G-NEWS was de-registered 6 days ago and sent to the Philippines.

It was a Brantly 305, G-ATSJ. Registration history from G-INFO - suddenly had an epiphany.

It was in the hangar when I started there in late 74, and festered there for years. Eventually was sold to goodness-knows-who and it disappeared by road.

A brief report of its demise is in Veeany's site here.

It's funny, but I remember it being in that hangar for longer than it evidently was.

G-NEWS

NEWS was a very dark green, easily confused with black at a distance.

G-LOCK
 

thanks for posting pic of G-LOCK, missing from my collection over the years !
As you refer to it being re-registered G-TPTR, I take it you mean c/n 8587 ?
This was infact the second allocation of G-LOCK, the original c/n 8592 was ntu & was re-registered in France.

I think you'll find the Brantly moved not far away and is today a garden ornament near Bracknell....The remains of JetRanger TPTR are at the helicopter museum.

G-ATSJ

Ah well, how swiftly one forgets! T'was only a year ago since (on the Nostalgia Thread) we were discussing G-ATSJ (pages 19 and 34).

She was of course bought from BEAS by the inimitable Tommy Sopwith (in 1966) and sold to Alan Mann in 1968. Freddie Wilcox also seems to have had a hand in brokering the sale between SJ's next owner (Sunderland Print) and her final owner, Robert Ryan.

G-ATSJ met with her demise in June 1977 when, according to the report:

Reading the 'contributary factors' cited by the driver, one could be excused for thinking he was flying in Malaya!

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Q...0Oram%2529.jpg
Agusta 109A G-HWBK at Dover Hoverport on 1st September 1984 (Photo: John Oram)

Doubtless preparing to embark upon a filming/photographic sortie.

That looks like the BBC TV live-link fit.

Last Alan Mann Helicopters sign airside at Fairoaks disappeared a couple of days ago and has just been replaced by a Heli Air sign.

Fairoaks signs
 

All of the former MAGE hangars got new Gama Engineering signs this week as well!
I wonder where Helair are going to keep their aircraft as there are no spare hangars?

Only the R44 (possibly a Jetranger too) at the moment and they're kept outside on the Eastern Helipads. The Hughes 269 at Chobham Helicopters is also parked outside but at the Western Helipads.
Starspeed have now taken over the hangar next to Chobham Helis.

800 feet 90 knots
 

Had a larf on Sat sat in a Heli-Air R66, flying from the Alan Mann dispersal into the Fairoaks circuit for the first time since 1987. Don't the cars look small?

Impressed with R66 performance but still the T-bar cyclic and tiny switches. Do people get used to these?

Anyway, far be it from me to close a thread but I, at least, have found closure on the Alan Mann story. The King is dead etc.

Gosh...I hope someone is saving one of the Alan Mann signs for the Helicopter Museum ?!

any news?
 

do my eyes deceive me or have the Heliair signs been taken down?

Do seem to have disappeared!

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6047/6...e237a3d0_b.jpg
AgustaBell 206B JetRanger III serial no. 8557 G-DOUG at Blackbushe on 20th October 1978 (Photo: Steve Fitzgerald)

G-DOUG was one of the first Agusta-built JetRanger III's delivered to the UK. The second, serial no. 8560 (G-OIML) was ordered by Ferranti.

Registered to Faioaks Aviation in August 1978 G-DOUG flew for the aircraft collector Doug Arnold prior to her acquisition by the Mackan Group in 1980 when she became G-MKAN.

In 1981 she was bought by T. Kilroe & Sons of Radcliffe, Manchester when she flew as G-TKHM. In 1984 she was bought by Red Rose Helicopters who sold her to Austria 1986 where she became OE-XBA.

Westland Bell 47 G3B1 - ex AAC
 

Gilbert Greenall's WB47 awaits our arrival all loaded and ready for our flight to Paris - Issy Les Molyneux where Gilbert was about to attend Business School. Great guy - hope he is fit and well and enjoying the fruits of his considerable labours. Roy, Dave and Tom stand proudly beside the buffed -up ex Air Corps warhorse G-BHAR.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6106/7...2be763cc_b.jpg

Sad to note that Alan Mann passed away yesterday (Tuesday)

Ford racing legend Alan Mann dies | Classic and Sports Car

M.E.

Another legend passes into history. My condolences to Henry and the family.

It had been my intention to visit Alan to interview him for the Ferranti/Alan Mann site we are building but .. my delay in returning to Blighty has now meant this cannot (obviously) happen.

Alan spawned the development of what became for two good decades one of Britain's leading onshore helicopter outfits. His negotiation of the Agusta distributorship propelled Alan Mann Helicopters to the fore of the UK's private and early commercial market where Mann's were, as stated, a force to be reckoned with.

Unlike Ferranti, Hanson and others, Mann's were never hankered after recognition as an 'elite' organisation they instead, for the most part, just got on with the job and which endeared them to many.

In their day they were a truly wonderful company - one which contributed significantly to the advancement rotary-wing aviation in the UK.

RIP Alan

Alan Mann
 

RIP - An inspirational boss

G

AGM
 

Seconded Geoff, RIP - VFR