Bristow Photos
Join Date: Sep 2001
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TTO,
Many, many thanks for bringing back so many happy memories of carefree days at Redhill FTS, giving many engine-offs and surviving
Okon Etuk, aka David Uno-Ekwang, now known as David Uno, I last heard of in Malabo with CHC. O O (Olawale), now Philip Agunbiade is now an Airbus 330 Captain with Thomas Cook Airlines (or whatever it's called now). Akin Oni on the way to great things with Bristow in Nigeria after his recent return from being GM Northern North Sea. Ike Eze tragically died in a B206 crash at Biggin Hill many years ago. Obi (Wanobi) Nwana after being CTC Bell 412 for Bristow is now an aviation advisor for Chevron in Nigeria. Mark Wake sadly died in an S76 accident in the SNS. Whatever happened to Dave Reid after he left Nigeria? Tim Rolfe is the S92 guru with Bristow in Aberdeen, and Tim Glasspool one of the Chief Pilots with Bristow at Aberdeen. I think Gary Queen was last at Lee SAR and David Denman has now given up gazing at pretty sheep at Den Helder and is my Capo di tuto capo on the S76 at Norwich. George Santos is Crew Planning Manager? with CHC at Aberdeen at Dapo Oyeleke about to be GM SNS for Bristow. Jamie Jamieson grew a beard and discovered earrings. For any old students or friends whose names I have omitted I apologise, but I've always tried to keep up with movements and have always been so pleased to see how your careers have progressed in so many ways. I hope you've found aviation as much fun as I still do
Many, many thanks for bringing back so many happy memories of carefree days at Redhill FTS, giving many engine-offs and surviving
Okon Etuk, aka David Uno-Ekwang, now known as David Uno, I last heard of in Malabo with CHC. O O (Olawale), now Philip Agunbiade is now an Airbus 330 Captain with Thomas Cook Airlines (or whatever it's called now). Akin Oni on the way to great things with Bristow in Nigeria after his recent return from being GM Northern North Sea. Ike Eze tragically died in a B206 crash at Biggin Hill many years ago. Obi (Wanobi) Nwana after being CTC Bell 412 for Bristow is now an aviation advisor for Chevron in Nigeria. Mark Wake sadly died in an S76 accident in the SNS. Whatever happened to Dave Reid after he left Nigeria? Tim Rolfe is the S92 guru with Bristow in Aberdeen, and Tim Glasspool one of the Chief Pilots with Bristow at Aberdeen. I think Gary Queen was last at Lee SAR and David Denman has now given up gazing at pretty sheep at Den Helder and is my Capo di tuto capo on the S76 at Norwich
. George Santos is Crew Planning Manager? with CHC at Aberdeen at Dapo Oyeleke about to be GM SNS for Bristow. Jamie Jamieson grew a beard and discovered earrings. For any old students or friends whose names I have omitted I apologise, but I've always tried to keep up with movements and have always been so pleased to see how your careers have progressed in so many ways. I hope you've found aviation as much fun as I still do
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: UK
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re: Parabellum's request earlier in March,
"Anyone able to recount the full story of the 'evacuation' of Bristow Helicopters from Iran when the Mad Mullah took over?"
This rather dog eared copy of the Daily Express of 8th May 1979 (front page - no less!) has just fallen out of an old photo album:
"Anyone able to recount the full story of the 'evacuation' of Bristow Helicopters from Iran when the Mad Mullah took over?"
This rather dog eared copy of the Daily Express of 8th May 1979 (front page - no less!) has just fallen out of an old photo album:
I got involved by turning up to work at Redhill one Sunday morning, I was the Chief Eng of FTS, I went to the main hangar and bumped into Bill Petrie, I was then told to go home to pack a bag and return with my passport, after arranging for a 206 and pilot, John French and I were flown to one of the Heathrow Hotels on the north side flying over the main runways and put on a flight to Luxembourg. We made contact with Cargolux about meeting one of their 747F at about 2am local. The aircraft arrived and out of the a/c came Jean Dennel, Jack Church, Dick Menhennick and Alan Arckless and they were mightly relieved to see us. In the meantime several trucks from Redhill had arrived and we proceeded to unload the 212's from inside and put them on the trucks ensuring that that the height of the load was below 4 metres because of going under bridges. The 747F had to be turned around by 6am which we managed. We had a bit of a party that night, first time I had frog legs and escargot. Only two rooms were booked at the local hotel so we had the Redhill drivers giving us hot beds, very early the next morning after our party. All the engineers received a £200 bonus except John and I as they reckoned we had already drunk that amount, nonsense! Alan was later offered £200 from the Daily Express for his story but having told the management about the offer he was told not to accept, he left BHL soon after. £200 was a lot in 1979.
Jackie Griffin, Mike Griffin's wife, a contributor to a local newspaper was asked by AEB to write up the story, shortly after her story was produced, James Clavell wrote Whirlwind.
Jackie Griffin, Mike Griffin's wife, a contributor to a local newspaper was asked by AEB to write up the story, shortly after her story was produced, James Clavell wrote Whirlwind.
