Reference Post #2065, 14th picture showing "...Duri based 206 after non-fatal tail rotor failure". if I remember correctly, this accident was caused by incorrectly installed tail rotor driveshaft bearing hangars. They were fitted using the diagram in the IPB for guidance, unfortunately unknown to the mechanics the diagram was wrong and showed the spring-loaded clamps on the opposite (wrong) side. As luck would have it, on this particular helicopter, one of the bearings failed and eventually seized. In this situation, the spring-loaded clamp should have opened-up (under the rotational influence of the seized bearing) and allowed the entire bearing to rotate in the hangar giving the helicopter time to get on the ground. But instead, the rotation of the tail rotor driveshaft caused the clamp to grip the seized bearing tighter until the driveshaft failed.

As can be seen from the photograph, the helicopter made a reasonable landing under the circumstances (i.e. jungle-like terrain) but unfortunately a tree stump penetrated the pilots side of the cockpit (see photograph) and caused major injuries the pilot. He was a tall, lanky Austrian who eventually ended up, if I remember correctly, with a steel pin in his hip (?) before eventually resuming flying duties. By the way, he was also a keen amateur photographer and cook, I still have one of his photographs on my wall. The last time I saw him he was flying 212's in Iran.

The incorrect IPB diagram was quickly identified and corrected, following this Bell sent a letter to all operators telling mechanics not to use the diagrams in the IPB for assembly guidance - the letter emphasized that the IPB was for part identification only and that the maintenance manual must be used for assembly work. Sadly, even today, I see many mechanics going to the IPB to determine which-parts-go-where.

Indonesian leftovers
 

Having cracked most of a Bell 412 C-check, and suffered a short notice CAA annual audit.......plus a PT6 engine change...got to be one of the most time consuming engine changes of any aircraft.....all those b****y firewalls!!! Bring back the 205.........

Indonesian leftovers

A few pictures from a variety of Indonesian locations...............

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...sc/205skip.jpg

Moving a seismic team.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...05clearing.jpg


Serolungan, pilot Hugh Smith.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...isc/205hut.jpg



http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...onesia_big.jpg


Sometimes it's the only option.........

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...12andigger.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...20misc/jv3.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ndiepkhbo1.jpg


....and a couple from Badak, the base being two pics sellotaped together! No doubt there would be an "Ap" to do it nowadays.....

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a.../badakbase.jpg




http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...c/badak206.jpg


Might have posted these way back but as they are good pics it'll put them in context.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...HBUSumatra.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/CPIDuri3.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/CPIDuri4.jpg


The previous two pics have obvious downwash........this one doesn't...looks weird??

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/CPIDuri1.jpg



http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...sc/205jung.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...durisunset.jpg
end

Indonesian People
 

Indonesian People 1 of 2

As usual the original pics were rather small so I've blown them up a little which makes them a little blurry.......


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...durigroup3.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a.../barduriin.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...barduriout.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...rigroup_cn.jpg

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...durigroup2.jpg

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...durigroup1.jpg

This was the bird involved in the bird strike a few posts ago....ended up on co-pilot's seat

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...irdstrike2.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a.../ppduri205.jpg

Indonesia, Jim Hubbell
 

Indonesia, Jim Hubbell

Before I finish off Indonesia with people 2, a short article.

Thanks to Jim Hubbell for the following information on Bristow operations in Indonesia, sent in for the original web site

I'm not in the helicopter business, but worked for many years in Indonesia using Bristow-Masayu helicopters. I knew a lot of Bristow people who were there between 1969 and 1985. I have a number of photographs taken in various places, such as Lhoksukon, Sumatra (1969--Mobil Oil job), Jambi, Sumatra (1981), and Borneo near Samarinda on a Huffco job.

My company was GSI, Geophysical Service Int./ aka earlier as ISSA, Indonesia Surveys, S.A.. We operated a number of crews for Caltex over the years, and had base camps in Duri, Dumai, Rumbai, Muaratembisi (Jambi), where Bristow provided support for moving our field crews and supply transport.

