PPRuNe Forums - 50 Years of the Fabulous 500.

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Hughes Helicopters

Eric: Thanks for the link. No photos from TZ? I don't blame you, there wasn't really much to photograph. As it is I only have three photos from that time. Now of course I deeply regret having not bought a camera to take into the bush.

Now Barbados .. that looks okay! :ok:

Somewhere is a real bad photo of 5H-MUM but I was always concerned about taking photos there, didn't fancy a spell in a Tanzanian gaol. Did't you spend a short time in one getting in to the country?

There is a Hughes 500 which has been following me around over the years so I thought I would post some photos of her in case anyone is interested. She's changed registration several times but her serial no. is 450738S or 738 for short.

I've been involved in selling her on between owners several times now during which time she's been in my care.

My first involvement with 738 was in 1986 when I bought her on a part exchange from then owners Cosworth Engineering of Northampton.

It was at this time that her C20 was replaced by a C18 and I sold her to Brian Wronski who cherished her for many a year. Up until now she still wore here original registration of G-BDOY.

In about 1990 Brian sold her to another Brian, this time Brian Stein of 'Gee-Gees' polo fame who registered her as G-GEEE, when I acquired her again as a part exchange for a later model 500E.

This time I sold her to that affable gentleman, Steve Giddings who, among other things, added the latest Nordam 'all glass' nose and registered her as G-GSPG.

And finally - just over a month ago I acquired her again, selling her to another super gentleman, one Johan op De Beeck who I am currently training up at Shobdon from the Tiger Helicopters facility. As with almost every sale, she has changed registration yet again as in now on the American register flying as N488NS.

Hope this isn't too boring but perhaps someone is interested to follow the craft's journey over the years.

Like several other comments on this thread, I've always enjoyed flying the 500. A very nimble aircraft with crisp responsiveness.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-l.../G-BDOY+87.jpg
G-BDOY when I first bought her from Cosworth Engineering

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-x...o/DSC00072.JPG
'In the shop' as G-GEEE

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-f...197+-+Copy.JPG
'On the pad' as G-GSPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-h...o/DSC04698.JPG
And finally, as she is now, as N488NS

Regards to all PPRuNers,

Dennis

Do you know if you can still get the 'Yehert" full vision front screen conversion?

Eric: Great stuff! :ok:

The Belgian 500's .. did you ever work on these or were you just passing through?

I never knew there was a G-FROG .. excellent!

500 Fan: Are you seeing this? Including AVN!

OO-KAR begat G-FROG which begat G-WELD which begat G-GASC which begat G-HUES
and continues to fly today.

So dear gentlemen ... can I come in again.

Ah ... the likes of G-WELD ... takes me back to the early 1980s when I trained the owner of a welding business, being Bob House on Enstrom G-BEEK. In no time he realised a turbine was the way to go and ended up buying the 500 which he registered G-WELD naturally. More 'tittle-tattle' on request. Take care all. Dennis Kenyon.

Oh I forgot to add ... G-GASC, so registered as she was the first of several 500s to work on the gas contract for my Southern Air business at Shoreham. Dennis K.

G-GSPG post nose job.

Dennis, G-GSPG in the days of Steve Giddings' ownership, and an admirer on a day out to Newcastle, circa 2003. Unhappily for me I no longer have any contact with the aircraft. Happily for me I have daily contact with the admirer, as she agreed to become my wife!
She would occasionally fly with Steve to help out.

Plank Cap

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...2Image0007.jpg

For AS 350 ... Can't answer your question directly but the latest 'E' model nose was installed circa 2002 by the 'Nordam' company. I believe they are no longer trading. The best guy to advise on the 'Yehert' nose would be Hughes 500 so suggest you PM him here. Dennis K

MD 500 nose job.

Hi Plank Cap ... you lucky thing. If I'd known about the pic and your lovely lady, I would have asked to use her presence on the ship to enhance my sales advert.

But for the record, the dear old G-GSPG, (now N488NS) managed to sell herself anyway which I put down to the new nose job!

Regards to all '500 & Nostalgia' fans out there. Dennis Kenyon.

PS. Today she spent the afternoon in training battling, but oh so easily .... against 40 knot winds.(Shobdon sits in the lea of the Welsh mountains - so lots of standing waves)

DK

You flatter me ! Not sure what the state of the " true vision nose " world is at the moment. I believe Nordam now do it with another company in the States. Best person to ask is martin Lovell at Skytech helicopters on Sywell what he doesn't know about them isn't worth knowing from a maintenance point of view. He looked after CSPG for sometime.
Personally I am a D model person with the old curved nose, they seem to fly better, well my favourite G-BIOA as always out paced the 4 E models I have owned. Still have OA some 14 years after buying her !
have fun:ok:

If anyone makes the replacement glass for the clearview nose or knows of a place that does please PM me.

Quote:

I am a D model person with the old curved nose ..

Count me in .. my all-time favourite 500 .. having flown all models (except Notar). :ok:

Quote:

.. my favourite G-BIOA ..

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7281/8...676f68fa_b.jpg
Hughes 500D (369D) G-BIOA flying through Snake Pass in the Peak District, Derbyshire on 19th March 2013 (Photo: Shaun Connor)

Thanks for posting that nice set of photos, Eric. The paint scheme on G-BDFP looks particularly smart.

500 Fan.