ecureilx

jpinx I think you need to use a different image host

photobucket or ImageShack

jpinx

I was trying to post them from the laptop, but there seems to be a block on that. I'll try again later.

Fwiw Eric - that's a squirrel

jpinx

Here's a couple more..
G-HOOK lifting live seals and G-BAFD on an exploration rig

http://picpaste.com/GHOOKIsleofMay-G0xbG0oT.jpg

http://picpaste.com/ScanImage005-DJ6IGVfD.jpg

We started out from the failed Gleneagle Helicopters that Tommy Dickson had funded, but never got enough work at a surviveable price. Alec Smith joined Tommy Dickson and the resurrected company was formed. Unfortunately there still wasn't enough work and they decided to sell the company to Patrick Orchard and myself, as we were the only 2 pilots/managers/dogs-bodys left

We started out with a one month lease on the last remaining 2 Jetrangers G_AWOL and G-AWLL. They were owned by Dickson motors and Kinross Plant (Alec Smith) but they were desperate to cash in, so we leased G-AZZB from AirHanson. When we got the training contract with ATS Perth, we had to expand quickly and got a Bell47 through Bill Bailey G-**VM and a 206A G-**YW which was soon converted to a 206B. We occasionally pulled in G-HOOK from Graham Taylor, and a 206L from a guy in the midlands whose name escapes me.

Burnthills were running the helicopter bus route Glasgow_FortWilliam (and other routes) based on government funding, but that soon dried up so we bought Burnthills Helicopters complete with G-WOSP and G-BAKT. That gave us a base in Glasgow for a while, but the charter market could not support an operation there without some other income, so we withdrew to Edinburgh where we were doing well. G-BAKT was sold off, G-AZZB was written off in a fiery crash (no injuries) and we acquired the Bolkow G-BAFD from British Caledonian. There was never any intention to do anything for the oil industry -- notoriously penny-pinching and late payers 'FD was used for fisheries patrols and similar - right up to when I was invalided out of the flying game.

Fortunately for us there was interest in the company and it was sold off -- me signing the papers from my hospital bed Pat continued flying for the new owners, I went to recuperate in the Adriatic. I lost touch with everyone when I went travelling -- living and working (non-flying) in Peru, New Zealand, etc I'd like to know what happened to the guys -- Paul Harbottle in particular was a mainstay, along with Eric Patrick, and Joanne MacIntyre who ran the office.

Gleneagle Helicopters Services (Scotland) Limited was a very special time for all those involved. Thank you.

Nigel Osborn

I did some casual flying in 1977 or so in a Bell 47 for Gleneagles Helicopters. I found them to be a great bunch & paid me every cent owed.

I also spent some time in YZ on North Sea flying.

Ah memories!

ericferret

I knew that!!!!

I spoke to Paul Harbottle recently, he spends his time bending spanners on Bell 47's.
Something of a niche job in the UK these days. I Haven't spoken to Eric Patrick for many years, I believe he was working for Black Isle helicopters at one point but that must have been almost 25 years ago.
I remember BAFD well and also when you had the sad remains of AZOM in the "Fire Station".
I also seem to have a vague memory of you coming down to Bourn to survey BAFD after it had been paint stripped and abandoned!!!!!

ShyTorque

There's a name from the distant past. In my school years I lived very near to Graham and his father, Dan, who used to fly together. As teenagers a whole bunch of us used their garden shed in the orchard as a den. I recall Dan drove an Aston Martin DB5, very cool, seeing as James Bond 007 drove one too.

jpinx

Glad to hear Paul is still going strong. Bell-47's are iconic and I am sure he has no shortage of customers - he knows that machine inside out.

Yes - indeed we took both Bolkows to make one work. I don't remember the details -- things were maniacally busy in those days. It was an engineering marathon, but the guys did very well to make BAFD work for the last couple of years before I was invalided out of flying and sold the company. I believe Bond bought it back after the new owners took over.

G-BAKT went to Kwik-Fit I seem to remember. YW was involved in that terrible fatal mid-air collision, and I don't know what happened to WOSP.

I've not used this forum to try to keep in touch before but I'd be very happy to hear from any of the guys who are still around.

wiganairways

G-BAKT doing pleasure flights in the Strathclyde Park Hamilton in 1985
Gleneagles had just purchased Burnthills

wiganairways

G-WOSP is still flying in Sweden SE-JIP i think,
and here is WOSP in Maxwell House livery

wiganairways

and one from further back 1980

ericferret

At one point BAFD was working for the Sussex police out of Shoreham. Paul asked me to drop in on it from time to time as it was a long way from home. The pilots were complaining about a tail gearbox oil leak that the operating company leasing the aircraft from Gleneagle had failed to fix although they had changed the seals more than once.

