The Rotary Nostalgia Thread

[Savoia]

Bell 206A G-AWUC (cn.323) as seen at Luton in 1972 (Photo by Carl Ford)

Owned and operated at the time of this photo by Heli-Jet Executive Ltd.

Seen here with her tail-mounted anti-collision light missing. This was a common occurrence among 'A' model JetRangers, perhaps something to do with the mounting arrangement. I recall at least four JetRangers in the UK from the late 70's and early 80's which had this missing.

If this craft looks familiar, then this may be because she appeared on page 3 in a photo taken two years later in 1974 when she flew with Inverness based Kestrel Helicopters.

[Savoia]

Always a delight to see JAMI & JAMC! 👍

'Heart of England' kind of burst onto the scene, first with the beautiful JAMI in early '78 and then with the lovely JAMC in '81, but by 1983 it was all over! Never really got to know anything about James McCaughey but hope to discover more about this short-lived company in times ahead.

I've not seen 3A-MSX in this scheme before so this is very interesting. 👍

For 2-3 years Monaco-based David Thieme and his 'Essex Oil Company' became sponsors for Team Lotus. MSX was Thieme's personal aircraft and had been painted in a deep blue with a reflective 'chrome' and scarlet stripe which had originally been worn when the aircraft flew as F-GCGZ, so I am imagining your photo must have been taken in the mid-to-late 80's perhaps immediately after Thieme sold it?

During the time that Essex Oil sponsored Lotus most (if not all) of Colin's aircraft were painted in the Essex colours including 'The Dancer' (G-AYTF). In fact, the first time I flew the Dancer she was in the 'Team Essex' colours. Colin's Citation N12ME was also painted in the Essex colours and .. one of those responsible for painting it was none other than former Avia member the late Adrian Batchelor.

[Helipixman]

G-JAMC and G-JAMI

Not really much known about James Anthony McCaughey and his company Heart of England Helicopters Ltd. Here are photographs of his two helicopters....

G-JAMI Bell 206L Longranger (46605)
G-JAMC Bell 222 (47050)






An one of 3A-MSX but not the colour scheme you probably liked ? Was your fav the old LOTUS scheme ?



All photos from the Helipixman collection

[Savoia]

'𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑷𝑪 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒅.' — There's no doubt Elipix. In fact Robertson's were forced to withdraw the use of their 'golly' in the mid-to-late 80's, but the icon remained on G-OLLY's tail throughout her tenure with Robertson.

I remember not only the badges (I either had one or a school friend did, can't remember which) but also the golly figurines which included a football-playing golly!

Political 'correctness' is a bane on society and is nothing less than the manifestation of Orwell's 'thought police'. It destroys freedom of speech and gives licence to government, industry and the media to dictate to society what it should and shouldn't do. Political correctness unchecked, is the beginning of the end of personal liberty.

Ah .. G-JAMI .. my favourite LongRanger colour scheme of all time, followed very closely by 3A-MSX. She was a real beaut! Would absolutely love to one day discover more about her owner and 'Heart of England Helicopters'.

[Helipixman]

Personalised registrations are a fascinating subject, trying to work some of them out ! I remember seeing G-OLLY all over the place, but like you mainly Biggin Hill. In todays current PC world it would have probably been banned. Remember the Badges they produced. That reminds me of G-JAMI nothing to do with Jam but another great registration. Think I need to look out more personalised photos !

[Savoia]

Ha ha .. some nice complementary information there Elipix!

Thinking about it, the Distillers Co. could probably have applied for 'DCWW' had they wanted. Around the same time (mid-70's) Robertson Foods had a Piper Navajo registered G-OLLY complete with the 'Golly' logo on the tail. That was probably one of the first personalised registrations I encountered in the UK. Interestingly, Robertson's were initially located in Renfrewshire, although their Navajo spent much of its time at Biggin where I saw her frequently.

Following-on from your remarks about G-DOOK .. after G-TALY became G-CSKY I only every used the call sign 'Charlie Sky' which had become standard practice with the Skyline craft. This is because Denissimo had all the aircraft registered ending with the letters 'SKY' which was fine .. until you had three or more craft in the pattern all ending with 'Kilo Yankee' (and remember this was a training school). So the controllers at Booker took matters into their own hands and began the practice of using the first letter and then pronouncing 'sky' as a word. Individual drivers then chose to utilise these call signs beyond the circuit and most of the aircraft flew using these 'new' call signs wherever they went.

[Helipixman]

Another of the interesting personalised registrations. Chivas were not the first to think of that idea. In 1970s The Distillers Company Ltd registered their Handley Page Jetstream G-BCWW (Double Whisky).

I flew with a chap who had a Beechcraft Duke and he registered it G-DOOK and just called up as Golf Dook !

[Savoia]

AS355F2 G-WWWW (cn.5355) as seen at Silverstone c.1989 (Photo by Graeme Lovell)

This aircraft was bought by Chivas Brothers of Renfrewshire in February 1987 but was sold back to McAlpine just three years later in April 1990.

She is seen here wearing the Chivas corporate colours of blue and gold and carries a somewhat unique registration.

Now, you've got to ask yourself just how clunky it would have been to employ this registration in RT exchanges? But there is a reason that this aircraft flew as 'Four Whisky' and the reason is that the heritage of the Chivas distillery was built upon four legacy whiskeys, namely: The Glenlivet, Ballantine's, Chivas Regal and Royal Salute.

