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Inmate - I'm glad that the pictures brought back some memories. I'm sure it looks a lot different to how it was in '64.... but maybe not as different as it is now, following the events of the last few months.
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but maybe not as different as it is now, following the events of the last few months. |
Rosh
Did I hear right that CX was destroyed in the conflict in Libya? :sad: I ferried that one when it came to the UK in January 1986 and nurtured it through the IHUMS trials in '87. If I remember correctly, only certain crews were authorised to fly CX whilst it was accruing IHUMS time CX was even involved in the BBC Production of "The Bell Run", a play partially filmed offshore Aberdeen about North Sea Diving. Even though I flew the a/c for the filming, never got a role as an extra cos I wasn't in Equity - lol http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/v...lad/cxscan.jpg John W |
CX, what a warrior. A last survivor of the Bristow China operations, the last UK registerd aircarft I ever captained at 64 years,11 months, 27 days in February 2005 punched off in that great 747 out of Hong Kong a year later and apparantly sculled around a bit before it reached Libya.
A great paint job in Malta. |
CX was left in Libya, but it's current condition is unknown, but considering where it was hangared, and this photo, I doubt if it's ready to fly!
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...rt-blog480.jpg Ali Mahmoud, a Libyan rebel, drew a caricature of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi on an aircraft seized in Misurata on Thursday. |
Fareast Driver - After CX left Hong Kong in the 747, it headed to Kenya where we had it alongside G-TIGB operating out of Mombassa, before finally ending up in Libya.
John - I'm not sure of the whereabouts or condition of CX at present. Fingers crossed, we'll see her again. CX in Mombassa 2006/7 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...ya20060005.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...alan/kENYA.jpg |
CX
Only reason I asked was because of the report in Helihub (Got to grab whatever info I can get now that I am retired and away from the North Sea)
05-Apr-11 G-BMCX Eurocopter AS332L Misurata, Libya Helicopter destroyed in hangar as a result of the local unrest in the country. Date is approximate, not confirmed. Date 05-Apr-11 Make Eurocopter Model AS332 Reg G-BMCX Country Libya Location Misurata Air Base CivilMilitary Civil MSN 2164 Operator Bristow-Helicopters John W |
Hopefully if post 1752 was taken on the 14th July there may be some hope for it. (Unless Bristow have already pocketed the insurance.)
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FED,
the picture file was 'modified' on the 13th of May, so sadly taken well before the 14th July... |
Looks like the second part of my post has come to fruition. Mind you it had a good innings. Tufty was always telling us that it had the highest hours of the Bristow machines.
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(Unless Bristow have already pocketed the insurance.) |
Before I "left" Bristows in 09, I am sure GE had the highest fleet hours. I can't remember the exact amount but I do remember thinking "As many hours as that?" as I signed the tech Log before a flight
It was the original "Marathon" a/c for the Brae so had a load of flying. I am sure some present BHL guys can enlighten me JohnW |
You're probably right, John. I would not have thought that CX, even though it was really hammered when in China, could have caught up.
