2004]

I think I've solved the mystery :)

Photos: Bell UH-1H Iroquois (205) Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Bell-UH-1H-Iroquois/1817092/L/&sid=9b57cd13871b32c89e596c3938735170)

Just decided to search airliners.net, and found this pic and wondered if this is the a/c you saw? It's owned by Yorkshire Helicopters

[206Fan]

I first saw Delta November exactly 9 years ago in Northern Ireland. She still has the same Paint Scheme I see. Lovely Huey.

D-HAFH was mentioned on here last year I believe.

Hmmmmm - random! | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevebedder/5627149776/in/photostream/lightbox/)

D-HAFH - Flickr: Search (http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=D-HAFH)

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5146/5627149776_40db32167a_z.jpg

[ANW]

Bell 204B OE-XRK Heli Tirol was operating up there in July 2011

D-HAFH was noted around Chunal, Glossop in January 2012, both on USL work

G-PDGF, AS350 was also around in January 2012.

[wazz'n'zoom]

I flew over it yesterday, 'oop ont moors', as it was getting refuelled. It is still wearing a D reg and the paint scheme looks very tired. The loads around the pad were large white bags of hard core for the paths accross the moors. They must have been busy as they were dotted all over the place. It did surprise us as it was outside it's Notam'd area; didn't see the supporting AS350 though.