Alan Mann Helicopters (Nostalgia thread)
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 505
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From: Wiltshire, UK
It was a Brantly 305, G-ATSJ. Registration history from G-INFO - suddenly had an epiphany.
It was in the hangar when I started there in late 74, and festered there for years. Eventually was sold to goodness-knows-who and it disappeared by road.
A brief report of its demise is in Veeany's site here.
It's funny, but I remember it being in that hangar for longer than it evidently was.
G-NEWS
NEWS was a very dark green, easily confused with black at a distance.
It was in the hangar when I started there in late 74, and festered there for years. Eventually was sold to goodness-knows-who and it disappeared by road.
A brief report of its demise is in Veeany's site here.
It's funny, but I remember it being in that hangar for longer than it evidently was.
G-NEWS
Whether this was the black 206 to which PC refers I do not know
Last edited by TRC; 26th February 2012 at 19:06. Reason: Added SJ's obituary
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 114
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From: Head in the sky
G-LOCK
thanks for posting pic of G-LOCK, missing from my collection over the years !
As you refer to it being re-registered G-TPTR, I take it you mean c/n 8587 ?
This was infact the second allocation of G-LOCK, the original c/n 8592 was ntu & was re-registered in France.
As you refer to it being re-registered G-TPTR, I take it you mean c/n 8587 ?
This was infact the second allocation of G-LOCK, the original c/n 8592 was ntu & was re-registered in France.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,422
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From: Milano, Italia
G-ATSJ
Ah well, how swiftly one forgets! T'was only a year ago since (on the Nostalgia Thread) we were discussing G-ATSJ (pages 19 and 34).
She was of course bought from BEAS by the inimitable Tommy Sopwith (in 1966) and sold to Alan Mann in 1968. Freddie Wilcox also seems to have had a hand in brokering the sale between SJ's next owner (Sunderland Print) and her final owner, Robert Ryan.
G-ATSJ met with her demise in June 1977 when, according to the report:
Reading the 'contributary factors' cited by the driver, one could be excused for thinking he was flying in Malaya!
Ah well, how swiftly one forgets! T'was only a year ago since (on the Nostalgia Thread) we were discussing G-ATSJ (pages 19 and 34).
She was of course bought from BEAS by the inimitable Tommy Sopwith (in 1966) and sold to Alan Mann in 1968. Freddie Wilcox also seems to have had a hand in brokering the sale between SJ's next owner (Sunderland Print) and her final owner, Robert Ryan.
G-ATSJ met with her demise in June 1977 when, according to the report:
ON APPROACH, AT ABOUT 3FT AGL, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT 'OVERPITCHED', THE RIGHT WHEEL TOUCHED THE GROUND & THE HELICOPTER OVERTURNED. (AIB BULLETIN 8/77). CAA CLOSURE: POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTARY FACTORS MENTIONED BY PILOT WERE HIGH AMBIENT TEMP, HIGH ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, HIGH HUMIDITY & HIGH A/D ELEVATION (950FT AMSL).
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
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From: Wildest Surrey
Only the R44 (possibly a Jetranger too) at the moment and they're kept outside on the Eastern Helipads. The Hughes 269 at Chobham Helicopters is also parked outside but at the Western Helipads.
Starspeed have now taken over the hangar next to Chobham Helis.
Starspeed have now taken over the hangar next to Chobham Helis.
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Hants
800 feet 90 knots
Had a larf on Sat sat in a Heli-Air R66, flying from the Alan Mann dispersal into the Fairoaks circuit for the first time since 1987. Don't the cars look small?
Impressed with R66 performance but still the T-bar cyclic and tiny switches. Do people get used to these?
Anyway, far be it from me to close a thread but I, at least, have found closure on the Alan Mann story. The King is dead etc.
Impressed with R66 performance but still the T-bar cyclic and tiny switches. Do people get used to these?
Anyway, far be it from me to close a thread but I, at least, have found closure on the Alan Mann story. The King is dead etc.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,422
Likes: 3
From: Milano, Italia
AgustaBell 206B JetRanger III serial no. 8557 G-DOUG at Blackbushe on 20th October 1978 (Photo: Steve Fitzgerald)
G-DOUG was one of the first Agusta-built JetRanger III's delivered to the UK. The second, serial no. 8560 (G-OIML) was ordered by Ferranti.
Registered to Faioaks Aviation in August 1978 G-DOUG flew for the aircraft collector Doug Arnold prior to her acquisition by the Mackan Group in 1980 when she became G-MKAN.
In 1981 she was bought by T. Kilroe & Sons of Radcliffe, Manchester when she flew as G-TKHM. In 1984 she was bought by Red Rose Helicopters who sold her to Austria 1986 where she became OE-XBA.
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,308
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From: Cornwall
Westland Bell 47 G3B1 - ex AAC
Gilbert Greenall's WB47 awaits our arrival all loaded and ready for our flight to Paris - Issy Les Molyneux where Gilbert was about to attend Business School. Great guy - hope he is fit and well and enjoying the fruits of his considerable labours. Roy, Dave and Tom stand proudly beside the buffed -up ex Air Corps warhorse G-BHAR.
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 236
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From: UK
Sad to note that Alan Mann passed away yesterday (Tuesday)
Ford racing legend Alan Mann dies | Classic and Sports Car
M.E.
Ford racing legend Alan Mann dies | Classic and Sports Car
M.E.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,422
Likes: 3
From: Milano, Italia
Another legend passes into history. My condolences to Henry and the family.
It had been my intention to visit Alan to interview him for the Ferranti/Alan Mann site we are building but .. my delay in returning to Blighty has now meant this cannot (obviously) happen.
Alan spawned the development of what became for two good decades one of Britain's leading onshore helicopter outfits. His negotiation of the Agusta distributorship propelled Alan Mann Helicopters to the fore of the UK's private and early commercial market where Mann's were, as stated, a force to be reckoned with.
Unlike Ferranti, Hanson and others, Mann's were never hankered after recognition as an 'elite' organisation they instead, for the most part, just got on with the job and which endeared them to many.
In their day they were a truly wonderful company - one which contributed significantly to the advancement rotary-wing aviation in the UK.
RIP Alan
It had been my intention to visit Alan to interview him for the Ferranti/Alan Mann site we are building but .. my delay in returning to Blighty has now meant this cannot (obviously) happen.
Alan spawned the development of what became for two good decades one of Britain's leading onshore helicopter outfits. His negotiation of the Agusta distributorship propelled Alan Mann Helicopters to the fore of the UK's private and early commercial market where Mann's were, as stated, a force to be reckoned with.
Unlike Ferranti, Hanson and others, Mann's were never hankered after recognition as an 'elite' organisation they instead, for the most part, just got on with the job and which endeared them to many.
In their day they were a truly wonderful company - one which contributed significantly to the advancement rotary-wing aviation in the UK.
RIP Alan