Several leaky ground runs left me slightly baffled but highly suspicious. Removal of the whole gearbox and tail rotor assembly revealed a large crack down the forward face of the gearbox
which clearly was not long for this world.

During this process I received an irate phone call from the operator demanding to know what the hell I thought I was doing carrying out maintenance during the day.
My comments are best left out of print.

Graham Taylor I also remember. He gave me a lift home in G-HOOK one weekend. Chickened out of landing on the adjoining school playingfield next to my house but dropped me off on the hill half a mile away!!!! We lived about 15 miles south of Grahams base. Actually I wonder if that flight was in Grahams previous aircraft G-BEJY, long time ago now almost 35 years. Grahams engineer was Mike Janes who although long retired is still going strong. Left me message on the answerphone last sunday.

griffothefog

Wow, blast from the past...
I worked freelance for John and Pat back in the late 80's (87 I think) when I was doing 1 week on/off with Bond on the 40's field in the 365N.
What a great bunch, always ponied up on time and some of the west coast scenery was to die for. Glad to hear JP is still alive and well
Marcus.

stacey_s

Now theres a name from the past, Mike Janes, he was my Chief Engineer at Twyford Moors 73/74.

S

ambidextrous

Then do you remember a pilto called Alec Parker, ex-paratrooper and if so, is he still about?
With fraternal greetings,
ambi

ericferret

Stacey

Sent you a PM.

vfr440

I met Alec flying a J/R in 1976-ish, he brought it up to Blackpool for maintenance. As I recall his employer was a truck company on the East Lancs road (?). Can't for the life of me recall the name, but remember seeing one of the trucks say 2 months ago and the (old) brain made the connection.


And delighted to hear Mike is still around, we had some good times around the mid 90s, myself at Manns, him at Veritair. Yes he did indeed retire and it's be VERY good to see him at some point. Thanks for the memory jogging! - VFR

Democritus

Memory is dim now re the 70's but might Alec Parker have been working for Suttons Seeds in the early/mid 70's?. Also vfr440's mention of maintenance at Blackpool at that time prompts me to ask if anyone knows what happened to Bob King and Matt Casey who had a maintenance outfit there?

jpinx

Marcus was one of our favourite free-lancers. Always on his game and thoroughly charming and professional. The customers loved him - and so did the girls in the office !!

On another note -- does anyone remember David George's brief foray into commercial helicoptering -- around 1973 I think. Guided by Peter Boitel-Gill we set off to conquer the world with some Hiller 12E's ferried back from a disposal sale in Belgium. Nick (the Greek) was chief engineer. We were based at Sywell and I had the honour of giving Ash his first shot at flying rotary-wings. His prior experience included just about every type of aircraft in the RAF as he had been a ferry pilot in the second war. He used to fly an old Moth around Sywell on quiet days. I believe he was about 80 years old then and as ATC he still struck terror into the hearts of visiting pilots.
Other names associated with Sloane Helicopters were Mike Horrell, Peter Nutting, and a link with Gordon Neal of G & SG Neal in Holbeach.
P.S. Nick-the-Greek was Chris Neoclaus. Light-bulb moment last night

ericferret

Bob King was working for Bond at Strubby. He retired to live on a barge on the French canals.
I haven't seen or heard of him for more than ten years.

I have a feeling that Matt died some time back but not sure about that.

At least one of the engineers from the old Sloane days Roy Huntingford is still with us, long retired.

Peter Nutting died many years ago.

jpinx

Roy was a great guy -- he took care of the 12E at Management Aviation back in about 1972. That was a fun place to be in those days with Dave Bond larger than life and frequently blowing his top. "Curly" Truslove was ops manager but spent a fair amount of time keeping the lid on things. Wayne Janisch worked there at the same time as me - we went through the Avigation college course together just before to get the civilian licence. He was from South Dakota if memory serves. I believe he went back there to sell insurance. The Bonds launched North Scottish Helicopters towards the end of my time there and the first Bolkow 105 showed up then too. Mike and Jeff Bond were the only ones who flew it at first. The rest of us were doing electic line patrol and forestry spreading.

P.S. Just remembered Roy's bionic knees !! He was mad about bikes and had baled out a few times I gather...