sillohed

Does anyone recall Autair Helicopters? There was one in Montreal and I believe there was one in the UK, maybe Reading. The one in Montreal had a rather colorful history I think. I spent one summer flying for them in the Angikuni Lake area of the NWT. Not long after that I think they folded. Not sure.

Savoia

Fijdor: Great photos, bravo! It looks as though you have had a very interesting career.

Sillohed: Freddie Wilcox was a dear friend to my godfather and someone I met many times. It was due to him that my godfather accepted one of his last flying assignments - flying for Freddie's outfit in Kenya.




Autair S-55 CF-KQD at Sept-Îles Airport, Quebec on 24th July 1970 (Photo: Alphie Tufnell)


Autair Agusta-Bell 206A JetRanger G-AVVH (Photo: Helipixman)


Court Line Aviation Bell 206A G-AXMM (Photo: NA Archives)

Freddie had associations with many different companies including Trent Helicopters and Court Line Aviation.

My godfather was involved in a number of business ventures with Freddie (mainly selling aircraft) but .. I'm not fully au fait with Autair's operations overall so it would be good to hear from someone with a more complete awareness of their history.

Savoia

Fabick Aircraft Co. Bell 47D NC194B in Alberta, Canada in 1949 (Photo: Helicopter Heritage Canada)

This 47 made its way up from Lambert Field, St. Louis, Missouri in 1949 to assist in a gravity meter survey in Chard, north of Lac La Biche in Alberta, Canada. The United Geophysical Company were searching for suitable areas in which to perform wildcat well drilling operations and were able to complete the survey (thanks to this and one other 47) without any major road construction.

Evidently Fabick Aircraft Co. of St. Louis made several seasonal return trips to Canada in the late 40's and early 50's.


Hiller UH-12C G-APDV as seen at Stapleford Aerodrome in July 1971 (Photo: Brian Bickers)

'DV' began her time in the UK with Fison Airwork of Cambridge in 1957. Fison was then subsumed into Airwork Helicopters of Redhill (which is .. I guess .. what Bristows decided to call Fison Airwork after buying them) and was shipped-out to Trinidad in 1961. In '68 the craft was officially registered to Bristows and the following year bought by The Hon. Peter Irving Pellew (aka Viscount Exmouth) who sold her to Shackleton Aviation in 1970.

At the time of this photo the craft was owned by Gerry Clark trading as (and I kid you not) 'Nobby Field Helicopters' of Aveley in Essex. (Almost as good as Pork Farm Helicopters!).

Brian Bickers (who took the photo) says: "It was so long ago that I can scarcely remember visiting Stapleford."

Well, we are glad you did!

Oldlae

Hiller G-APDV.


I was working at Redhill when the 12C was bought by the Viscount, I well remember his coat of arms being painted on the tailboom.

heli1

Autair was Bill Armstrong, an old world helicopter dealer who in the UK mostly operated from Luton and Panshangar but also had operations in Africa. He was a Bell agent there for many years but also wheeled and dealed in buying and selling other types,especially with African government sources...wink...wink.
He started up Court Line ,with ex Royal Navy Sikorsky built Whirlwinds in South Africa and BAC One Elevens at Luton! Fingers in many pies over the years I think.
Much of his document archive with pictures is at the Helicopter Museum along with the remains of a couple of ex Danish S55s that he gave to my company in lieu of a debt !

Savoia

Heli1: You are absolutely right of course, Bill Armstrong it was. Its been so long since I heard that name!

Sillohed: I know you are most likely searching for information on Autair's Canadian ops but the available information seems to be somewhat scarce. I have another S-55 photo and that's about it!

In the meantime and from their UK operations ..


Autair Bell 47G-2 G-ATZX at Luton Airport c. 1970's (Photo: NA Archives)

'ZX' was imported to the UK in 1966 and (as with Brian Bicker's G-APDV above) was sold to Shackleton Aviation (does anyone know who they were) in 1972. The same year she moves on to F & DM Hewitt Ltd. and the following year is bought by Tywford Moors. ZX ended up being bought by Bristows in 1974.

Dennis Kenyon

Hallo Savoia ... I love it when a few of the old names crop up especially when I had trade with them at one time.

It doesn't seem to long ago I had a deal with Bill Armstrong up at Luton. I had been offered two B 47s from the MAF but didn't know enough about the various models at the time I suspected they were a good buy though and raised the item with Bill and in no time he had acquired them as a pair and I guess soon found a buyer. I thought that was the end of the matter until I received a decent cheque from the man with a nice 'thank you' note for the introduction. Now that's old fashioned trading.

Now Shackleton ... a quick look through some early 1970s FLIGHT will see their regular advert. They had a London address and operated from the light brown hangar at Coventry for many years. I think the guy I talked to a couple of times might have been a 'Something' McDonald but as I always say, the brain cells aren't what they used to be. The daft thing is I still remember aircraft registration 30-40 years down the road! Best wishes. Dennis K.

Savoia

Ciao Denissimo!

Hope this finds you well.

