HELIDAYS 2010 @ Weston-super-Mare
Just beating the air into submission!
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well I'm home from my rota in Doha and I live in Somerset. So yes I'm going, if only to those old mates of moine that I haven't seen in ages and cheese them off by telling them how much I earn a month! 
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: GREAT BRITAIN
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BUMP! Don’t forget about the MC-130 and HH-60 Aerial Refuelling Demonstration at 1200 LOCAL tomorrow. There is a very strong possibility that this will be the last ever “Helidays” so let’s go out in style and get as many PPRuNers there as possible! Like the Mildenhall Air Fete, you won’t realize how much you miss it until it has gone!
Not the council or health and safety ,as they have been very supportive....more a question of running out of steam I suspect after 20 years and rising costs/loss of sponsorship.
Perhaps if there is a good turnout this year and an input of new volunteers to help the organisers might be persuaded to continue?
Perhaps if there is a good turnout this year and an input of new volunteers to help the organisers might be persuaded to continue?
Guest
Posts: n/a
Thanks 500e, scanner loaded and standing by. Just the one frequency, Beach Lawns Tower, the Heli Museum uses hand paddle signals. Ann says two A109s are there already.
I heard the problems are insufficient volunteers and lack of financial support from the council. Not sure which council, we have two tiers, one for Weston-super-Mare and one for North Somerset, both based in WsM.
edit
Weston Mercury report
Weston-super-Mare Town Council
I heard the problems are insufficient volunteers and lack of financial support from the council. Not sure which council, we have two tiers, one for Weston-super-Mare and one for North Somerset, both based in WsM.
edit
Weston Mercury report
Weston-super-Mare Town Council
Last edited by mike-wsm; 24th Jul 2010 at 08:50. Reason: disambiguation
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Insufficient volunteers is a good way of putting it, as is rising costs and lack of sponsorship. Andrunning out of steam is another! ... Personally I don't have an ounce of puff left in me ... let alone steam!
There is a petition going round the Helidays site to save the event. PLEASE don't sign it. I would hate to think I've made this cake for nothing.
There is a petition going round the Helidays site to save the event. PLEASE don't sign it. I would hate to think I've made this cake for nothing.
misbee
Inject a fair amount of brandy in cake put in tin & seal, will last for years or so my old Gran said (perhaps another 20)
Am away this weekend her indoors reminded me in rather a forceful way, something like"if you think a day or so at W-S-M is a substitute"
Inject a fair amount of brandy in cake put in tin & seal, will last for years or so my old Gran said (perhaps another 20)
Am away this weekend her indoors reminded me in rather a forceful way, something like"if you think a day or so at W-S-M is a substitute"
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hmmmmph. I can think of a much better use for Brandy ...
Crumbs ... How could anyone not want to come to Weston for a day or two or three? I'm still accepting bookings if anyone doesn't have a better offer.
Crumbs ... How could anyone not want to come to Weston for a day or two or three? I'm still accepting bookings if anyone doesn't have a better offer.
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,573
Received 417 Likes
on
220 Posts
I requested details by email via the website and got no reply! Too late for me, now.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Friday - Day One of Helidays 2010
Quite a few military choppers present including two Belgian A109s, Sea King from Chivenor, Pave Hawk, plus Police-01 and an R22. Bell 47G-5 G-BAXS was there looking beautiful as ever. The Ring Rotor Bug looked nice too.
Aerial activity included the 'flight refuelling' display by MC-130 and Pave Hawk, the MC-130 trailing two drogues and Hawk coming as close as was permitted. One of the A-109s gave an impressive ten minute aerobatic display including most of the manoeuvres seen on their YouTube videos.
Ride the display here
Plenty of spotters from uk and Europe taking pics and noting numbers, several scanners seen in use, can confirm the approach frequency is 130.675MHz.
Aerial activity included the 'flight refuelling' display by MC-130 and Pave Hawk, the MC-130 trailing two drogues and Hawk coming as close as was permitted. One of the A-109s gave an impressive ten minute aerobatic display including most of the manoeuvres seen on their YouTube videos.
Ride the display here
Plenty of spotters from uk and Europe taking pics and noting numbers, several scanners seen in use, can confirm the approach frequency is 130.675MHz.
