The Rotary Nostalgia Thread
Thread Starter
Did any work actually take place in Bermuda?
I.I. .. I can't see your images for some reason!
Now that's just the sort of thing your 'Prezza' would have shielded you from .. a police force going bust, lol!
Photographer (and Nostalgia Thread reader) Steve Aubury has just emailed this additional shot of the 'Bad Kid' G-BDKD for the thread:
Helicopter Hire's Enstrom F-28A G-BDKD as seen at Elstree on 29th June 1976 (Photo: Stephen Aubury)
I'm sure we had someone on here a while back saying they were working on BDKD with a view to making her airworthy once again.
I.I. .. I can't see your images for some reason!
Did it go bust???!
Photographer (and Nostalgia Thread reader) Steve Aubury has just emailed this additional shot of the 'Bad Kid' G-BDKD for the thread:
Helicopter Hire's Enstrom F-28A G-BDKD as seen at Elstree on 29th June 1976 (Photo: Stephen Aubury)
I'm sure we had someone on here a while back saying they were working on BDKD with a view to making her airworthy once again.
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From Malaya to Australia.
Here's some of my Father's photo's while in the Army with REME attached to the Army Air Corps.
They were taken in the late 1960's while his Squadron was on exercise in Australia. The ship, RFA Sir Galahad sailed down from Malaya to Rockhampton with Scout's and Sioux.
Hope you like them.
Steve
They were taken in the late 1960's while his Squadron was on exercise in Australia. The ship, RFA Sir Galahad sailed down from Malaya to Rockhampton with Scout's and Sioux.
Hope you like them.
Steve
BDKD was airworthy a year or so ago in someones back yard in the North West ..... I last captured it in the grounds of the Whitefields Hotel at the end of the M45..... in 1993.... but corresponded with the last known owner in 2008. It is registered in Preston.
The Met 222 crash took place when the aircraft was practicing ILS approaches into Hatfield and the T/R failed.... just what the ILS approaches were all about! It was agreed to be Bell's fault.... a new mod they had just fitted to the 222 failed so they picked up the repair tab.
The Met 222 crash took place when the aircraft was practicing ILS approaches into Hatfield and the T/R failed.... just what the ILS approaches were all about! It was agreed to be Bell's fault.... a new mod they had just fitted to the 222 failed so they picked up the repair tab.
Thread Starter
SWBKCB: Yes this is David Haines' Flickr stream and we shall be featuring several of these aircraft on the thread over the coming weeks. Much of what you see has in fact been loaded today.
PA News: I remember the incident but couldn't recall what had caused the t/r failure. One imagines it was a 'healthy' bill that Bell had to pick-up!
I do miss hearing the wonderfully distinctive Bell 'whop' over London .. and elsewhere. Seem to recall one of the 222's visiting Epsom Downs one year.
StrangeSteve: A warm welcome to Rotorheads! Many thanks for posting these wonderful images of your father's days with REME on the previous page. We have a number of ex-REME 'drivers' on PPRuNe some of whom may recall this exercise.
Great to see the Scout in action .. and indeed the 47!
PA News: I remember the incident but couldn't recall what had caused the t/r failure. One imagines it was a 'healthy' bill that Bell had to pick-up!
I do miss hearing the wonderfully distinctive Bell 'whop' over London .. and elsewhere. Seem to recall one of the 222's visiting Epsom Downs one year.
StrangeSteve: A warm welcome to Rotorheads! Many thanks for posting these wonderful images of your father's days with REME on the previous page. We have a number of ex-REME 'drivers' on PPRuNe some of whom may recall this exercise.
Great to see the Scout in action .. and indeed the 47!
Thread Starter
Keith Wilson's now well advertised collection of rotary-wing photos gives us an opportunity to look, in a little more detail, at those remaining 206's which constitute the very first JetRangers which operated in Britain in the late 60's and during the 70's.
Keith's images have been collated (as previously mentioned) by David Haines and come to us with goodwill from both Keith and David.
Bell 206A JetRanger G-AWRI at Gloucester's Staverton Airport in October 1974 (Photo: Keith C. Wilson courtesy of David Haines)
AWRI was the 27th 206 registered in the UK and the 5th Bell example. She was bought by Air Hanson in October 1968 and sold to the Trident Television Group (which livery she wears in the above photo) in April 1972. In 1976 she was sold to a customer in France.
Agusta-Bell 206A JetRanger G-AWRV at Oxford's Kidlington Airport in March 1974 (Photo: Keith C. Wilson courtesy of David Haines)
AWRV was the UK's 28th 206 and was bought (presumably from Mann's) by Alexander Gilmore of Balmore, Torrance in Glasgow, also in October 1968.
The following year Gilmore sold 'RV' to Sagil Helicopters of Lynedoch Crescent, Glasgow and so, for a time, she remained a 'Celtic Ranger.'
Now I was going to have a go at 'Wiggy' for not raising this previously unheard of Sagil Helicopters .. until I realised that he did in fact mention them on page 39. Sorry Wiggy!