The Colonel also had some 'trades' with Bill the last of which involved an ex-Ferranti client, his 206, and Autair sending the craft out to join the Uganda Police Air Wing!

The 47's you refer to .. MAF .. as in the Royal Malaysian Air Force?

Ah Flight .. yes, I should have thought to check there!


Shackleton Aviation advert in Flight International, 2nd December 1960

Brgds

Dennis Kenyon

The 47s were from Malta Sav. DRK

sillohed

Sav,
That is one fabulous 47 all dressed up in it's skirts and everything. There are not many pictures around with the enclosed tail boom!

sillohed

I managed to dig around in my old log books and came up with a couple of tid-bits regarding Autair Canada. It was actually Autair Helicopter Services, Inc. and was based in the Timmons Aviation Building, Montreal, Quebec. The president was a guy named D.W. Connor. There is an old news clipping that states that they were the first turbine helicopter operator in Canada following the purchase of an Alouette II in 1958. In 1961 they were registered with the Aerospace Industries Association as having 2 Sikorsky 51's, 3 Sikorsky 55's, 15 47G's and 6 47G3's on order. I don't believe there was a direct connection with UK Autair Helicopters but I could be wrong. I only worked for them one summer around 1964 or thereabouts. As I understand the story and the reason I was looking for some more direct information is as follows: Doug Connor was an American operating under Canadian rules in Quebec. He apparently chafed at the restrictions placed on his company by the DOT and did everything to ignore the feds who were just across the street. Following several summons to appear and explain his actions and failing to do so the feds marched across the street, removed his operating certificate from the wall and effectively put him out of business. Apparently Connor had a reputation for bending the rules and having an attitude about the rules of bureaucrats. I heard this all second hand but it makes a great story if anyone out there can correct or embellish upon it.

fijdor

In reference to Sollohed post. Article copied and pasted from a Canadian Helicopter magazine called "Helicopters" There is also a pic of a S51 which don't show here. They refer to Autair Helicopters Services.

Jacques

Canada’s First Turbine Helicopters.
First turbine helicopter was imported to Canada in 1958 135-lookback When the first turbine helicopter was imported to Canada in 1958, it cost twice as much as the ubiquitous Bell 47G-2 and consumed substantially more fuel. Performance was impressive, but it was not until the mid-70s that turbine helicopters finally outnumbered piston models in Canada.

France took an early lead in introducing the turbine helicopter. The Sud-Est SE.3130 Alouette II was the first turboshaft helicopter to enter production; its prototype first flew on March 12, 1955. US fighterjet maker Republic Aviation in December 1957 agreed to market the Alouette II in North America. Republic demonstrated the Alouette II to potential customers in Montreal in August 1958, resulting in a quick sale to Autair Helicopter Services Ltd., the first commercial operator of a turbine helicopter in North America.

Compared to piston models, the four-passenger Alouette had impressive performance. It started easily in cold weather, cruised at 110 mph, climbed at 1,000 fpm, carried a 1,000- pound payload, and held the world helicopter altitude record of 34,000 feet. But CFKMW came to an abrupt end on May 13, 1959 when the helicopter nosed over on takeoff at Labrieville while carrying Daniel Johnson, Quebec’s minister of hydraulics (and future premier) on an inspection tour of hydro developments.

The second customer for a turbine helicopter in Canada was the aviation arm of Ontario Hydro. Purchase of the $90,000 helicopter was authorized in 1959 to enhance the utility’s productivity spraying powerline rights of way. Alouette II CF-JMC arrived at Toronto in June 1959.

Savoia

Silloed: Here's the other Autair Canada Whirlwind .. err okay .. S-55!


Autair S-55 CF-JJL as seen at Sept-Îles Airport in Quebec, Canada on 24th July 1970 (Photo: Alphie Tufnell)

I think the Shah was somewhat partial to Whirlwinds because ..


The Shah of Iran visits West Burton Power Station in Lincolnshire courtesy of Westland Whirlwind XR487 HCC12 of The Queen's Flight and is seen here being escorted by Sir Robert Laycock, Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, on 6th March 1965 (NA Archives)

Savoia

Bristow Helicopters Westland Whirlwind WS-55 Mk III G-AYNP as seen at Redhill in May 1972 (Photo: Brian Bickers)

Another pleasing contribution from Brian with an additional point of interest in the form of a Percival Q6 Petrel, G-AFFD, seen beneath the Whirlwind's tail.

This Petrel was serial no. 21 and had been owned by Sir Philip Sassoon who served as Private Secretary to Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig from 1915-1918 and Under Secretary of State for Air from 1924-29 and again from 1931–37. He was also the Hon. Air Commodore of No. 601 (County of London) Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force.

Sassoon had previously owned a Percival Gull, G-ACGR, in which he competed in the King’s Cup and Folkestone Aero Trophy Race.

