Possibly - but then so would a protracted carry over difficult terrain.

Could a small aircraft of the types used by the air ambs mount a winch with the same capability (cable length, lifting ability etc) as a Sea King? I very much doubt it, in which case fitting a mini-winch would help on some occasions but cause greater problems on others. Besides, with the credit crunch, I would guess that the GNAAS would be hard pressed to splash out on new equipment and crew training - especially as currently they don't even man all their aircraft 7 days a week.

Yes, I think he was referring to the aircraft's former life with the German Army, where it possibly had a HOT(High subsonic, Optically tracked, Tube launched) Antitank missile fit. reloads could have been carried in the back.

Though the programme was well made, but I was getting ready to throw something at the screen everytime they mentioned the golden hour!!

I thought that I recognised one of the pilot's names, Steve Graham, but didn't recognise him until he actually spoke. Hi there Waves. Bit less hair and a few more pounds than when you were at 654 in Detmold!! :ok:

Bombs not missiles were mentioned... and didn't the Bo used to be AZOR in another life.

Sorry, bombs were mentioned, as was the fact that the 105 in question had started out with the German Army. Of course, that fact could have been an error by the programme makers, but it was said.

The narrator did say that they were putting the patient into the old bomb bay. At that point, I looked up from my ironing and saw the Bolkow 105!

Cheers

Whirls

I do believe the Bolkow was G-AZOR in a previous life, the Pilot flying it was also a former Bond man:rolleyes:

Going through G-INFO brings up this page:
GINFO Registration History | Aircraft Register | Safety Regulation

which subsequently leads to this:
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/HistoricalMaterial/G-AZOR.pdf

So, G-WAAN is Ser No 20 built in 71/72. The German Army didn't order 105s until 1977 so the BBC were incorrect about it's history.

All in all a good advert for which aircraft NOT to use in that role, 109 sinks, 105 excellent in it s day but gone now ( too many fat patients) leaving 902 and 135 (take your pick). Mind you I get all my info on the job from a 902 driver!!

Anyone know when the 1/2 hour episodes are going to show. Nothing on the listings for this week.

Early 2009 seems to be the general concensus.No reasons as to why it was pulled.Seems the BBC are suspending quite a few programs at the minute :}

Quote "Best bit was the throw away comment on the Bolkow bomb bay where they put the stretcher now. Any ex 105 bomb aimers out there ?"

There is one actually. Rose Dugdale is her name and thankfully she was a crap bomb-aimer! She was one of two people to hijack an Irish Helicopters BO-105 in Donegal back in the early seventies and take it across the border on a bombing mission, targetting Strabane police station. The 'bombs' were made from milk churns filled with explosives. They were a little too big to fit out through the side doors and when they did manage to get them out, they missed the target. Maybe if they had used the 'bomb bay' down the back they might have been 'successful!?!' Ironically, another Irish Helicopters BO-105 went on a bombing mission in 1980 in the film 'North Sea Hijack', this time using the rear bomb bay. Don't know who the bombers were that day, though!

500 Fan.

G-AZOR is/was a 105D. The German army operated 105C's, I believe, well before 1977. The D spec. was for British CAA requirements.

I believe the aircraft used in the film North Sea Hijack was G-AZTI. These two aircraft were, I think, the first 105s operated by Management Aviation. The bomb in question was collected from the platform's stores department. It is a little-known fact that all offshore oil/gas installations keep a selection of bombs for such purposes.:rolleyes:

Friday, 20:30 on BBC One (except Scotland)

Second episode this Friday, those of us North of the border will have to resort to Iplayer.

I just looked... it says episode 1 of 8??? Are they re-running the first episode?

The new North sea program of Virgin1 is worth a mention too!

MADY

I don't think it's a repeat, the first episode was 'The Golden Hour' and was a pilot episode, this is the first of the series. That's how the bbc description reads on the website to me anyway.

Looks like the BBC are just running odd episodes again.My recorder wont let me put it on series link.

"I would guess that the GNAAS would be hard pressed to splash out on new equipment and crew training - especially as currently they don't even man all their aircraft 7 days a week." err yes they do!!!

When I wrote that comment last October, the Otterburn site was only manned Mon-Fri, and having just checked their website, there's no newsflash of "Otterburn aircraft now flying 7 days per week" or similar to suggest it's changed.

Is the commentary accurate?
 

I have just watched tonight's episode and would be grateful if someone in the know could say whether the commentary is blowing the risks and hazards faced by the crews out of all proportion. If so, the BBC is doing the GNAA a great dis-service. The following is what I deduced from the commentary:

The job in the Lake District apparently involved a helo landing in a precarious position and, in order to vacate the area, the crew was almost blocked in by weather they must surely have been briefed about. What was the fallback plan if they had been socked in at a remote location?

The Coast Guard chap was in a location dangerous to the helo from the risk of being hit by an unexpected wave. However, the pilot elected to land there and 'hotload' the casualty. There were vehicles parked about 50 yds from the incident so why didn't a land ambulance attend?

The crews involved must be shaking their heads in disbelief at the commentary. Nice air-to-air shots though!

CD

bear in mind richard the programme has to have mass appeal in order to support ratings and if that means exaggerating perceived risks then thats just good viewing... i for one enjoyed every minute of it.

1. the conditions in the lakes can change in a heart beat, if it clouded in then simply land the mountain rescue team were on hand...the laborious exit from the hills did seem over played, most lakeland valleys do open out into low lands fairly promptly.

2. the sea rescue seemed fine to me the risk was not the landing area but the number of bye standers present.

great viewing and a great promotion.