Aberdeen Scotland to Broome Australia
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Aberdeen Scotland to Broome Australia
As I write this GZZSO a Bristows EC225 (ER) is being readied for a marathon ferry trip from Aberdeen To Broome. The first leg to Norwich starts today.
I believe its a minimum of 30 days and 70 hours flying hopefully without problems. Could this be a world record ferry?
I believe its a minimum of 30 days and 70 hours flying hopefully without problems. Could this be a world record ferry?
Last edited by exlatccatsa; 28th Jul 2008 at 17:23.
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I tell you what, the crew have my admiration. Koepang to Broome in mid winter, possibly facing a stiff sou-easter. no nav-aids of much consequence other than NDB's.
and then they tool of another couple of hundred nautical down to karratha which back then should have meant a medal to even go there.
and then they tool of another couple of hundred nautical down to karratha which back then should have meant a medal to even go there.
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30 days for 70hrs of flying time... What on earth - 2 hours of flying each day and then 10 hours tea break?
At least 6-8hrs should be well within the realm of possibilities to do daily.
At least 6-8hrs should be well within the realm of possibilities to do daily.
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Or the ferry pilot who turned up in Miri with a Puma claiming to have saved the company loads by staying at basic hotels, pushing on in order to complete in 10 days etc etc. Brurry iriot.
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AdamFrisch
Dear Adam,
Between Blighty and Down Under (and let's not forget Africa!) ther are lots of Countries inhabited by poor people who have never heard of Political Correctness or the USA SEC or Codes of Business Integrity. They work at Airports for Immigration, Customs, ATC Clearances, Fire Services, Air Traffic Controllers etc. for a very small salary. They don't have very much in life in the way of material things but they do have POWER!
They decide when you can leave!
If your Company fills your pockets with non accountable used notes, it can be possible to achieve the 6 - 8 hours a day as you speculate by "taking care" of all these people but even in the halcyon days when this was the norm, it still wasn't unusual to get "trapped in Tamanrasset" or "banged up in Bombay" until your onward clearance was miraculously "found" or the Fire Service decided that they would work on the Public Holiday tomorrow (declared by them!) if you paid their overtime.
Amazingly very few Helicopters seem to go U/S in these awful places - that always seems to happen in Bangkok or Bali.
I would agree that 30 days seems a bit excessive but we must remember that these North Sea boys will need lots of OFF days if not a small leave if they are to remain compliant with CAP 437
Between Blighty and Down Under (and let's not forget Africa!) ther are lots of Countries inhabited by poor people who have never heard of Political Correctness or the USA SEC or Codes of Business Integrity. They work at Airports for Immigration, Customs, ATC Clearances, Fire Services, Air Traffic Controllers etc. for a very small salary. They don't have very much in life in the way of material things but they do have POWER!
They decide when you can leave!
If your Company fills your pockets with non accountable used notes, it can be possible to achieve the 6 - 8 hours a day as you speculate by "taking care" of all these people but even in the halcyon days when this was the norm, it still wasn't unusual to get "trapped in Tamanrasset" or "banged up in Bombay" until your onward clearance was miraculously "found" or the Fire Service decided that they would work on the Public Holiday tomorrow (declared by them!) if you paid their overtime.
Amazingly very few Helicopters seem to go U/S in these awful places - that always seems to happen in Bangkok or Bali.
I would agree that 30 days seems a bit excessive but we must remember that these North Sea boys will need lots of OFF days if not a small leave if they are to remain compliant with CAP 437
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Bootneck
Well said!
If the hotel didn't have five stars it wasn't good enough for a Bristow Ferry Pilot on his £7.75 a day Ferry Allowance (Why did the Engineers get £15.50?)
A ex Cavalry Chap did similar cheapskate deal on a run to Nigeria but he was too dim to suss out that by not "dashing" all and sundry en route he took 18 days rather than the normal 6 or 7 and the Company lost 11 plus days of Helicopter day rates as a consequence.
another Brurry Iriot!
If the hotel didn't have five stars it wasn't good enough for a Bristow Ferry Pilot on his £7.75 a day Ferry Allowance (Why did the Engineers get £15.50?)
A ex Cavalry Chap did similar cheapskate deal on a run to Nigeria but he was too dim to suss out that by not "dashing" all and sundry en route he took 18 days rather than the normal 6 or 7 and the Company lost 11 plus days of Helicopter day rates as a consequence.
another Brurry Iriot!
Chief Bottle Washer
Dave Whyte and Peter Manketelow took an S61 from Exmouth to Shannon in 11 days (including a day off) and 105 flying hours. Post #25, why would Bristow be planning 30 days for a faster aircraft, much the same distance 
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UK to OZ
Did this in 1999 in a R44.
No ground support.
4 hours over the Timor Sea was very soul searching, especially as our ferry tanks weren't working so well.......
Pretty sure I was the first person to do this in a single piston heli or even any single engine heli?
Big Ls.
No ground support.
4 hours over the Timor Sea was very soul searching, especially as our ferry tanks weren't working so well.......
Pretty sure I was the first person to do this in a single piston heli or even any single engine heli?
Big Ls.
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Thread Starter
Just found this on the Scotavnets website today.
Not long departed from Aberdeen to Malta is EC225LP G-ZZSO, although I do not know what route is being taken. It is going to Malta
to meet a Belfast which will then take it the rest of the way to Australia. For those with Mode S it is using Hex code 405B98
Not long departed from Aberdeen to Malta is EC225LP G-ZZSO, although I do not know what route is being taken. It is going to Malta
to meet a Belfast which will then take it the rest of the way to Australia. For those with Mode S it is using Hex code 405B98
Are any of them still flying?
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ahh, Bootneck.
i'll settle for first piston then.
one question: do you know whether Dick started in the UK, ended in Oz, and flew only in this JR between start and finish? I had heard he did it in stages, with flights home to Oz in a more normal mode at various times?
Big Ls
i'll settle for first piston then.
one question: do you know whether Dick started in the UK, ended in Oz, and flew only in this JR between start and finish? I had heard he did it in stages, with flights home to Oz in a more normal mode at various times?
Big Ls
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Single Piston?
Sounds like a clunky sort of thing to me!
Some shrimp boats I sail about have those kinds of engines...."ka thunka....ka thunka....ka thunka...ka thunka". Granted their single piston looks like a thirty gallon oil drum.
Sounds like a clunky sort of thing to me!
Some shrimp boats I sail about have those kinds of engines...."ka thunka....ka thunka....ka thunka...ka thunka". Granted their single piston looks like a thirty gallon oil drum.