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Bristow S-61Ns

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Bristow S-61Ns

Old 16th Jun 2008, 21:25
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G-AZDC and others

I just found this site, and it sure brings back some memories for me. I worked at Aberdeen 1972-1976 as an engineer. I can certainly confirm that DC was a real workhorse. It just flew and flew, with a great serviceability record. When I joined, ex Fleet Air Arm, in March 1972, we had 3 aircraft, a Wessex 60, and two S61Ns. I'm not sure which two, but probably DC and G-AZNE. I also recall G-AZRF arriving, previously VR-BDU, Singapore. We lost G-AZNE in an accident landing on a drill ship - it floated 'burning and turning' for about 2 hours before running out of fuel and sinking. Fortunately there was no loss of life. When I left to go to the Gulf in 1976, we had a total of 24 aircraft, including some S58T machines - not Sikorsky's best effort!.
At the time, Bristow was buying everything that came off the S61 production line, as fast as they could make them. They came over on container ships, to Cherbourg, and we sent a crew from Aberdeen to put them together on the dockside. The port authorities were very cooperative, and clearded a large area for us. After assembly and ground runs, it was a vertical lift out to clear the very tall lighting towers. There is no doubt that the oil industry in the North Sea could not have happened without the S61N fleet. I now work as a volunteer restorer at the Helicopter museum at Weston Super mare, where we have some ex Bristow Wessex and Whirlwinds. G-AVNE, Wessex 60, is currently undergoing restoration after being out in the elements for many years.
During those early years at Aberdeen, it was extremely hectic, working all hours. When we first began to operate out of Sumburgh, there was no accommodation available on the island, so we had to live in old caravans in the grounds of the Sumburgh hotel - pretty grim in the winter! There was a ferry strike, and the island ran out of beer, so Bristow flew in a special delivery by S61N to prevent a mutiny !
Happy days.
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Old 17th Jun 2008, 14:09
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OOPS!

I just did some checking on my memories of some of the S61N registrations - my earlier conversions were not quite right. G-AZRF was previusly a Singapore registration, and VR-BDU was from Bermuda, later to become G-AZNE, sadly to be lost. I have a picture of VR-BDU in Bristow colours taken at Yarmouth, date unknown, but clearly before it was registered as NE. The colour is slightly faded from exposure, and it shows the aircraft without the FOD screens fitted.
Although DC was a really good reliable machine, it threw a wobbly one day at Aberdeen when an interlock switch on the undercarriage failed, allowing the alternators to stay on line as the rotor speed ran down. The reduced frequency caused some overheating and smoke in the AC junction box, but it was soon sorted and back in the air.

Anyone else remember the unfortunate / careless pilot who taxied an S61N into the closed hangar doors at Sumburgh? Made a mess of the doors and the blades!!
I was at Sumburgh at the time. We had to fly up a new gearbox, blades and two engines, and put in a lot of midnight oil. The most amazing thing was that none of the blade spars lost pressure. They were badly bent, but no cracks.
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Old 17th Jun 2008, 16:23
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oops

I am sure it was Terry Wolfe-Milner a canadian gentleman
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Old 17th Jun 2008, 16:28
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Tail Take Off

S-61s were only to be found in cold places in my day
What about our BHL (Became MHS in 83) machines in Kuala Trengannu Lah?

Admittedly they only survived because the average Malaysian Oily weighed about the same as the left thigh of his North Sea counterpart but still "Queen of the skies" in their day!

We used to use a Performance Graph called "Modified En Route Group 'A' with fuel dump" to allow us to fly after lunch!

I remember young (he was then) Tony Coleman taxiing out from the KT ramp all the way down to the other end of the runway unaware that his National Co Jo had actually turned the fuel dump switch to the ON position during pre taxi checks (rather than confirming it in the OFF position)

Pre Take-off checks revealed a fuel state of 300 lbs and a very impressive stain caused by the other 2700 lbs dumped along 5000 feet or so of runway

Trog
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Old 18th Jun 2008, 06:55
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Oops

It was indeed Terry and as far as I remember on his first day as Chief Pilot.
I went there with a 58T to cover then stayed on a while. A great operation.

Regards incidents with S61s I remember an ex RN pilot who flew an entire North Sea detail with his tail rotor gust lock fitted.

It must have been a long time ago if Tony Coleman was young!!!! Was with him in the Falklands in the early 90s.
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Old 23rd Jun 2008, 14:23
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Troglodita

My day didn't start until after the handover to MHS & indeed the last few pilots on loan to MHS (Malcom Mead & Gerry Sedgewick spring to mind) came back shortly after I joined BHL.

I my day the S61 world consisted of Aberdeen, Sumburgh, Unst, Stornoway, Lee-on-Solent & the Falklands. Portland started up at around the time I left.
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Old 23rd Jun 2008, 14:38
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Alan

I have a picture of VR-BDU in Bristow colours taken at Yarmouth, date unknown, but clearly before it was registered as NE.
Any change you could post it here or on the Bristow photos thread?

Here is a picture from www.skyweaver.co.uk http://209.196.171.35/r_wing_pictures2.htm
of G-AZNE bobbing around in the water having had the cockpit roof cut off by the rotor blades.