As mentioned back on page 39, these (below) were some of Scotland's earliest operators:
Burnthills
Fras-Air
Gleneagles
Kendall?
Kestrel
McAlpine
Peregrine
PLM
Sagil
If anyone has knowledge of any additional operators, please do chip-in.
Now that that truth is out about Hillsboro' and newspaper payments to police officers in London isn't it time someone demanded an Inquiry into the Met 222 purchase !
A more unsuitable buy at the time I couldn't imagine ,what with the noise levels and all !
A more unsuitable buy at the time I couldn't imagine ,what with the noise levels and all !
Last edited by heli1; 21st Nov 2012 at 15:48. Reason: Spelling
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I'm not sure that noise would feature, it wasn't seen as something operationally significant and certainly not socially significant - we've only got seriously prissy about noise relatively recently.
I'd have thought the vastly greater running running costs than the alternatives should have been questioned, as well as the over-long start-up times for what must have been visualised as a quick response unit - a major failing, wasn't it?
I'd have thought the vastly greater running running costs than the alternatives should have been questioned, as well as the over-long start-up times for what must have been visualised as a quick response unit - a major failing, wasn't it?
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H 1 - remember the time scale. Mid 70s to date is 35 years. A lot of people here were not born then. What mid/light twins were available? Bo 105, S76, Bell 212,A 109, Dauphin or Bell 222. With an original idea to have SWAT capability the B105 was too small and the S76 and B212 too large. No room in the back of 109 and no headroom in Dauphin.
After a couple of low hovers we operated normally at 1,000ft where you could see all you needed, use the loudhailer, and generally not create too much noise-what gets people is not the DB level but the beat, and avoid the F/W passing overhead.
AB -The prime task was the major consideration above running costs. We could easily get airborne in 2 minutes as in the B105. As a work environment it was fast (150kts initially) with a beautiful ride, low vibration, manoeuvrable and quiet. I once spent 9.5 hours flying one day with no discomfort.
Unfortunately the LTS101 let the aircraft down.
After a couple of low hovers we operated normally at 1,000ft where you could see all you needed, use the loudhailer, and generally not create too much noise-what gets people is not the DB level but the beat, and avoid the F/W passing overhead.
AB -The prime task was the major consideration above running costs. We could easily get airborne in 2 minutes as in the B105. As a work environment it was fast (150kts initially) with a beautiful ride, low vibration, manoeuvrable and quiet. I once spent 9.5 hours flying one day with no discomfort.
Unfortunately the LTS101 let the aircraft down.
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Sav,
The name Alexander is nicknamed 'Sandy' in Scotland.
Sagil hellicopters Is probably short for Sandy Gilmore.( a local garage owner )
Lynedoch Cresc in Glasgow is an area full of accountant's offices so it's maybe just a registered office.
You couldn't land a helicopter there, that's for sure.
Hope this helps.
Tarman
The name Alexander is nicknamed 'Sandy' in Scotland.
Sagil hellicopters Is probably short for Sandy Gilmore.( a local garage owner )
Lynedoch Cresc in Glasgow is an area full of accountant's offices so it's maybe just a registered office.
You couldn't land a helicopter there, that's for sure.
Hope this helps.
Tarman
Last edited by Tarman; 21st Nov 2012 at 19:54.
Thread Starter
Heli1: I think the rationale behind why Metpol went for such a noisy aircraft was explained on page 14 in the transcript of the conversation between the Bell Helicopter representative and the Police Commissioner (and from which post I PPRuNed the 222 shots above!).
Pofman: We mentioned the t/r failure and subsequent crash at Hatfield. Do you recall which t/r component had failed?
Tarman: That is an excellent piece of deduction! Makes sense when you look at it with that understanding. "The name Alexander is nicknamed 'Sandy' in Scotland." Yes well, the British and their nicknames!
Shane: That is a great clipping - and what a 'force' Gordon White and James Hanson would become in the years following this photo!
The caption states that the picture was taken in 1968 and my assumption is that it was taken at the end of the year (possibly December). Reason being .. the craft we can see with a company logo emblazoned on the fuselage is one of the David Brown JetRangers:
David Brown purchased their first 206 in August 1968 (the ubiquitous G-AWOL). The other 206 in the frame appears to wear a similar colour scheme and so I imagine this to be DB's second 206 which they purchased in November of the same year .. G-AWUC. Both AWOL and AWUC have featured on this thread but never wearing 'shorts' in red livery with the David Brown emblem so, this is a welcome image indeed, bravo!
Supplebottom: I think the aircraft in the middle is actually OO-TSM but .. close enough!
Pofman: We mentioned the t/r failure and subsequent crash at Hatfield. Do you recall which t/r component had failed?
Tarman: That is an excellent piece of deduction! Makes sense when you look at it with that understanding. "The name Alexander is nicknamed 'Sandy' in Scotland." Yes well, the British and their nicknames!
Shane: That is a great clipping - and what a 'force' Gordon White and James Hanson would become in the years following this photo!