Some Tuesday trivia on Rotary Nostalgia!

For more details and discussion on UK personalised helicopter registrations, visit this thread.

[Helipixman]

In all the time I spent on the South Wales coast, Swansea, Porthcawl, Cardiff and the beautiful Gower I never saw snow. Plenty of rain but never snow !

Yes Papa Elipix was an all rounder when it came to sport, Football, Golf, Cricket and Snooker. I tried many times to beat him at Snooker to no avail.

[Savoia]

So you've been to Porthcawl! Did you ever see snow there? I thought it was rare to find snow right on the cost, especially on the windward side (ie. from the Atlantic). It must have been some winter that year in Wales.

I actually wouldn't mind passing through Wales on my next trip to the UK as it has been long since I was there.

Sounds like papà Elipix was an all round sportsman!

[Helipixman]

Oh wow that brings back some memories for me. I spent many a good summers day on the promenade and on the beach in Porthcawl. My father was born in Swansea, just along the coast and when not playing football, he was a keen golfer and played the Royal Porthcawl Golf Club many times. A challenging course when the wind was blowing.

[Savoia]

Bell 206L B-BFTR and S-76A G-OHTL as seen in Porthcawl, South Wales in January 1982

During the winter of '82 the Australian national rugger team known as the 'Wallabies' were visiting the UK. While visiting South Wales (as opposed to New South Wales ) they lodged at the Seabank Hotel in Porthcawl whereupon they were snowed-in for several days.

Although not widely reported, they were ultimately rescued from Porthcawl by helicopter, courtesy of the chaps at Air Hanson!

[Savoia]

Okay, nice one!

[Helipixman]

Looking at Log book it was G-ODIG, the company had also not long obtained G-IANG a LongRanger

[Savoia]

Well well .. you've done it again Elipix! I can't remember just how long I've been asking you about G-JUMP, but its got to be going on five years now. Bravo amico! This is lovely to see.

This was almost certainly taken within her first year of delivery, for she would go on to highs (high skids) I think by her second year.

What a joy to see this craft again, especially after waiting so many years for a photo to emerge .. grazie mille Elipix !!!

G-JUMP belonged to Douglas Bunn (founder of the Hickstead All England Jumping Course). Dougie received G-JUMP in June '78 as a replacement for his existing 206A (later upgraded to a 'B') which was none other than the 'Dancer' G-AYTF. The Dancer would later be bought by Colin Chapman (Team Lotus) and which was when I began to fly her.

Dougie's son Jonathan bought a former RAF Gazelle (WA1228) in 2001 which became G-BXZE, but which he sadly pranged the following year at Hickstead while contending with the Gazelle's 'Tail Swing Bite'.

Bristow used to perform the maintenance on the Dancer as well as G-JUMP.

G-JUMP is of course one of the few nostalgic craft to have its own anthem! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq-potK_7Ts

[Helipixman]

G-JUMP

The picture below is such a rare shot, found by a good friend at Tang photos. Its taken at Redhill.....and so far I think the only photograph that exists of this JetRanger.

Photo with thanks to Tang Photos

[Savoia]

Very nice, even when stuck into a tattie! Had you used a neep it could have been a tribute to Roy Neep, an engineer who worked with Dollar after whom the JetRanger G-NEEP was named!

IIRC, Dollar briefly operated a 500 in the early 80's in the form of G-BEJY.

[Helipixman]

Rotary Memorabilia

A couple of Pin badges. The first one I recieved from Dollar Helicopters, the second one a Hughes 500 looks like its the same scheme so possibly aimed at Dollar Helicopters. Sadly I cannot remember where I got the Hughes 500 from ? Excuse the background it was easiest to stick them into a potato !




Helipixman

[Helipixman]

I will have to look at my Log book, thats one of the many days we landed there. Probably G-ODIG

[Helipixman]

Looks possible for Old Warden.

[Savoia]

Lovely shot Elipix. I wonder if this was at Old Warden?

[Savoia]

That photo of G-COAL certainly evokes some memories, having landed in that same spot at the Heathrow Post House more times than I can remember.

Nice to see car parks being used 'properly'. Do you happen to know the identity of the 206 hiding behind G-TOYZ?

[Savoia]

Grazie Elipix. Yes, it was interesting to see BIGB's old registration returned after flying as UHUK.

[Savoia]

Lovely shots Elipix!

[Helipixman]

JetRanger Nostalgia

A couple of shots of JetRangers in car parks/hotels.

The first, G-COAL at the Post House Hotel, London Heathrow Airport and the second G-TOYZ at the Lord Daresbury Hotel, Warrington.



Photos from Helipixman Collection

[Helipixman]

UK 212's

A few more Bell 212 helicopters in the UK.

G-BFJB of British Airways and G-BIGB when owned by Bristow Helicopters. BIGB was restored to the UK register in September 2018



Photos from the Helipixman Collection

[Helipixman]

More shots of G-BAFN



Photos from Helipixman Collection

[Helipixman]

Another shot of G-BBEU, this time without Alan Mann logo

Photo from Helipixman Collection

[Savoia]

Ha ha .. yes quite!

[Helipixman]

And for my next trick, I will catch the tennis ball tie-down in my mouth !