Last edited by Senior Pilot; 23rd Jul 2010 at 20:48. Reason: Embed YouTube link
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Shytorque ... I'm really sorry about that, I can't reply to emails during the day as I don't seem to be able to access them from the beach lawns using my iToy (we don't have that wonderous 3G access here) - I have tried to catch up this evening and have also set up an autoreply message for the emails which gives further details.
Hopefully it's not too late ... an email send via the website or direct to westonsuper @ helidays.freeserve.co.uk (without the gaps!) will get you the info, and also tell you how to go about joining us.
Hopefully it's not too late ... an email send via the website or direct to westonsuper @ helidays.freeserve.co.uk (without the gaps!) will get you the info, and also tell you how to go about joining us.
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,573
Received 417 Likes
on
220 Posts
misbee, thanks for replying here but I have made alternative plans for the weekend now. 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: South of the North Pole
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The museum does of course have some influence on the local council - well, at least via this councillor.... Would you agree, Heli1?
It would indeed be sad if the museum is running out of volunteers they could divert down to the beach lawns for a few days. If the organisers of the helidays (from the museum) are running out of steam, does this mean the museum is too? Hope not, as it's always a good visit there!
It would indeed be sad if the museum is running out of volunteers they could divert down to the beach lawns for a few days. If the organisers of the helidays (from the museum) are running out of steam, does this mean the museum is too? Hope not, as it's always a good visit there!
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Last time I looked I wasn't from the museum (yes some of the weekend volunteers are but certainly not all of them!) and I'm the one who has run out of steam so I think the museum must be safe!
Have to agree though, I paid a visit to the museum a couple of weeks ago for the first time in a few years and it's looking great.
Have to agree though, I paid a visit to the museum a couple of weeks ago for the first time in a few years and it's looking great.
Spare Seat Offered to Helidays
I have one spare seat in the front of a 109 going to HeliDays leaving this morning around 1145 local from Redhill free to anyone who understands what deodorant is (flown with some smellies before, not good) !
If anyone wants a free one way trip to WSM Helidays today 24th July 2010 call me 07775631465.
You must be willing to sort yourself out at the other end though, with regards to transport back to Redhill we are only staying 2 hours and I will be continuing on Northbound after that.
If anyone wants a free one way trip to WSM Helidays today 24th July 2010 call me 07775631465.
You must be willing to sort yourself out at the other end though, with regards to transport back to Redhill we are only staying 2 hours and I will be continuing on Northbound after that.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Saturday - Day Two of Helidays 2010
On Saturday Beach Lawns was packed with interesting aircraft, headed by a nice pair of vintage Brantley B.2B, the Heli Museum fielded c/n 446 G-OAPR, posing beside a sleek Jaguar with matching number plate, whilst c/n 481 G-AWDU stood nearby.
The Chivenor Sea King was back in again to provide cover, and made a nice pass along the beach before landing. The Belgian A109 repeated yesterday's spectacular aerobatic display early afternoon.
Other military machines present, in no particular sequence, were: the Pave Hawk whose crew were great favourites with local young ladies, RAF Recce ZS703 Bell Griffin from RAF Valley, a German Sea King from Glucksburg, ZR322 Royal Air Force AW-109E and Belgian A109s H23 and H28.
Civils included the Air Ambulance, R44 G-OHAM, Gazelle G-CBGZ, Bell 47G G-BAXS, G-BXTV Bug 2, Heliflight 04, Enstrom 280FX G-PBYY, G-SAMP A109 11673, G-JANI R44 and N2742 Hughes 500.
The Chivenor Sea King was scheduled to depart last but suffered a hydraulic leak so had to remain grounded. Another is expected tomorrow. The closing music was the Holy Modal Rounders "If you want to be a Bird" which conjured up happy memories of Jack Nicholson in baseball helmet holding his arms wide on the pillion of Peter Fonda's Harley and the antics of the late and much-missed Dennis Hopper on his Harley alongside.
Apologies for any errors or omissions. Looking forward to pics posted by folk with proper cameras.
Have to agree with ppheli, if it wasn't for the Councillor this event would never have started and the North Somerset Council obviously fully cooperates.Sad that the WSM town council gives no help at all so obviously his influence is limited !
Great line up again this year though so congrats to all and really hope people all rally around so that it can continue.
Great line up again this year though so congrats to all and really hope people all rally around so that it can continue.