Noel Edmonds has quit flying helicopters..
 

This is mainly for the UK readers.

Shot an ident for Sky the other day with Noel Edmonds. And having heard he flies and own helicopters, I chatted a bit to him about it between takes.

Trained on a Bell 47. He said he'd owned a 206, a Squirrel (single engine) and an Augusta A109, which was his last helicopter. Apparently he flew it a lot between his house in Dorset and Northolt, mainly. He also used Battersea sometimes, he said. He loved the Squirrel the most, since it had so much extra power.

I asked why he got rid of the helicopter and he said he stays most of his time in France now and the communte would be to expensive and long in a helicopter. He also mentioned that he hadn't flown for some time now and when I asked about why, he said:

"You know - I have 4000hrs on helicopters and I've had my license for 23 years - I just recently lost a friend in a crash and I just come to the conclusion that I've kind of done that whole helicopter bit. It was great fun and I don't regret it, but today I'd rather spend the money on a private jet flight".

When I finally asked him if he'd flown the Hughes 500 (he hadn't) or any other type he enjoyed, he said that he'd been invited to fly the Sea King by the navy. Apparently they dropped some dude off in the sea and the instructor took it away and Noel had to fly it back to the drop point in pretty bad weather. He said that was the most challenging fun he'd ever had in a helicopter.

Adam,
He was very much into heles at one time. He not only flew/owned them himself, but was much involved in a wonderful charity called Airwave. This flew disabled kids. It used an AOC operator mainly. I used to fly some of their events and they are still some of my most memorable flights. That buzz that we all get from flying heles was also felt by those pax, some of whom had little else to be thankful for.
Unfortunately, the formula used was changed. It moved away from the original AOC operation. There was a very sad fatal accident where one of the pax was killed. As with many such situations, the media chose to hype the circumstances, and Noel and the blue chip companies sponsoring the arrangement dropped it. A great shame in my view, but understandable. It is yet another example of the sad consequences of accidents that extends far beyond the effect on those immediately involved.
He also has a scary event in his A109 I believe. Autopilot dropped out in flight or something similar with exotic consequences.......
It rather sounds like he has done his own risk assessment based on his experiences and those of his sady deceased friend.

I've heard variations on the A109 situation, not all of which blame the helicopter. I have no idea what is correct - this note is just to say "don't believe everything you hear here"

I think it's laudable for someone to realise limitations and give up gracefully like this. There's an R44 going around the UK with a registration which comes from the first word of a successful sandwich shop chain. One of the chain's two founders was its first owner, but he got scared and sold it.

I guess it keeps the insurance premiums down too, vicariously.

I think Noel has done a noble thing. As mentioned by Helinut, it looks as though he has done a risk assessment of his experience versus ability versus age and come to his own conclusion.

I started helicopters later in life (48) and realised that it is a young pilot's profession, or game if you leave it to recreational flying. I found that you need the reflexes and mental processing of a young mind.

There are of course helicopter pilots who have such massive experience that the deterioration in processing skills with age is countered by that experience. For me, one of the sharpest pilots who gave me instruction was nearing 60 at the time, but he had masses of hours North sea, world wide you name it. And he kept seriously fit, which may have something to do with it.

It is a point we all come to in aviation, when we must decide for ourselves, before an accident, a check pilot or a medical terminates our career. In the helicopter world, these three horses of the aviation Apocolypse seem to circle us earlier in life.

Although Noel did not make his living out of flying, he added to the professionalism of aviation which is the goal of a natural pilot.

FWIW

I think it's laudable for someone to realise limitations

I had some exposure with Noel at Alton Towers, and it struck me then that he had a good head on his shoulders with regard to weather, etc - he had certainly been well trained. Alan Mann, if I'm not mistaken.

phil

Sometimerz
 

Help me out Adam, was Noel one of the early DJ's on Radio One or Radio Caroline ?
In my youth when I still lived and worked in the old sod we only had Radio Luxumberg and Caroline (yes I can hear you, man he must be old )and the name seems to be familular with that era.

Have to go now, nurse says I have to stop playing with the computer.

Fly safe

I met Noel once when I flew some people in for a meeting with his ex-wife.

I sat with Noel the whole afternoon chatting & drinking tea, really nice down to earth guy.

Interesting. Noel told me he was giving up flying 10 years ago - he said that he had just heard the CAA had agreed to issue my PPL(H) and he didn't feel safe in the sky any longer. Nice.

I think the charity was actually called Airbourne, and it was definitely a shame that the Scottish accident brought it all to a close.

And I think he did Caroline and Radio 1.

Noel Edmonds was one of the best radio one DJ's, along with Dave Lee Travis, some of the best amusing radio ever heard, remember his shows early morning driving to work at Twyford Moors Helicopters Southampton in the early 70's.

Used to wash the car to his Sunday morning show. Good entertainment.

Phil

I used to watch a tv show of his in NZ. Cant remeber what it was called but it had Mr Blobby.
Was pretty funny stuff!!:}

God I remember them well. I used to listen to Noel on Radio Caroline and enjoyed his saturday morning swap shop too!! God thats sounds sad :D

As TTTE says, he's a 'really nice down to earth guy.'

About 25 years ago, I arranged through a friend in the BBC to take my nephew (then about 10) around the Television Centre including watching them make Multicoloured Swap Shop. We watched from the wings but, during a break, Noel Edmunds came over and spent some time chatting to my nephew. Just a small gesture, but my nephew was thrilled - not all 'friendly' tv personalities are as friendly/generous with their time behind the scenes.

FL

Swap shop. I remember that. Was the Phantom raspberry blower on that or was it Tizwas?

I thought that was The Two Ronnies!

Cheers

Whirls

The Phantom was a Two Ronnies character:eek:

A great radio presenter from way back when..., an innovator for Saturday morning and Saturday evening TV and I think a genuinely good hearted man.

And he never complained about all those pesky aircraft flying over his Devon gaff en-route from Cornwall to Wales and back, at all times of the day/night a few years ago for a couple of 'seasons'! Just saying hello Noel!

One day someone will go on Deal or No Deal and just go..., "5-18-12-3-14-1-22-6-10-16-2-20-7-9-15-4-8-17-11-19-21, and I'll have the box in front of me, number 13 please Noel!"

Tiswas was the Phantom Flan-Flinger :}

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/image...tiswas_203.jpg

Competed with Multi Coloured Swap Shop and was presented by Chris Tarrant (now of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?)

RC

He came through the BCal Exec Handling a few times and was a real gentleman. Even made the coffee for the staff one day when his destination was fogged in and he was at a loose end!

SilsoeSid wtf do all those numbers mean then? Does it show I have never seen that programme?