The black and white photos below are of PK-HBF, shot about 1970 or early 71. If I recall, (Fred) Dermawan began working for Bristow in the Lhoksukan seismic operation for Mobil Oil. The seismic company was ISSA, Indonesia Surveys S.A., and we were based a Lhoksukon, Sumatra, in Aceh near the coast on the northeast end of Sumatra. He eventually became one of the wheels running the Indonesian operation in Jakarta. These pictures of him were the first time he actually flew on the job--from what I remember and what he told me.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ll/jimhub1.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ll/jimhub2.jpg


The Chief Pilot was Bill Pollard. Another pilot on the job was *******, an American who left after pranging PK-HBC (or something similar), a new 206. He hung the cargo net on the skid at the rear (before there was a cable to prevent it), and the "helicopter co-ordinator" signalled him to lift off.. Instead of lifting, he went over and the main rotor hit the ground. It came apart like a cheap watch.

HUFFCO operation. Bristow was at Badak. This one was taken at the GSI field base camp at Lambonang, SW of Samarinda.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ll/jimhub3.jpg


It is a small village on a tidal creek, and we rented a house there. Bristow used our pad as a fuel staging area for a rig they were moving during the time I took the picture. Normally the 206 was the only helicopter that landed there. We used it occasionally for scouting and supplying the field when we were working away from timber roads or waterways.

5th picture down of Duri 1974, guy on the right biting his finger is Stan Chapman. Stan was in the original engineering team that set the operation up in 1968, Chas House, Dave Hingly, Dennis Gillman, John Cromwell and the late Harry Luffman were others in the team, Bob Potts was the Chief Engineer. Some of that team were on board the BOAC 707 heading for Singapore that had an engine fire on take off at LHR, came back and evacuated.

The late Barry Newman was the Manager, John Odlin the CP, other pilots were Jack Trigg, Tony English, John Waddington, Gabby Gaard and the late Dave Barnes. Jack Brannon was the crew coordinator.

Is Stan Chapman and his brother Eric still alive? Does anyone know?

Indonesian people
 

Indonesian People 2

To finish off Indonesia..................

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...uripeople4.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...uripeople3.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...uripeople2.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...uripeople5.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...uripeople1.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...localshift.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a.../duristaff.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a.../duritiger.jpg

Iran next..........................

PK-HBU

Still lives on as N205HQ

Last flew it as VH-NST in 1989 and it had ~19,500 hours on it then!

Great machines. :D

Iran
 

Iran 1

"......the decision to pull out of Iran was not taken lightly, severing a link which was forged in 1956......."

Bristows were in Iran for 23 years ( 1956-1979) with bases/staging posts all over the country so I'll skip a map for this one.

Teheran, Khorramshahr, Bahregan Oil Centre, Kharg Island, Shiraz, Bushehr, BICC, BOC, BAFQ, Kerman, Resaleigh, Galehmurghi, Lavan Island, Boshire, Baragan, Geotronics, Kerman, Yazd, Tabas, Rashed, Razir, Gach Saran and Khosrovabad are all places which have appeared in various people's e-mails, Bristow archives and the "request for information" sheets I sent out many years ago. Some of the spellings are no doubt rather dubious and trying to trace them in my favourite 1961 atlas also came up with a lot of blanks so I won't try to put them all on a map at this stage!

I bet this web page below doesn't "go viral" but a useful reference with the multiple registrations some of the old machines use to carry. With Iran coming to an end the year I joined Bristows I was to spend the next 24 years working on a variety of ex-Iran 212s. I would assume all the G-reg machines were Bristows but some, such as EP-HBF, never made UK registration.

ROTORSPOT - Complete Civil Rotorcraft Register of Iran

About forty pics for Iran from a number of people who I mostly can't remember!

So we start with Vintage Iran.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...lysgordon3.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...lysgordon8.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...lysgordon5.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...lysgordon7.jpg

A couple of Whirlwinds on contract to IPAC (Iran Pan American Oil Company) which operated at a place called Khosrovabad, about 20 miles south of Abadan, which was an old abandoned oil camp from Mossadeq's time. As you can see, the rotors are perfectly synchronised which was achieved by judicial use of the rotor brake..........or so the story goes. Ian Clark and Ken Bradley being the pilots. Circa 1960

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...Iran/iran1.jpg



http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...giranhorse.jpg


Whirlwind, EP-HAK at the summit of Mt. Neizar, 1970.
The aicraft was detached from Khorramshahr to help with the installation of microwave stations.
Crewing:- Eng. Colin Miller, Plt. D.Smith.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...an/cmiran1.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...an/cmiran2.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...n/cmdsiran.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...lysgordon4.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a.../Iran/jv12.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a.../Iran/Shah.jpg

AODA is in the Helicopter Museum,sadly post Gnome conversion but the museum also has a set of those enormous floats but no idea how to fit them,assuming they would still inflate after all this time!

