Bristow Photos
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 308
Likes: 10
From: Cyprus
Ref HK-4518X - hoping FBH management doesn't read this thread or I could find myself modifying another old 212, and spending another 9 months in a Weatherspoons pub!!
Ground runs for my 212 tomorrow ...........at last!!
Ref Sabine Pass..........
Ground runs for my 212 tomorrow ...........at last!!
Ref Sabine Pass..........
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 308
Likes: 10
From: Cyprus
Just arrived back in Cyprus with all those Bristow pics..
This rather bashed up Bell 212 could probably be the first Bristow helicopter I worked on. Never seen the picture before. After leaving BA my first job at Redhill was on a Bell 212 rebuild that had crashed onto a pipeline in Egypt. So that would be 1979/80?
No info on the photo itself so any background information would be appreciated.
....and talking of 212 rebuilds, here is my latest one, stuffed full of Bristow mods, on a very successful first ground run, Friday morning. Not very exciting, I admit, but we have to "run in" the new gearboxes before we can throw it around the sky.
Oh yeah! and the small matter of clearing the mountain of paperwork and getting through the CAA audit
This rather bashed up Bell 212 could probably be the first Bristow helicopter I worked on. Never seen the picture before. After leaving BA my first job at Redhill was on a Bell 212 rebuild that had crashed onto a pipeline in Egypt. So that would be 1979/80?
No info on the photo itself so any background information would be appreciated.
....and talking of 212 rebuilds, here is my latest one, stuffed full of Bristow mods, on a very successful first ground run, Friday morning. Not very exciting, I admit, but we have to "run in" the new gearboxes before we can throw it around the sky.
Oh yeah! and the small matter of clearing the mountain of paperwork and getting through the CAA audit
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 829
Likes: 9
From: taking up the hold
VR-BGB/EP-HBW was in Iran until just before "Sandstorm" then became G-BGLL briefly (11 days) in March 1979. It was back to VR-BGB in Singapore until July 1980 when it was transferred to Indonesia as PK-HCI. It may be the one rebuilt in Redhill in 79/80 but unlikely.
I could be wrong!
I could be wrong!
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 161
Likes: 1
From: Shetland
VR-BGB
Hey Dave, good to see your memory is still in good shape
VR-BGB 30600 was operating in Egypt when it had the accident on 02/10/79 and was indeed transferred to Redhill for repairs, so that will be the one.
I recall one of my first Greenie jobs in Redhill was replacing one of those piddly little Fuel BNC connectors under the belly being instructed by your good self, sometime early 1981.
We saw a few 212's in the hangar in those days.
I also recall the night Smokey Smith torched G-BJZS !
I did my first (and last) ghoster that very night.
Pete liked his Pork Pies didn't he
BTW, the Bristow Duck is alive and well - I will post photos sometime soon
Harky
VR-BGB 30600 was operating in Egypt when it had the accident on 02/10/79 and was indeed transferred to Redhill for repairs, so that will be the one.
I recall one of my first Greenie jobs in Redhill was replacing one of those piddly little Fuel BNC connectors under the belly being instructed by your good self, sometime early 1981.
We saw a few 212's in the hangar in those days.
I also recall the night Smokey Smith torched G-BJZS !
I did my first (and last) ghoster that very night.
Pete liked his Pork Pies didn't he
BTW, the Bristow Duck is alive and well - I will post photos sometime soon
Harky
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 161
Likes: 1
From: Shetland
30600
Yep, spot on TTO
According to my "records" ...
was EP-HBW till Mar 79 when it rapidly "transferred" to UAE
and then on to Redhill as G-BGLL in April.
In May 79 it became VR-BGB and moved to Egypt where it stayed until the accident in October. Back to Redhill for Dave to rebuild it.
It left bound for Singapore and onto Indonesia as PK-HCI in May 1980.
According to my "records" ...
was EP-HBW till Mar 79 when it rapidly "transferred" to UAE
and then on to Redhill as G-BGLL in April.
In May 79 it became VR-BGB and moved to Egypt where it stayed until the accident in October. Back to Redhill for Dave to rebuild it
.It left bound for Singapore and onto Indonesia as PK-HCI in May 1980.
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 308
Likes: 10
From: Cyprus
Hi Harky,
Nothing changes. They have changed the design of those BNC fuel connectors but they are still a piddly pain-in-the- a**e especially upside down, with a 25W soldering iron, and 30 year old green coax cable!
Lost track of Smokey - he was at Martin Ferret's "Avionic Support" for a while and then working on IFE at Heathrow.
Fond memories of the Duck!
So how did BGB end up on the pipeline at Ras Shukheir?
Being a fan of black and white photography.....a pic from the archives. Good moody shot.
Nothing changes. They have changed the design of those BNC fuel connectors but they are still a piddly pain-in-the- a**e especially upside down, with a 25W soldering iron, and 30 year old green coax cable!
Lost track of Smokey - he was at Martin Ferret's "Avionic Support" for a while and then working on IFE at Heathrow.
Fond memories of the Duck!
So how did BGB end up on the pipeline at Ras Shukheir?
Being a fan of black and white photography.....a pic from the archives. Good moody shot.
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 308
Likes: 10
From: Cyprus
I remember the G-DUCK stabilisation augmentation trials -they certainly paid off. If it wasn't for all those damm "basic configuration" ducks getting in the way, we would have won that day.
.....and talking of trials....no info on these. One would guess CAA evacuation trials on the Tiger??
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 308
Likes: 10
From: Cyprus
.....another of Malcolm Pendrill's.
Malcolm Pendrill was based in my home town, Reigate, a few miles from Redhill Aerodrome. I think he must have been the professional photographer that the company used for many years.
Malcolm Pendrill was based in my home town, Reigate, a few miles from Redhill Aerodrome. I think he must have been the professional photographer that the company used for many years.
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 347
Likes: 0
From: Dubai
Sadly I have been trying to track Malcolm Pendrill's archive down but no joy, he would have a real treasure trove but I believe he has passed away.
WRT to the 'lump' on the seismic 212 (which was used for the Prakla contract in Iran I believe) I suspect that the lump is the counterweight for the probe, but wait to be corrected (SAS do you have any ideas?)
WRT to the 'lump' on the seismic 212 (which was used for the Prakla contract in Iran I believe) I suspect that the lump is the counterweight for the probe, but wait to be corrected (SAS do you have any ideas?)
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: West Sussex
S61-S92
It's exactly the same these days minus the Bristow aircraft.
Have a look at the London Helicopter Centres website and you can see for yourself. They have been the new tenants of the hangar building for quite sometime whilst Bristows still occupy the main office building.
SS
Have a look at the London Helicopter Centres website and you can see for yourself. They have been the new tenants of the hangar building for quite sometime whilst Bristows still occupy the main office building.
SS