The caption states that the picture was taken in 1968 and my assumption is that it was taken at the end of the year (possibly December). Reason being .. the craft we can see with a company logo emblazoned on the fuselage is one of the David Brown JetRangers:
David Brown purchased their first 206 in August 1968 (the ubiquitous G-AWOL). The other 206 in the frame appears to wear a similar colour scheme and so I imagine this to be DB's second 206 which they purchased in November of the same year .. G-AWUC. Both AWOL and AWUC have featured on this thread but never wearing 'shorts' in red livery with the David Brown emblem so, this is a welcome image indeed, bravo!
Supplebottom: I think the aircraft in the middle is actually OO-TSM but .. close enough!
Met 222 went to the Algarve
After retirement if my memory serves me correctly, they eventually ended up with Omni in Portugal.
My old company Rotortech Ltd when it was under Bond in the 80s did some mod / design work on the Heli-Tele for the Met 222.
Cheers
My old company Rotortech Ltd when it was under Bond in the 80s did some mod / design work on the Heli-Tele for the Met 222.
Cheers
The fault that had caused the original failure of the tail rotor drive was traced to the fatigue failure of an aluminium alloy spigot incorporated in the yaw control linkage of the tail rotor system, immediately to the rear of the engine bay. Following the fracture of the part the tail rotor became disconnected from the rudder pedals, thereby depriving the pilot of control and depriving the t/r of thrust. The drive to the rotating blade was unaffected, it was just turning ineffectually. In the crash the blades had suffered no obvious damage.
The part involved in the failure had recently been replaced under a Bell modification scheme. In the light of the AAIB findings the manufacturer accepted that the cause lay with their modification and agreed to fund and undertake the complete repair and refurbishment of the 222. Accordingly it was shipped across the Atlantic and rebuilt during 1985 and 1986.
Not quite what it says in the AAIB report but close.
The part involved in the failure had recently been replaced under a Bell modification scheme. In the light of the AAIB findings the manufacturer accepted that the cause lay with their modification and agreed to fund and undertake the complete repair and refurbishment of the 222. Accordingly it was shipped across the Atlantic and rebuilt during 1985 and 1986.
Not quite what it says in the AAIB report but close.
Thread Starter
PA News: Many thanks for this background info, much appreciated. It has filled a 'historical hole' for me!
Hughes 500C (369HS) G-AXPL (location as yet unidentified) as seen in April of 1974 (Photo: Keith C. Wilson courtesy of David Haines)
G-AXPL began life with Air Gregory at Denham in 1969. Then in 1970 she was sold to a Michael Pearson (The Hon.) aka the 4th Viscount Cowdray (he of Cowdray Park Polo Club). From the Cowdray estate she was registered to Bardsey Management of London in 1973 and then two years later was shipped-off to Australia where she became VH-PMY.
I should like to appreciate the significance of the 'HS' designation which follows the numerical designation '369' on this craft's registration document for those au fait with all things Hughes!
Hughes 500D (369D) G-BFAY at seen at Cranfield on 6th September 1979 (Photo: Keith C. Wilson courtesy of David Haines)
This craft was bought by Sloane Aviation in October 1977 and remained with them until moving to Yewlands Engineering of Ilford in Essex in 1981. She was only with Yewlands for three months before being returned to the US where she evidently became N29707.
Hughes 500C (369HS) G-AXPL (location as yet unidentified) as seen in April of 1974 (Photo: Keith C. Wilson courtesy of David Haines)
G-AXPL began life with Air Gregory at Denham in 1969. Then in 1970 she was sold to a Michael Pearson (The Hon.) aka the 4th Viscount Cowdray (he of Cowdray Park Polo Club). From the Cowdray estate she was registered to Bardsey Management of London in 1973 and then two years later was shipped-off to Australia where she became VH-PMY.
I should like to appreciate the significance of the 'HS' designation which follows the numerical designation '369' on this craft's registration document for those au fait with all things Hughes!
Hughes 500D (369D) G-BFAY at seen at Cranfield on 6th September 1979 (Photo: Keith C. Wilson courtesy of David Haines)
This craft was bought by Sloane Aviation in October 1977 and remained with them until moving to Yewlands Engineering of Ilford in Essex in 1981. She was only with Yewlands for three months before being returned to the US where she evidently became N29707.
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Mmmmm ....
I can actually remember when G-AXPL arrived in Melbourne ... I was then part of the engineering crew at Vowell Air Services (later to become 'Helicopter Resources') involved in the strip and rebuild for its CoA ...
IIRC one of our senior engineers got an all expenses trip to UK to do the prior purchase 'due diligence' (I think it was Kevin Gibson) on the machine ...
Anyway turned out to be a pretty good machine ... flew nicely and I seen to think it did a few trips to the Antarctic ?? ...
I can actually remember when G-AXPL arrived in Melbourne ... I was then part of the engineering crew at Vowell Air Services (later to become 'Helicopter Resources') involved in the strip and rebuild for its CoA ...
IIRC one of our senior engineers got an all expenses trip to UK to do the prior purchase 'due diligence' (I think it was Kevin Gibson) on the machine ...
Anyway turned out to be a pretty good machine ... flew nicely and I seen to think it did a few trips to the Antarctic ?? ...