Iran
 

Iran 2


Types known to have operated in Iran include WS 55s, Bells 47, 204, 205, 206, 212, Allouette 3 and HS125.
This is Bell 205, EP-HBK awaiting its next task.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...Iran/iran2.jpg


Bristows had a long contract with the German geo-seismic company, Prakla. They were endeavouring to map out the Iranian countryside in terms of possible mineral deposits and to this end Bristows were tasked with moving the associated equipment from base to base. The pink caravan was a mobile workshop from which an aircraft could be maintained.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...Iran/iran3.jpg


A typical base camp with a Bell 212 and the mobile workshop visible. The bases were operational for, typically, 3 months and surveying would be carried out in the mountains in Summer and on the plains in the Winter.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...Iran/iran4.jpg



Conditions could be fairly basic as can be seen and stories of people waking up with frost on the sleeping bag have been heard.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...Iran/iran5.jpg


Prakla mobile homes, 1978.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...obilehomes.jpg



Prakla toilet, 1978. Susequently destroyed by wayward US drone strike.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...n/kdtoilet.jpg


A couple of Sundowners.......Levan Island.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...undowners1.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...undowners2.jpg


The hangar at Zagros. Most types operated from here. The sign on the hangar door says Iranian Helicopter Aviation Company who were Bristows partners.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...Iran/iran6.jpg


One of the mobile laboratories having just been delivered by a 212, in the background. These were hooked up by miles of cable to geo-phones which would pick up acoustic feedback from the surrounding strata after a series of explosive charges were detonated.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...Iran/iran7.jpg


Aircraft could make up to 70-80 landings per day ferrying the labs, interconnecting cables, explosive charges and personnel. This is Bell 212 VR-BEE on a typical task. Engineers also doubled up as load masters.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...Iran/iran8.jpg


Bell 206, EP-HAR, operating out of Bagharan.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...nb206ephar.jpg


Iran Zagros base. EP-HAY Bell 206A and EP-HAM Agusta Bell 204 with Gnome engine.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...n/fpzagros.jpg

Iran
 

Iran 3

47s, Allouettes, 212s and a bit of a 206!

Back of photos: Bristow archives.
"Military training in Iran"


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...eb47iran70.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...dieiran47s.jpg



An Allouette 3 probably in Iran. The sign says "Welcome to Gunis".

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...sallouette.jpg


Iran Lavan Island base.
EP-HAD Allouette 3 coming into hover.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...n/fplavan1.jpg



Iran Lavan Island base.
EP-HAD Allouette 3 with S55 in back ground.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...n/fplavan2.jpg


......and a picture I've posted before.......


That was taken by Sr. Captain Gunter Burmeister, who is now in Nigeria. It was taken in 1975 while working on the BICC contract at Bavush, Iran. We were engaged to help build a high tension power line that required lots of serious longline underslung load work. The base camp was at 7200 feet msl and the average work site was at 4500 feet msl with outside air temperatures approaching +45 C during the summer. Landed one sling load at 13,000 feet while on that job. The pilot in the Alouette 3 is none other than myself....thirty pounds lighter and a whole lot more hair in those days. That very well may have been the Alouette that crashed later and was written off. Burmeister was the pilot at the time of the crash. The aircraft lost a tail rotor gear box and came to rest on a very steep mountain slope.

Ralph Chappell


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...persia_big.jpg


.........and a few 212s...

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...an/212iran.jpg

Zagross 1975

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...agross1975.jpg


http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ightprakla.jpg

.........and after the pull out, at Redhill.....a few of these are probably still flying somewhere today.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...12slorries.jpg

Who is the guy surfing one of them................

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...edhill_big.jpg

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...hill11212s.jpg


........and finally....a bit of 206................

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ran206cowl.jpg

Surfing
 

The surfer on the Redhill 212's looks like Billy Denman.

The fat git standing on the skid of 'CF in post #2065 is me!

Iran people
 

Hey, you ole Bristow chaps from Iran will remember Terry Watts? Sadly I didn't belong to the elite who worked Iran in the '70s since I was in Canada with Okanagan. :ouch: But I had the great pleasure of working with Terry when he migrated South from Dollar in Coventry and became QM at Denham and later Blackbushe in the late 90's. He was with me on the Tech Committee of BHAB (now BHA) right up to his retirement in 2001/2.

