Any Good Stories About SWO?
 

Hi all

Many of you that have worked for Bond or CHC Scotia over the years will have been influenced, educated, amused or guided by Steve West-Oram. Although I won’t believe it until I actually see it, he is due to retire later this year.

We are hoping to put together a few memories, stories, good wishes etc. from past friends, colleagues and students for him. If you have anything that you would like adding, please post it on here (if it is too non-PC for the forum, feel free to PM me.)

I am working on the basis that SWO won’t be visiting this site; if you know him please don’t mention it! We would like it to be a bit of a surprise.

Cheers

TeeS

SWO did do a couple of my LPCs but all the stories I know are only second hand. Cracking character though. ATC didn't always love him.:}

I did my IR at Bond with SWO.

Will never forget the experience. The best instruction I ever received.

At the same time being of immense entertainment value. Will have to decide if all the stories are presentable ;).

I cannot believe he is really going to quit. What a loss it would be :sad:.

Please let us also hear some of the stories from a little earlier if possible!

Cheers

WSPS

Swo did my conversion from 10 years single pilot bo 105 back onto the 365n 2 crew and drove me nuts for a week, but at the end I realised the guy knew more about offshore ops and crm than I could ever do... The plum in the mouth/ silver spoon image quickly evaporated into one of total respect... One of the most mis-understood and funniest guys I ever crossed paths with! Good luck mate.

Dear all

Thanks for your tributes so far. I work with SWO and am coordinating the collation of rumination; we’ve realized we need to put names and dates to these stories or they won’t make much sense to him! Please feel free to share them on the forums but I would be most grateful if you could PM/email me your name and the approximate date of your story/training/experience (this will not appear on the boards or be passed to anyone else!).

I agree he definitely was misunderstood and his sense of humour was far to dry for some people.:ok:

Should have also said if you would like to give him a message or send best wishes to him, please PM me with message, name and rough date of your SWO-ing! Thanks to all contributors so far.

A gentle bump!

Driving an old Taxi
 

Does he still drive that old volvo taxi he bought with half a million miles on the clock for a pound!! 0r has he returned to the old habit off hitching a ride cos it saves money.

Cracking bloke , lots of memories, can't believe he is at retirement age already, god ! maybe we will not be far behind, sobering thought

All the best to him in his retirement

Ken McIntyre ( Ex Bond Engineer out of Longside and a few other bases)

:D

He's using an ancient motorbike now - will have to ask him about the taxi! Thanks for your reply :)

I'm sure SWO had that motorbike at Longside when he did my Bolkow conversion 10 years ago. He was a great instuctor with a wealth of knowledge and the most pleasant of manners. A true gentleman.

I got to see most of Northern Scotland and the Isles during my time with SWO. He planned it that way, I wasn't getting lost!
I also had a great train journey from Oban back to Glasgow after he dumped me there at the end of my line check in exchange for some revenue paying self-loading freight.

I wish him all the best.

BB:8

Sleap Aerodrome
 

I first met Steve W-O when he was in the Royal Navy, as the flight commander onboard HMS Naiad.

I was also in the Royal Navy but as a submariner and I decided it would be a hoot to learn how to fly by gaining my PPL at Sleap in Shropshire, where we both lived at that time. Steve, or SWO as you guys refer to him, sent me on my 1st solo on 8th April 1978.

He had the patience of a saint, and I used up every last morsel of it as, during a cross country exercise, he batted on laconically about "maintaining a heading +/- 2 degrees improving as the flight continues"

I have many respectful memories of him and I wish him an obscenely long and healthy retirement.