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From G-INFO
G-BMCX Total Hours:25887 at 31/12/2009 (Still on the Register today). G-TIGE Total Hours:38450 at 31/12/2010. |
More from Tim N,
These are of the Whirlwind series 3 in Dubai circa 1970. My Dad can be seen with his head in the engine so to speak. The next shot is the helicopter returning from the Gulf back into Dubai and the other is the cockpit of the whirlwind. http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ures/Helo1.jpg http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ures/Helo2.jpg http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ures/Helo3.jpg http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...res/Helo31.jpg Mike Austin working on the rotor head and also in picture 2 from a different angle. http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ures/Helo4.jpg http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ures/Helo5.jpg |
TIGO in Brazil
A story of taking a highly sophisticated flying machine into the middle of nowhere…… Back in 2001 I was lucky enough to be offered the chance of being one of the team to support an Aberdeen based Tiger that was to be based in Northern Brazil in support of a 6 month offshore drilling campaign by BP. At the time I was still posting stuff on the Skyweaver website so armed with a non-digital camera I intended to take lots of pictures to tell the complete story of a typical posting into the middle of nowhere. Not just the flying maintenance side of things. As all of us know, the flying and maintenance side of a new overseas posting is normally the easiest part of job. Getting used to unfamiliar surroundings, working with local population, erratic communications, support network and spares back-up, poor facilities, challenging climates, bugs and wildlife (including the local girls!), dodgy food and water supplies, less than ideal accommodation all make for memorable tours. Obviously, I will spread the 50 odd pictures over quite a few postings. The comments on the pictures might seem a little "basic" at times, but they were added for friends and relatives quite a while ago. So here we go… http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...mapa/amapa.jpg On or about January 6th 2001 G-TIGO left Southampton on a freighter bound for Jacksonville, Florida. From there it departed on an approximately 5 day ferry flight to Amapa in the state of Amapa, Brazil. I had a particular interest in this particular contract as I was one of the engineers manning it. Amapa lies close to the equator in the Amazon Delta, the climate being tropical with humidity reaching 100% with wet and dry seasons. The airstrip forms part of an old U.S. Air force base dating back to the 2nd World War when it was used as a base for antisubmarine patrols. This web address has some interesting pictures of the Airships and crews that were based at Amapa airfield in 1945. http://www.flickr.com/photos/grappie/with/3087449335/ The contract was for an initial 120 day offshore drilling programme for BP and the aircraft to be used was a Bristow International AS 332L Tiger (G-TIGO) with an S61 provided by Aeroleo as a back-up. The Tiger was IHUMS equipped. 7/03/2001 The following is an excerpt from a phone call by Ian Robinson: “It's like working in a water fall........no hangar, no spares yet, snags galore, no hot water at "hotel", 12-14 hour days, flying the ***** off it. All surrounding "land" 3 feet underwater. Bring wellies, mossie net, multi vits, anti s**t pills, rehydration salts, etc etc but you can get a cold beer although no time to drink it!” Yup, I was really looking forward to it............... 30/05/2001 "And how it really panned out.................." http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...paairfield.jpg So this was our first view of the base, turning down wind, on board the North Star Bandeirante having taken off from Belem 1 hour 30 minutes previously. The total journey time from home was about 40 hours, routing Heathrow, San Paulo, Rio, Belem, Amapa. http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...calmorning.jpg This was the scene at 7.30am on a typical morning when things were running smoothly (ok, probably an exception!) The Bristow/Aeroleo staff having left the "Hotel" at 6ish will have endured the 10 km tortuous journey to work along a dirt track filled with pot holes, mud holes and lined with vultures. Comments like " ooh look, is that a ****" ( Replace **** with any form of wildlife we saw EVERY morning) didn't help matters! The picture shows the North Star Bandeirante taxiing in to drop off passengers who having flown up from Belem would then be whisked through the terminal and boarded on the Tiger for the 1h 30m flight to the drill ship CR Luigs. The "hangar" was for show only for the first six weeks at Amapa as the floor resembled the dirt track mentioned above. http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...pa/CRLuigs.jpg The drill ship CR Luigs tasked with drilling two holes thousands of feet below the surface and held on position with GPS controlled trim engines. The first hole was approximately 200 miles offshore and the second about 175 miles which gave a round trip sortie time of about 3 hours. The manifest for the Tiger included everything from core samples to cauliflowers and sometimes pushed us to the limits trying to deal with surprise cargo in torrential rain. http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a.../Amapacity.jpg Amapa city, the second biggest "city" in the state of Amapa and our