IIRC he retired to a 'rural' farmhouse in the Loire valley with his own personal vineyard :D .......... & a co-operative winery just down the road.:eek:

I went off to the sandpit for 3 1/2 years and no-one I've spoken to since that time has heard of him. Anyone give me a steer, phone, landline, e-m? VERY much appreciated if you can :ok: Best ~ VFR

Sorry I have not heard of Terry for many years.

I worked for Terry in Iran whilst on Seis 4, great bloke to work for so I recall. He certainly helped keep us out there after a visit by Bill Petrie(God rot his soul :mad:).

As for EP-HBF the Allouette 3, I flew up from Zagross with the 212 and helped undersling her off the side of the mountain after her unfortunate demise.

Italy
 

Italy

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a.../map_italy.gif



In 1996 Bristows deployed an S76 to Helitalia, an associate company, to operate on a contract awarded by Enterprise Oil to support an offshore drilling programme.
The aircraft operated out of Brindisi with a short round trip time of approximately half an hour.

Carrying the Helitalia logo, S76 G-BVKP awaits the next sortie under moody Italian skies.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...rindisis76.jpg

Odd Jobs
 

Taking a break from bases..........................an interlude....

Odd Jobs

Over the years Bristow Helicopters have been tasked with a wide ranging variety of missions. Here are just a few of the more unusual.


A Yarmouth based Wessex under-slinging the one millionth Ford Cortina across to Belgium.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ob_cortina.jpg

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...wessexart8.jpg


This Hiller 12 is carrying a guy in a Superman outfit hence the slogan on the float. It is circa 1960, possibly in Trinidad, the pilot being B.B. and the aircraft operated by British United Airways.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...b_superman.jpg


Parking on the apron was not treated lightly in the old days as can be seen in this early picture of the Stuffins van being "towed" away as the owner looks on horrified.
Circa 1965 Bristow Wessex 60 about to lift a 17 cwt van at Redhill.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ssexandvan.jpg


Wessex G-ASWI carrying Dinosaurs - no, not the crew but real dinosaurs on their way to the "Black Gang Chine" theme park on the Isle of Wight.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...xdinosaurs.jpg



Oil company Conoco paid for a nurses van to be underslung to the island of Foula, West of Shetland, Capt Bob Innes, Cop Terry Wolfe- Milner and crew Gerald Flaws and Alan Taylor with Vince Cain on the ground. Dated 27th May 1976.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...bnursescar.jpg



18th February, 1980. Crewed by Capts Russ Smith, Peter Cole and crewman Gerald Flaws, S61 G-BDIJ rescues a Loganair Islander which had ended up in a stream on the island of Rousay when touching down in a gale.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...obislander.jpg


Duncan Leech writes (wrote!): This postcard turned up at Aberdeen University shop. The Bell 206 was at Inverness in the early 70s.
The pilot is believed to be Paul Gliddon (2nd from the right).

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...hspitfires.jpg


No details on this one.
It is a picture of Wessex G-AVNE underslinging a minivan whilst winching.
Trials for the first R.A.C. get you home service!?

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...0Jobs/jv26.jpg

Dave Ed: The Bristow thread was one of the first of the 'longer' threads that I trawled through over a period of time after joining PPRuNe. It remains one of my favourite and this is made so in no small measure due to your magnificent contributions. Fantastic! :D

There are some splendid memories captured here and I have especially enjoyed the photographic contributions of Alan Biles, Gabra1, HOGE, he1iaviator, Rosh, Schinthe, Soggyboxers, S61-S92 and of course .. Tail-take-off .. to mention but a few!

Thanks for the appreciation Savoia :)
About another 600 pics should wrap things up from me!

They may not be the best resolution images ever taken but I am great believer that in the world of media it doesn't matter how many pixels, how BIG the TV screen, how many stars in the film. ......It all comes down to the story/content. Many of the greatest moments in TV/films/images have been captured in low resolution, grainy, old black and white.

Savoia

I'm very glad that you enjoy this thread. 17 years & 2 employers later I still look back at my short time with Bristows with great nostalgia, & follow every post here avidly although I've contributed very little recently.

The inspiration for starting the thread was the demise of Dave Ed's Skyweaver site which was a wealth of fascinating information, photos & anecdotes. Many of which would never be allowed into any official company history. I find it very pleasing that Dave has seen fit to start migrating his material over here. Keep it up Dave!

TTO