Who is going to keep the CAA on the straight and narrow if he retires (again) Hugh?!!

I've retired 3 times so far. They've started to ask for the presents back!

The Bundeswehr are selling them decommissioned at around 90k euros now.

A set of about 8 engines and blades went for around 54k.

Hi Hugh

You could add G-BGWP, G-AZOM (Bristow but crashed while on lease to Bond) and G-BGKJ to your list and I am sure there must be others.

As to struggling in the heat I remember a single engined height climb in Tanzania with 5H-MUM.
Geof Croot flying said after a few seconds into the climb "we have established a rate of decent"!!!!!

Yes, G-BGWP was formerly known as HB-XFD (S/No. 41)

There is also G-BTHV, one of the later Bo105s

Are the aircraft in Antarctica still on the South Georgia rat run?

No. Antarctic survey.

I flew one as a medevac ship in the Australian desert for a short time (it was a backup ship to a BK117), it felt like it was a flying asthmatic with both engines running.

Another quote from Geof though I am sure not original

"The second engine is to take you to the scene of the crash"

At 00:09 onwards, it looks like the rear passenger also has a cyclic? :confused:

500 Fan.

Yes, that is right. That was the Inflight Simulator ATTHeS of DLR. Was equipped with FBW and a mechanical Backup in the rear.

http://www.dlr.de/ft/Desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-1388/1918_read-3390/

The helicopter was destroyed in a fatal crash 1995, when a wire antenne broke loose short after takeoff and disabled tailrotor control.

skadi

ACE (Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition)
 

The 105s currently aboard the Akademik Tryoshnikov, G-BATC,G-TVAM, G-WAAS are on lease to the Swiss Polar Institute from The South Georgia Heritage Trust.

That was usually G-BATC in Trinity House Colours at one time usually flown by Geoff Bond and crewed by Duke Guerin, others also did it of course but were relief for the dynamic duo.
It featured in a Blue Peter programme and when interviewed on camera the pilot was asked if it was dangerous, he replied not really and the bit was cut and he was told you can't say that, earlier the crew had asked for Blue Peter badges and were told that they were not handed out willy nilly, much amusement about this back at base.

The 105 you mention went down in the Wash whilst doing a Seal count, the machine landed on a Sand Bar, the Pilot was Michael Bond who I flew with many times.

I think you are getting two different accidents mixed up.
The 105 crashed into the sea offshore Skegness. Conoco VIP trip if I remember correctly.
It ended up hanging from the floats on one side with the other side torn off. Tail rotor driveshaft failure.
The aircraft that went down on the sand bar while carrying out the seal count in the Wash was Helicopter Hire's Alouette 2. John Crewdson the MD and the observers were all killed.
Main rotor detached.

https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/3-19...p-26-june-1983

G-AZOM was certainly the one that crashed in July 1984 off Skegness after the tail rotor drive failed. AAIB report G-AZOM . In my time with Irish in '73 it was registered EI-AWB.