As Under-secretary of State for Air, Sassoon carried out the first general inspection of British overseas air stations which he accomplished by touring the various locations in the three-engined Blackburn Iris flying boat. As a result of his travels with this craft he wrote 'The Third Route' published by Heinemann in 1929. (Blackburn Aircraft were of course the firm which built the Turmo turbine under licence from Turbomeca [later to be named Nimbus under Bristol Siddeley] which powered the first Westland Scout).


Sir Philip Sassoon (1888-1939)


Sir Philip Sassoon with Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig aboard a train carriage (which Haig used as his office) on the Western Front during World War I (probably taken in the summer of 1918)

Philip Sassoon's cousin was the poet and decorated soldier, Siegfried Sassoon.

heli1

Awwww...you've ruined the thread now Savoia....talking about plank wings! Now the Whirlwind in the picture was converted from an ex RN Mk 3 bought at a bargain price no doubt and pioneered the Bristow SAR ops,based at Manston.
I know I visited the Flight and have the pictures to prove it but not the time or expertise to locate them and put them online I'm afraid.

bast0n

Heli 1

I have just donned my anorak and beg to differ with your assessment of the Bristows SAR cab being and ex RN Whirlwind Mk 3 - and will probably get shot down by Savoia and others......................!

The Mk 3 had a straight tailboom and droopy aft stabilisers as shown below - or I think it did when I flew it.

What do you think?

Savoia

Ciao Baston!

I'm afraid its a wee bit of a conundrum not helped (if that's the right term) by the numerous Navy (as in RN) designations for the various Whirlwinds they employed in their service.

Regarding G-AYNP (above) the records do show that she was formerly a Navy craft (ex XG576) and designated as a HAR.3 evidently entering service with the Fleet Air Arm in August of 1955 .. and that's where the conundrum begins .. for the 'modified' tailbooms (at least according to Flight's 'Aircraft Intelligence' briefing) came about in early 1956:





G-AYNP (sn WA71) now lives in Germany as a static exhibit (below):


Westland Whirldwind (take your pick of Series number) XG576 CU 590 as seen at the Sammler & Hobbywelt Museum in Alten, Buseck, Germany (Photo: Marc Lehmann)

The only 'solution' that springs to mind is that this (and many other craft from the same period) were modified?

What I can tell you is that the Whirlwinds flown by my late godfather (see below) when he was Chief Pilot of Christian Salvesen's Antarctic operations in the early 60's, were indeed Mk (or series) III's and did have the straight boom as well as the inverted 'V' tail:


Westland Whirlwind Series 3 G-AOHE belonging to Christian Salvesen & Co. as seen at Newcastle Airport on 19th October 1960 (Ian MacFarlane)

G-AOHE is seen here awaiting to join the MV 'Southern Harvester' docked at South Shields. She would be fitted with fixed floats for her work in the Antarctic and was accompanied by an additional Whirlwind III.

What we really need is someone with a bit of 'savvy' when it comes to Whirlwind designations!

.

Plank Cap

Sav and Co,

What's the domed fairing above the tail half way back? If the tail boom had to be drooped by 3 degrees ultimately, surely a few of these fairings must have been in the firing line sooner or later.......... By the way, love the yellow painted rotor head, so retro!

It's quite amazing where wayward blades can get to once free of the droop stops; if I recall correctly a '76 blade tip cap once came into contact (just) with the leading edge of the tail fin on one aircraft (ABZ area circa mid 80s). Over exuberant aft cyclic during an engine-out training manoeuvre was deemed the culprit.

Nigel Osborn

BastOn as usual is quite right that when we went through training, the 3 had a straight boom & the 7 drooped plus different hydraulics & engines. Maybe when they converted that Whirlwind, they did the droop mod too.

In OZ I'm aware the 76 on two occasions managed to strike the fin with the blades. Just shows you how much they can stretch as if you just pull it down, the blade won't reach the fin!

CharlieOneSix

I thought I would be agreeing with Nigel and BastOn on this subject but on looking in my logbook there is a photo of XG588 - you'll have to believe the registration as I can't get a clear scan of it to reproduce here, but I can see it with a magnifying glass. It was taken by me on the 705 dispersal at Culdrose in November 1964. I've logged it as a Mark 3 but it has the cranked tail boom! I am confused!



UK Serials shows it to be a Mark 3 as well, Serial WA83, first flight 30/9/55 well before the date in Savoia's Flight article notifying of the change to cranked tails. Note there are no droopy aft stabilisers - just the straight ones associated with a Mark 7.

Looking in UK Serials at other HAR Mk3's I've flown there are photos of XJ402, XG577 and XG586. All have cranked tails and straight stabilisers and the photo of the latter is dated as 9/59. The HAR 1 such as on HMS Protector had the straight tail and droopy stabilisers.

The undated photo of Mk 3 XG574 at UK Serials taken at some point prior to storage in the FAA Museum shows it has the straight tail/droopy stabilisers, yet my own photo taken in the Cobham Hall storage section of the Museum a couple of years ago shows the same machine with a cranked tail/straight stabilisers.

BastOn and Nigel went through 705 a couple years before me I think. Maybe most of the tails/stabilisers were changed in the intervening period?