Brilliant Stuff

Lovely pictures.

Where is it going? Or who owns it? Just curious because of the paint job.

dg93

Hi Phil
I never thought for one minute that when I first saw LC at Sumburgh back in 1975 that I should see her modified in such a dramatic way.
Keep them flying they are the best.

Phil Kemp

I grew up with all these helicopters flying in the backyard, but didn't get to work around them until 1976!

The former LC is now proudly owned by Billings Flying Service, of Billings, Montana and she will most likely be flying on fires again this year. The paint scheme is convenient because it was already there! Just had to be adjusted for the major piece of airframe that was removed. Also got the former G-BBVB in as well. I was in Kuala Trengganu when she showed up, after seeing her for a long time on the North Sea.

Taxidriver009

Another thread indicate they are keeping two 61's in Thailand. Amazing how the "rules" can be adjusted, to avoid huge capital required to replace "aging" airframes.

I'm all for new technology, but we are aware of upgrades available and one must wonder what the "cash strapped" industry would opt for, S92, 225, 139 or Carson 61? If I may mention all in one sentence....

Maybe it is difficult to make fair judgement without having hard data to compare "fully upgraded" 61 with aforementioned? (MTOM, Vne etc.)

Despite the obvious resistance from the manufacturers trying to flog their new hardware, has anyone ever done a cost analysis of such an option? Result?

unstable load

Taxidriver009,

The only rules that were changed were the terms of the contract with the client, and changed by the client as is their privilege.
They elected to keep on the 2 S61's until they have completed the construction of their new hangar facility further North in the country when they will be replaced with C++'s as per the original contract spec.

Sorry to disappoint, but nothing subversive going on there.

Phil Kemp

Before - 29 October 2008.



After - first flight 3 March 2009.



Successful first flight. Back to Montana tomorrow. On budget, 2 weeks ahead of schedule!

And I'm off to Hawaii!

thepross

No wonder it is hard getting flights home with all you tourists inbound...

3D CAM

Phil,
Lovely job!
Hawaii?? Is that the little island next to Unst?
3D

TipCap

It is great to see LC flying again. I flew her - both Offshore and SAR operations. The first S61N I flew was in 1973 and was G-AZRF (now deceased I think) and G-AZDC (a combination of a Mk 1 and 2, a re-build. We used to call it a Mk 1 and 1/2). I have flown most, if not all of the Bristow S61N's in my time and accumulated a few hours on S61N's

Jeez, I just noticed the date I joined PPRUNE. How time flies

Phil Kemp

G-AZRF was most recently ZS-HSZ with CHC Africa, which she had been since being sold to Court as part of the Croman/Erickson purchased from Aerospatiale in 1987. As far as I am aware she is still with CHC, but they were making fleet adjustments and she may have been shipped to Canada - maybe someone operating her knows the story?

G-AZDC was operated for a short time by Erickson as a construction and fire-fighting machine, then sold to Huisson Aviation and converted to a short S61N. She just returned to service after being damaged in a hard landing in Peru last year. This is a picture of N91158 (AZDC) on the Apple fire in Elk Creek, Oregon in 2002. There were 6 short S61's there on one helibase at one point!

AS332L1

ZS-HSZ was last operated by CHC in the Ivory Coast as UNO465 before being shipped to Tacoma via Antwerp and subsequent resale

ken knight

Hi Phil, Great to hear that G-AZDC is still flying. I was one of the guys that took delivery of it when she arrived at Redhill from Italy in early 1971. This was a great job for us as she had crashed on a rig off Rimini? and the Italians had chopped off the tailcone to get it off the rig. The fuselage arrived on a lowloader from Dover with half the Ebglish countryside hanging on her and all the other "bits" came in several wooden crates.
Once it was rebuilt it went to Aberdeen early 72 and flew alongside
G-AZNE. G-AZRF was also one of the ships we had in Aberdeen early 70's.

Snarlie

Ah yes, I remember it well. I have many happy hours trundling up the 051 radial to the Beryl A and then into Sumburgh and back. Also good to hear Ken Knight is still around - he should be given some kind of award for virtually single handedly mastering the Chadwick vibration kit and rendering the S61 fleet and types that followed, a joy to fly.

exlatccatsa

"Hawaii?? Is that the little island next to Unst?
3D "

3D CAM I think you're confusing Hawaii with Hascosay!!

Easy mistake to make with its lovely sandy beaches!!

leading edge

Ken the flash....good to have you on here. You were (probably still are) a master at vibes and we spend many an air test together.

I remember her arriving on that truck in Redhill. She went into Hangar 5 and came out only after those infamous trenches were dug. We used to go and have tea and sandwiches in the tea room in H5, I think it was old George Tippett who used to look after the tea machine (it was all free then)

I also spent many years on G-AZDC as 53A. She was kitted out in 1981 as the trial aircraft for MADGE....
I seem to remember that in order to get good HF reception on AZDC it was better to turn off the #1 AC Gen when transmitting to old grumpy Jim in the Radio Room in Dyce!

Great to see her still working as well as hopefully AZRF still being around.

Tail-take-off

Before:

After:

exlatccatsa

Its great to see so much interest in the S61 still and great to see they sill have a life post North Sea.
We had GBIMU arrive in Aberdeen today to join GBGWK who test flew yesterday, and the rotorless EI reg still in the Bristows hangar.. which hasn't been seen outside for a while.
Does anyone know what plans are or them?

TipCap

Thanks, Phil, for the updates on RF and DC. Glad to see the old airframes still flying. I guess nothing came of the Augusta AS61N Silver programme.

Yes I remember the Beryl - Sumburgh double shuttle and if you were really you got a slip crew at Sumburgh and flew back to Aberdeen in the Skyways (I think) DC3.

I remember MADGE too. Frightened me f**tless on several occasions

Outwest

I see Sikorsky has not given up on the old girl yet either.

https://ww2.sikorsky.com/dotnet/sks2009/index.html


I have been told that the new style DC digital T5 gages are in short supply. Have been quoted $17,000 and 1 year delivery time. Any truth to that?

Hell Man

In these semi credit crunch days those unable to afford a new corporate AW139 might take a peek at Coulson's VIP S61's - I mean you could do your business and participate in historic aircraft shows with the same ship!



In admiration of those still keeping the 61 on life support.