Russ Smith (RIP) used to tell of how he (unable to shut it down due to loss of the overhead engine controls) attempted to fly it home from the helideck. Unfortunately without the speed select levers the rotor RPM decayed & he was forced to ditch in the sea.

On vacating the aircraft through the captain's window his shoe got caught behind one of the pedals causing it to water taxi around in large circle with him in the centre of it. He waited until it went past them swam as fast as he could before it came around again.
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Old 27th Jun 2008, 07:20
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VR-BDU

The picture of VR_BDU is an old photograph, rather faded. I will get it scanned and try to restore the colours for posting.
The loss of G-AZNE was believed to be caused by landing 'athwartships', a wonderful nautical term, on a drill ship, with the autopilot still engaged. The ship rolled, causing nose up, and the system tried to correct by applying forward pitch. As the roll increased, with no aerodynamic feedback, the correction increased, until the rotor blades contacted the top of the cockpit. This took out the engine controls and the central circuit breaker panel. It was a very dramatic day for everyone at Aberdeen as the news came through from offshore.
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Old 27th Jun 2008, 23:48
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Tail Take Off

Doesn't it bring things home when we mention an old name and those letters (RIP) follow. I used to fly with Russ Smith, out of Unst if I remember. We always got along really well in the cockpit, he used to recount the AZNE story which was always fascinating to a young Co-Pilot as I was at the time.

I feel old now......
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Old 1st Jul 2008, 14:47
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Not quite the way I was told about NE's incident.
I heard both accounts. The AFCS one from Russ himself & the other from elsewhere. I can't say which is correct but while I was based in Unst with Russ he always used his low & fast approach technique. In 1995 he came unstuck with it & caught the tailwheel in the deck edge netting & landed very heavily on the deck of the Hutton TLP.

There was always a lot of debate in Unst over whether the low & fast or the slow & steep approach was best. I always found the slow & steep less exhilarating & a bit more contollable. Draw your own conclusions.
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Old 1st Jul 2008, 15:13
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Late at night and a few glasses of wine later, but to follow up on S2's comments et al. I believe my original premise to be correct. There was also an ESB shuttle with the airstair down and the other comments made. I personally spent 3 days with RS ( as well as being based with him in ND) on a WHL visit to look at the EH-101 (just after the TR problem and bail out, so no flying for us!) so bear him no malice, but there are certain facts that remain unequivocal......

He had a gorgeous V-12 XJS in BRG and I think taught me the true meaning of carpe diem.... RIP
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Old 1st Jul 2008, 19:42
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Russ Smith.(RIP)
I remember one evening in the early eighties, Russ and one of the Unst engineers, (a fine bunch BTW), Roger B. going joke for joke in the front bar of "The Baltie" from around 2100 hrs until it was way past all our bed times! But what a night!! Work hard, play hard etc...
Sorry for the thread creep.
3D
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Old 2nd Jul 2008, 09:03
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I know this is drifting the thread even more but we are still talking about Bristow S-61Ns & the people who flew & maintained them. Here is a picture one of the first UK 61s & it's team. Russ Smith you will notice is first on the left.
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Old 2nd Jul 2008, 09:33
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Russ Smith – one of my all time favourite people. Funny, funny guy. I worked with him on a Djambi Sumatra Wessex contract in the early ‘70s. Fit as a flea, never smoked, drank ‘normally’, medical every six months. We ended up in UK living fairly close by and we’d meet now and again for a few bevvies and a nostalgic ‘Brains Trust’. He’d gone on holiday to Morocco, with his wife. Two o’clock in the morning, in bed, dead. His funeral was well attended by Bristow people. My eyes were fine until the coffin came down the aisle with his uniform cap perched on the top.

Someone mentioned his ‘low & fast approach technique’. Err, yes ……… A Russ Smith empty Wessex arrival to a jungle rig site was always worth watching.

You’re missed Russ.
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Old 2nd Jul 2008, 09:42
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Nice guy Russ - and his wife Margaret.

Perhaps his manoeuvres originated from his time as a V bomber pilot.

Jim
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Old 2nd Jul 2008, 09:55
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Perhaps his manoeuvres originated from his time as a V bomber pilot.
Jim, Russ spent his RAF time on Wessex. I can only imagine you overhead Russ chatting to totty at some party.
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Old 2nd Jul 2008, 13:09
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VR-BDU

VR-BDU at Yarmouth. The colour is not very good, but I hope to make some improvement on it in the near future, when my expert pal returns from holiday.

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Old 2nd Jul 2008, 13:19
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Aberdeen picture

Tail take off, is that Kevin B, fourth from left in the picture, now SAR captain at Portland?
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Old 3rd Jul 2008, 07:15
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Having just found this thread... we now have 4 S61's at Aberdeen .. having been told just last year we'd never see another one.
GBGWJ in Bristows colours has been here for a couple of months whilst
GBPWB and
GBIMU in uk SAR colours
arrived last week,
along with a CHC machine in Irish SAR colours which has been hiding behind the chinook hangar for the past couple of months.
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Old 3rd Jul 2008, 18:59
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is that Kevin B, fourth from left in the picture, now SAR captain at Portland?
Certainly looks a little like him but I suspect the photo may be a little early for Kevin. Thoughts anyone?
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