home for six weeks. Note the lack of traffic as all roads out of town turned into dirt tracks, the nearest neighbouring sizeable town being Macapa some 100 km to the South. Communication in the early days was mainly with sign language with meal ordering resembling a game of charades. The language is the Brasilian form of Portuguese and my thanks goes out to Sylvia, an Aeroleo dispatcher, who, with patience, managed to get us to speak a few words which made the second half of the tour far more fun! Accommodation was in the Amapa Hotel which I suppose we would class as a back packer hostel but things did improve with the arrival of hot water. Often, breakfast would consist of little more than stale bread and water. The restaurant I have labelled in the photo was the favourite social venue where we were well looked after by Soraya and Talita. http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/Boarding.jpg Probably about 7.45am with TIGO on the hot spot. The crew consisted of a Bristow training captain and an Aberdeen trained Aeroleo captain. All the Aeroleo staff were working a rotating 15 days on, 15days off routine. ....to be continued............. |
TIGO In Brazil 2
http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...eplacement.jpg Finally, we had enough concrete on the hangar floor to get half of the Tiger under cover. The picture shows GPC endeavouring to replace a timex main gearbox support fitting which would put the aircraft AOG if this couldn't be accomplished. The replacement item was on its way (apparently!) in a single-engined light aircraft but the weather at the airfield for most of the day was grim, with heavy rain and very low cloud. The crane had been brought up from Macapa and with the help of a JCB digger made it through the mud and into the hangar. The gearbox weight was then supported and everything prepared for the part replacement but by 2pm the weather was still awful and nothing had been heard from Jay Lacaze who was in the light aircraft. At 3pm there were a few breaks in the clouds and shortly after, the sound of a small plane could be made out and sure enough out of the murk came the gearbox fitting which was on the aircraft within 30 minutes and the whole team in Edmilson's bar within the hour! http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...Raincovers.jpg Prior to being able to get the aircraft under cover, Ian and Kev had these covers made up which if you look closely you can just make out about 20 guy ropes that held them all in place. On a nice single flight day with fine weather and a team of six, putting the covers on was manageable, however, in the pouring rain, wind blowing, a team of two and after the third flight with darkness imminent.......................*?!*"#!?. http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...gistration.jpg The Bristow crew, arriving late after a well deserved lie in, were astounded to see the registration on the Tiger had changed to PP-MIM even though we were still on the British register. After much discussion Brazilian style G-TIGO was restored and PP-MIM painted over (see pic)until a few days later when we finally made the Brazilian register, which was no mean feat in itself, when the whole process was reversed. Kev Smith would probably need many years of counselling after this posting!! http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a.../Aeroleo76.jpg Just when we thought we couldn't reach any higher celebrity status in the town the Aeroleo S76 breezed onto the scene. By coincidence the road back to town was yet again blocked and we flew over the town looking for a suitable landing site which turned out to be the hospital forecourt just opposite the hotel. Four minutes by S76 or forty minutes down the muddy track - I know which I preferred, however we only managed to squeeze a return trip out of it. As I was taking this picture, the wall behind me was packed with about 100 children who had run over to watch the helicopter landing. http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a.../Amapakids.jpg |
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Smashing pics and enjoyable narrative! :ok: No close-ups of Sylvia? And .. your 'nightclub' appears to be in the middle of a street - lol! |
You don't think I'd put the pictures of the girls on first do you :)
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TIGO in Brazil 3
Plenty of time to do this today. Wife has gone to UK for two weeks at short notice. Son has abadoned me to stay with a mate for a week. On-call all weekend. 33C, so too bloody hot to do much else. So, part 3 http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...apa/PT-YEK.jpg Ex Falklands machine PT-YEK also taking advantage of the newly concreted strip of hangar floor in order to change an engine mount. The S61 was on site as a backup for the Tiger acting as an SAR machine and occasionally doing the odd rig trip but in this roll it was limited due to payload/range limitations. http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...Journalist.jpg Coasting back from the drillship CR Luigs with yours truly on a photo-jolly and luckily an empty cabin. The in flight meal was excellent ( ex rig ), and after a short nap, a visit to the cockpit. http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...ointSylvia.jpg The picture shows the crew discussing the co-ordinates of waypoint Sylvia!!! Seriously! http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/a...viaandTIGO.jpg Guess who... |
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