PPRuNe Forums - Bristow Photos

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Ed (Post 8131698)

Ferry Land

Many off us have faced the interesting challenge of ferrying aircraft by land, sea or air. I remember one of my Cyprus 412s arriving by lorry at Redhill 11 years ago....here are a few others......

There are many reasons why helicopters are moved about by lorry :
- It may have been damaged in an accident and needs to be transported to a place of repair.
- It may need transporting to the docks, in kit form, for an onward journey by ship.
- Scrapped or out of "useful life" machines need moving to museums or breakers yards.
- etc etc.

Below are just a few examples of the jobs carried out by Redhill's transport team.

29th April 1986.
Westland Widgeon from Warden Park school, Cuckfield, Sussex to British Rotorcraft Museum, Weston-Super-Mare, Avon.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ferryland1.jpg

13th May 1986.
Westland Whirlwind, ex Warden Park school, on its way to East Midlands Aero Park, Donington, Derby.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ferryland2.jpg

6th March 1986.
Westland Wessex about to board the Red Funnel ferry at Southampton on its way to Cowes, Isle of Wight. Probably on its way to the breakers yard. Sad.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ferryland3.jpg

13th March 1986.
Bell 212 arriving at Redhill's main hangar after a pick up from Tilbury Docks.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ferryland4.jpg

April 1993.
Transportation of Aerospatiale SA321F Super Frelon from Marignane to The International Helicopter Museum,Weston-Super-Mare.
At the time this was probably the largest helicopter to be moved by road in Europe and took a total of ten days.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ferryland5.jpg

Early nineties.
A couple of Bell 212s departing Redhill on their way to a UN contract in Somalia.

http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...n212slorry.jpg

"Rotor Runner II" and "Blade Runner II" - 1999.
"RR II" has a Tiger on board.

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

Wow these pictures take me back to my childhood. I believe all these pictures are of my uncles trucks and more spesifically jobs that my uncle did. If you have anymore please let me know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by heli1 (Post 8131878)

Great to see those transport pix. Alan and later Bryan Collins were great supporters of the BRM/ Helicopter Museum and we built a great rapport with the very professional transport team. The most interesting move was moving the Hind from East Germany to Weston super Mare.
We were told to reduce the height to 13ft 9in as I recall to fit on their especial low trailer.We did that but when the trucks arrived they discovered the bridges were lower than in the west.....Our team had to work through the night to reduce the height still further and to avoid the convoy missing the booked ferry back from the Hook of Holland. Great memories and many thanks to those guys.it was a great shame when the company later closed down the transport department and outsourced.Thos guys really knew what they were doing and we had absolute trust in them. Thanks wherever you are.

This is a story I have heard a few times, my uncle was driving the lorry. It's really nice of you to take the time to thank the transport team. As a boy, he would take me all over in his truck. Of all the jobs he did, Bristows is the one he speaks of the most. He loved that job, he loved the challenge of turning up to a field, in the snow and helping to recover a helicopter, or going to France and picking up new heliporters. He said it offered challenges that no other job did. He always most fondly of the people though, the people of Bristows and the many other companies he dealt with, he always had a soft spot for the engineers and the amazing things they could do with very little, in the middle of a field, surrounded by snow lol

You're right, it was a shame they closed it down

Helicoptersandbananas

[QUOTE=Dave Ed;5494054][B][U][FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3]
There are two of my accidents in these pictures one is a tail rotor drive failure and the other was a fire in flight where the fuel tank blew up on a spray turn. I was not injured in either of them.

Is George Arnold and John Dumville still around, also Colin Scott?
There were some contractors Don Deal, Alex Hay and several others, does anyone know of their whereabouts?
I remember:
Graham Woods
Paul Hill
Derek Cook
Keith Davidson
Pete "Smokey" Smith
Tony Coyne
and many others

John Dumville is about but works elsewhere,
Paul Hill died in an aircrash
Derek Cook passed away a few years ago now,
I believe keith Davisdoson also passed (C)
Smokey Smith is retired,
Graham and Tony - not sure

Not heard of George Arnold for years or Colin Scott

Not sure if anyone on here remembers him, but Mike Moran passed away earlier this year.

Parkinsons I believe. He'd battled it for a long time.

NEO

Sad to hear that NEO, remember Mike well from various courses at Flight Safety WPB where he was an instructor after leaving Bristow.

I am also really very sad to hear that. I flew with Mike many times. Mike, Daphne and Sanna were friends. MJM was a great Training Captain, we used to have fun working together and we used to laugh until we could laugh no more. RIP my dear friend.

Sad indeed.

Never knew him in my Bristow days but he took me through the box at Flight Safety in a subsequent job.

I remember fondly being invited to his house in the afternoon for a barbecue with Daphne and Sanna and being treated like and old friend of the family even though we'd only just met. (The big Bristow Family!).

He was a superb instructor and wonderful person.

My sincerest condolences to Daphne and Sanna.

OH

Wonderful bloke who put on a huge fight with his medical issues.
Always had time for people even when feeling poorly and yes an outstanding instructor.
He will be missed.

Was a great guy and a brilliant Pilot.RIP MJM.

Thanks to all who shared photos and stories! As a CPL(H) student in Canada seeing the photos and all the stories I'm so envious of the experiences you've all had. It seems the industry is so much more different and I hope to one day have crazy adventures and stories like the lot of you have had!

Graham Wood has passed (RIP) but George Arnold is still around.

Anyone know anything about Billy Boyle?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lin100 (Post 9902636)

Anyone know anything about Billy Boyle?

Last I heard he had retired and was diagnosed with cancer. Don't know the outcome, hopefully positive.

NEO

I heard from Billy about a year and a bit ago and he was living with controlled prostrate cancer.

Dave White also succumbed to the PC but has happily, come through it ok.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grunt92 (Post 9927225)

Dave White also succumbed to the PC but has happily, come through it ok.

Great news, glad Billy came through. It's a bast**d. As you know, I had a hell of a fight. Now I volunteer on the same ward in the hospital that treated me. Much more satisfying than flying helicopters (or running underfunded/under manned operations) in far off places.

NEO

Yes I will contact them again. Have to catch up,with you NEO. Iwill give you a call.

I saw on airmech.co.uk that Martin Boardley has passed, I don't have any details but felt I should pass it on. Great bloke, one of the best and a great engineer.
My condolences to his family and friends.