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Gosport, UK
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Just before this, myself and another engineer flew from Dubai to Teheran on an afternoon off in the Company HS125 and helped steal all the serialised components of these machines, we even got armed Iranian guards to help us load a Bell 212 Reduction gearbox on board which some wag had labeled with the address, MR C Box, 212 bell street redhill, when I returned to Dubai the same day JT (Johnny Truslove, area manager at that time I believe) and Bob Potts my Chief Engineer asked me where had I been on my day off, Teheran I proudly responded, the answer was not quite what I expected, apaparently I'd gone into a country under revolution leaving my passport behind and not telling anyone I'd gone there, the things you do when your young and proud of who you work for!!!
Join Date: Dec 2003
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Having a Senior moment on the name! but I believe he used to drive an Aston Martin DB5 if thats any help?, no one asked me to go, just an afternoon nicking bits from Iran seemed more exciting than an afternoon in the 'Zoo' that day!!!
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: taking up the hold
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Iran evacuation.
The history of BHL is full of anecdotes like this. The company is what it is because of the people who do, & have previously, worked for it. This thread has run & run because of the chracters involved. I hope it continues to do so. Keep the stories & the photos coming.
As someone who spends a little time in Tehran, with work, I find the Iran stuff fascinating.
As someone who spends a little time in Tehran, with work, I find the Iran stuff fascinating.
Barry Glover had a couple of Astons. Where is he now?
I'm sure I must know you oldlae, as I was around Redhill all that time and even in the FTS. I think that is Bill Denman doing the Gene Kelley bit there on the top of the 212's.
I'm sure I must know you oldlae, as I was around Redhill all that time and even in the FTS. I think that is Bill Denman doing the Gene Kelley bit there on the top of the 212's.
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Ah yes Senior moment cleared, Barry G, correct Oldlae, Tony I'm always looking over my shoulder and not just for unshaven gentlemen, well thats what comes from a slightly colourful past!!!
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Skyweaver photos
Now that skyweaver is ofline I have contacted Dave Edwards & Asked his permission to upload the photos to PhotoBucket. Copies of all the skyweaver pictures can be found here: Skyweaver photos - Photobucket Groups
Sorry but they are not sorted into any kind of order othere that alphabetically by file name.
The following copyright information is taken from the original website & I guess still applies.
Copyright.
Users may download material displayed on this site for noncommercial, educational purposes only, provided all copyright and other proprietary notices contained on the materials are retained.
The contents of this site may not be used for commercial purposes. However, permission is not required to create a link to the web site or any pages contained therein.
Sorry but they are not sorted into any kind of order othere that alphabetically by file name.
The following copyright information is taken from the original website & I guess still applies.
Copyright.
Users may download material displayed on this site for noncommercial, educational purposes only, provided all copyright and other proprietary notices contained on the materials are retained.
The contents of this site may not be used for commercial purposes. However, permission is not required to create a link to the web site or any pages contained therein.
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Tehran 1979!
Interesting to see the interest in 'Sandstorm' and the finish of our operations in Iran! This is a year of anniversaries as it is 40 years ago that we started the school at Galeh Morghi, and 30 years ago since we fled! Somebody has rightly said that Jackie Griffin wrote down the 'final chapter' of that time in February '79 at AEB's request, and it was then passed to his friend (?) James Clavell who pieced together his book 'Whirlwind' from those notes. Jackie interviewed those of us who had been involved and passages in the book reflect a lot of what happened. There were of course other 'interesting' times not least the final departure from Tehran! We had obtained permission from the DCA at Mehrabad and arranged (without the knowledge of our Iranian staff) with the captain of the 125 to arrive at Tehran at a particular time in the early afternoon. JIW and I then left the office at normal lunchtime and met some British Embassy spooks plus 2 dogs (and Dogfood the cat!) at Mehrabad. The dogs were in travel boxes/cages and the Revolutionary Guards/Customs were interested to know why there appeared to be a space under the dogs! One of the Embassy people said that the dog was very fierce and it was imprudent to investigate further which luckily satisfied the AK47 toting guard. I often wonder what was hidden under the dog! We then joined a very long queue to pass through passport control. I was by now getting anxious that the 125 would have landed, and as we had usually been able to meet the aircraft on the hardstanding the captain would leave thinking that we hadn't been able to make it! He had been asked not to call the office on VHF for obvious reasons! We still had about 30 yards to go to the head of the queue when three armed Guards came along the line checking on people. Luckily I had decided to be in uniform (well - white shirt and epaulettes anyway) and one of them recognised me and asked what we were doing. "Just going to Dubai for a few days with my colleagues!" I said. "You should go to the front" said my best friend, and took us to the desk, grabbed our passports and stamped them. As he was doing this BY, the 125 captain, appeared and said he had been on the point of leaving and thought he'd have a last look for us! So we rushed out, climbed on board and off we went. Never saw the spooks again, and Dogfood ran away from The Zoo in Dubai!! So that for us was the end of Tehran. Sad in many ways to have left behind some of the office people who had been our friends and to whom we had not been able to say goodbye.