Scatsta Engineers Retire
 

So that's Vince Cain and Dave McNamara gone after all them years in Sumburgh/Unst/Scatsta - (they took Alan Price with them so it's not all bad!!)

All the best for the future, Guys

;)
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https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....fb883e6b3f.jpg

Scatsta Stalwarts gather for the farewell "Do" at the MBI
(Pete "El Pedro" Wood , Dave McNamara, Vince Cain, Keith Tomlinson and Ian Pearce ... looks like the Scatsta Branch of B.O.G.S !)

Best of luck old friends, worked with some of you in Unst over 30 years ago. A lifetime of service and many passengers owe their safe return home to your diligence and skill.

Wonder if Big Vince will take up geese hunting full time now ... :)

All the best to Vince, Dave & Alan, enjoy your retirement guys!

A picture of safe hands. All the very best Gentlemen :ok:

I worked with Vince and Dave in Unst for a couple of years. I have a slightly hazy recollection of sharing number of glasses of Vince's homebrewed cider.

Enjoy your retirement boys, you've certainly earned it! It was an honour to work with you!

Betty has never forgiven Vince for that.. only joking.

Not sure if he will be taking up welding either.???

I have already wished the boys all the best elsewhere but still, " All the best, now joining me in retirement." My days in Unst have to be some of the best times of my career and having known both Vince and Dave in a previous life, I can honestly say it was/is a pleasure to have worked and socialised with both over the last 45 odd years.
3D

Ian Pearce in pic.


After leaving my British Airways apprenticeship on fixed wing at Heathrow I joined Bristows at Redhill and was soon on my first detachment, between Christmas and New year if I remember rightly, with Pearcey.


It was to fit a third landing light to a Wessex at very bleak Hull! How we've all aged since then...sank a few pints in those early years between us and many a forgotten weekend in The Panther in Reigate!


I hope all the experience of our "practical" generation is being passed on to the newbies but I fear not. I, personally, haven't seen an apprentice for about 25 years!!!


Happy retirement guys.......only 6 years to go and I'll be joining you.

Best of luck in your retirement Dave and Vince.

Having worked with these guys I can say that it was probably the best team I have ever had the privilege to know and work with.

Scatsta, and perhaps the seats at the end of the MBI bar, will always have a fond place in my memory, you will be sadly missed, not only by the Scatsta operation but by the local community in Brae.

So tell me, is the tail of my plane still stuck into the side of the hangar?

Best of luck in retirement guys. Pleasure working with you all those years ago

Retirement is good!

I was on the S61N conversion with Alan P in 1973. What a lot of water has flown under the bridge since then

TC

Bristow Helicopters Biafra 1967
 

Its taken me some time...well nearly two years to dig into my archives. But here is a picture of Patrick O'Mara, Ex RAF, Bristow Helicopters Engineer in Port Harcourt, Lagos, in July 1967. He was the Engineer on many of the Helicopters there as well as being the Engineer / radio operator and Co-Pilot of the Riley Dove which they used for mercy missions. He is standing beside the Widgeon 5N-AGA which was eventually abandoned later that month. It was then appropriated by the Biafran Airforce. The Soldier standing by the Aircraft looks like a Nigerian solder to me not A Biafran. I don't know the identity of the pilot but some of you eagle eye rotorheads might know. I'm still trying to find his flying log book which has helicopter and Riley flights during this period.

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A short film by John Flexman

Goodness, there are some memories! Especially the rotten Capalonga..... :hmm:

Absolutely outstanding film !

NEO

Treasure Finder yes I remember G-BFVE with the fin I always forgot it was there and bumped into it on many occasions, great days brilliant film.

Memories
 

Thanks for the memories; Treasure Finder, 61's, Aberdeen and my time there in the late 70's on the 61.

Vince used to take me to work on the back of his BMW in Sumburgh when I was a young baggage handler in 1978... Great times, great guy...:ok:

As an employee in AUSBU thank you!. Fantastic footage. You are correct in that overall the company is fantastic to work for. :ok:

Would love to see more videos if you have any.

Please can Bristow people past and present read the request under the thread Bristow Tigers.Any help appreciated.

Here's the link to save people having to hunt for it.

http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/565373-bristow-tigers.html

Pilot Clive Wright..??
 

I recognise Pat O'Amara. The pilot looks very much like Clive Wright who became European General Manager when BHL's HQ was in North Block at Redhill, prior to the Main Building being completed in 1975. If it is Clive, I knew him well and he was the manager responsible for BHL's Manston SAR contract (May '71 - Sep 30 '74) of which I was chief engineer. Clive later became Manager of Middle Wallop. I know Clive had spent time in Africa with BHL. However, I could be wrong...