Bristow Photos
Join Date: Dec 2003
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I saved my Bristow wings with the ceramic center from my days in Abu Dhabi. Not much call for the BC uniform in the middle east. A few years ago I sewed the wings on a jacket given by Transocean marking the world record water depth they drilled (10011 ft). We supported the rig with an ST. Makes a good flight jacket.
I am often asked by the young wippersnappers "what kind of wings are those?"
I am often asked by the young wippersnappers "what kind of wings are those?"
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Cornwall
Age: 77
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Funnily enough, I think I still have my BUA badge. (For those who don't remember, Bristows was reputed to be British United Airways (Helicopters) in the early days)
Now that really dates me
John
Now that really dates me
John
Last edited by TipCap; 1st Sep 2011 at 17:16. Reason: editorial
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The Bristow/British Caledonian uniform caused a minor diplomatic incident in Abu Dhabi back in the mid 70's. Seems a new Bristow pilot decided to wear his brand new uniform when he flew to Abu Dhabi from England.
Upon entering the terminal, Customs and Immigration waved him on through believing that he was part of the British Airways crew. When Bristow submitted his passport to obtain a work visa, it was discovered there was no entry stamp - therefore he had entered the country illegally. Well needless to say, there was quite a kerfuffle.
Upon entering the terminal, Customs and Immigration waved him on through believing that he was part of the British Airways crew. When Bristow submitted his passport to obtain a work visa, it was discovered there was no entry stamp - therefore he had entered the country illegally. Well needless to say, there was quite a kerfuffle.
Join Date: Jun 1999
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There is that lovely story (how true it is I don't know) but it would have been maybe late 60's / early70's at North Denes when apparently the Old Man was doing one of his "pep" talks and a certain Archie Yates is reputed to have said during question time whether the BUA bit of the Bristows stood for Bristows Underpaid Aviators. He was fired on the spot but rehired the following days.
Like most of these stories, I can't vouch for it being true as I didn't arrive at North Denes on the Wessex until 1971 but these things sometimes have a ring of truth about them
John
Like most of these stories, I can't vouch for it being true as I didn't arrive at North Denes on the Wessex until 1971 but these things sometimes have a ring of truth about them
John
Join Date: Jul 2010
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If that was ex-RN (820 Whirlwinds) John (Archie) Yates then he is now living in Norfolk. A mutual ex-RN friend said in an email recently:
Archie was one of the great eccentrics and the two items that immediately come to mind are the huge old open top lagonda type car he drove around smoking a pipe as big as the gear lever and the laughable incident when we were both doing a hover check and we backed into the windsock!
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When I joined Bristows in October 1969 we were still heavily involved with BUA and the Old Man spent about 4 days a week in their offices.
Uniforms didn't feature much in those days,it was hard enough getting the boys to wear shoes!!
Uniforms didn't feature much in those days,it was hard enough getting the boys to wear shoes!!
Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
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I joined Bristow in spring 1968 and AB was the chairman of BUA then, seem to remember he wanted all the BUA pilots on contracts and was offering GBP5000.00 a year!!! Didn't happen.
The 'dress' for overseas postings was khaki shirt, trousers, 'suitable' footware, (pilots), the various interpretations of those dress instructions had to be seen to be believed! I was issued a cap but no other part of a uniform and the cap had the BUA badge on it, the cap was never worn and I think the hangar dog got it in AUH!
The 'dress' for overseas postings was khaki shirt, trousers, 'suitable' footware, (pilots), the various interpretations of those dress instructions had to be seen to be believed! I was issued a cap but no other part of a uniform and the cap had the BUA badge on it, the cap was never worn and I think the hangar dog got it in AUH!
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For the pilots, I think it was Alistair Gordon who was the re-hirer and yes, Parabellum, I will go with you on your obs, it was only the cap (with badge) that we got issued with. My flying gear in Morocco in '68 was t shirt, shorts and flip flops - oh yes and the orange Mae West!!
If my memory serves me well, when I was working in Morocco, on my first posting with BHL, we were working 3 weeks on and one week off (the week off included the travelling time) and were paid the princely sum of £1800 a year. Doesn't sound much but was double what I was earning as a Lt with flying pay in the FAA!!!
John
If my memory serves me well, when I was working in Morocco, on my first posting with BHL, we were working 3 weeks on and one week off (the week off included the travelling time) and were paid the princely sum of £1800 a year. Doesn't sound much but was double what I was earning as a Lt with flying pay in the FAA!!!
John
Last edited by TipCap; 2nd Sep 2011 at 14:06. Reason: editorial
Doesn't sound much but was double what I was earning as a Lt with flying pay in the FAA!!!
All those years ago.....
05 Sep. As I was driving to work this morning it occurred to me that thirty-eight years ago this day, Jack Moss and I jumped into a newly-refurbished, zero-houred Whirlwind, G-BAMH, and flew to Abu Dhabi. The route was Gatwick – Toussus Le Noble – Lyon – Nice (U/S for an oil leak – no, really) – Pisa – Rome – Naples – Brindisi – Corfu – Athens – Rhodes – Cyprus – Beirut – Damascus – Badanah (arrested by the Saudi’s for spying) – Qaisumah – Bahrein (two days to get over the ice in the ‘Miranda’ we had in Badanah) – Abu Dhabi. The trip took 14 days with night stops in Lyon, Nice, Pisa, Rome, Naples, Corfu, Athens, Nicosia, Beirut, Damascus, Badanah and Bahrein. We had some incredibly long over-water sectors wearing only lifejackets with no flotgear on the aircraft and a 10-man raft & survival pack in the passenger cabin. The plan being that I would go into the cabin and chuck out the liferaft while Jack held the aircraft off the water. Yeah, right.
Jack was appalled to discover I couldn’t fly a helicopter and said there was no way he was going to fly it all the way to AUH. He had me following him through on the cyclic before we reached Ashford and on pedals after Toussus. Somewhere between Pisa and Rome I had all three and apart from landing and take-off, we shared the flying from there on in. Great trip; fantastic character; probably moved on by now but, Cheers Jack, wherever you are.
I just wish I’d taken some pictures.
Jack was appalled to discover I couldn’t fly a helicopter and said there was no way he was going to fly it all the way to AUH. He had me following him through on the cyclic before we reached Ashford and on pedals after Toussus. Somewhere between Pisa and Rome I had all three and apart from landing and take-off, we shared the flying from there on in. Great trip; fantastic character; probably moved on by now but, Cheers Jack, wherever you are.
I just wish I’d taken some pictures.
Grim trip
It was awful! Scarred for life.
The more I think about it, the worse it gets. I have a lasting memory of the Lyon - Nice sector; looking down at the traffic hurtling past two thousand feet below as we flogged down the Rhone valley. The Whirlwind was not the fastest of machines.
The more I think about it, the worse it gets. I have a lasting memory of the Lyon - Nice sector; looking down at the traffic hurtling past two thousand feet below as we flogged down the Rhone valley. The Whirlwind was not the fastest of machines.