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  • G-OASP


    AS355F2 G-OASP (cn 5479) as seen at Kemble Airport on 27th July 2001 (Photo: Peter Davis)

    Owned jointly (at the time) by Avon and Somerset and Gloucestershire constabularies.

    Comment




    • Agusta-Bell 206B JetRanger III G-BHXU (cn 8595) as seen at Guernsey Airport on 1st September 1990

      Comment


      • Originally posted by Savoia View Post
        Staying with lighthouses, 105's and Ireland ..


        MBB B0105D G-AZOM in 1978 (Photo: John Law)

        In Bristow livery though registered to BEAS (which had been bought by Bristow) and wearing Northern Lighthouse Board titles. This aircraft flew with Irish Helicopters as EI-AWB from 1972 until 1978 and doubtless landed on one or two Irish lighthouses during that time.

        The owner of this photo is keen to discover the location of this shot so, if anyone has an idea, please chip in.

        The photo was taken at Inverness (Dalcross) between its two hangars.

        Comment


        • Hoveratsix
          Hoveratsix commented
          Editing a comment
          Although registered to BEAS, this aircraft was being operated by Management Aviation when it suffered a tail rotor failure and ditched off the Lincolnshire coast on 24 July 1984. 3 POB, no injuries but a/c destroyed.

        • Savoia
          Savoia commented
          Editing a comment
          Grazie HAS! I didn't realise that 'AZOM' came to an unhappy end.



      • Dear Velar

        A warm welcome to Aviafora!

        Thank you for this information. I have sent a note to John advising him of the location and which I am sure he will appreciate.

        Once again many thanks and welcome aboard.

        Regards

        Sav

        Comment




        • Helicopteros Marinos SA365C LV-AID (cn 5017) as seen at Río Grande Airport, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, winter 1987
          (Photo: Carlos Garcia)


          Hoveratsix wrote: Without doubt, the nicest helicopter I ever flew albeit on skids with pop-outs. 1979 to 1994.
          HAS, would you be willing to expound, just a little, on these early Dauphins. What was it about this craft which enamoured you, compared with other types for example? Also, did she have any foibles?

          Comment


          • I started flying the SA365C in April 1979 and from the beginning it just felt "right". Apart from the blades turning in the opposite direction (from American/German types) making the first autorotation interesting, it flew like a dream.

            It had a good single-engine performance, in fact better than the later 365N models. The fenestron tail rotor was very effective, if a little noisy. Again, the N models improved on this by replacing the 13 blades with a larger diameter 11 bladed asymmetric design and eventually a 9 bladed design. The Starflex rotor head was trouble free and combined with the fenestron gave a very smooth responsive ride. Range and endurance (about 1:50) were a weakness and mostly we flew with a cabin mounted auxiliary tank (~2:45).

            Foibles: a few annoyances! The normal fuel fillers were very sensitive to attitude as they ran almost horizontally in to the tanks. The higher mounted aux tank was ideal for a "splash and dash". The 365C mounted its hoist on the port side, so for SAR work it was flown by the aircraft commander in the left seat, necessitating different line/base checks. The control runs were in a pillar in the middle of the cabin, making air ambulance a bit tricky, again ironed out in the N models. We had a dedicated aerosled stretcher available for such work. All in all a good all round workhorse.

            Comment




            • HAS, a warm welcome to Aviafora!

              Thank you for your feedback on the Dauphin, most interesting as I have never read any comments about the operating characteristics of this aircraft.

              I am glad to hear that the fenestron performed well, for it seems that in certain configurations on the early Gazelles there 'may' have been issues (it is however a subject of debate). It seems as though the Starflex may have been developed for the Dauphin? This of course would be incorporated to great effect in the Ecureuil.

              Thanks again and welcome aboard.

              Regards

              Sav


              ~ ~ ~

              I think the first Dauphin in the UK may have been G-BFVV, a Management Aviation bird delivered in the first half of 1978. Sadly I am unable to track down any images of this craft but .. there is a painting of her by Peter Dennis from her time with Bond who apparently operated her until 1992.


              SA365C Dauphin 2 G-BFVV (cn 5011) depicted offshore while flying with Bond Helicopters (Painted by Peter Dennis)

              Comment


              • G-BFVV

                Here are some apparently elusive images of G-BFVV from the Helipixman collection.



                F-WXFG on display at Farnborough Airshow 1978 before becoming G-BFVV



                G-BFVV with its Management Aviation titles



                G-BFVV with Bond Helicopters titles



                Finally G-BFVV left the UK register 23.3.92 and became F-ODJI

                all photos are from the Helipixman collection
                Last edited by Winco Sav; 14th April 2018, 09:35.

                Comment


                • Savoia
                  Savoia commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Ha ha .. ah signore Elipix .. you've done it again .. yet again!!! LOL! Bravo, this is wonderful. Hope you're seeing this 'HAS' as these are (to the best of my knowledge) the very first photos of G-BFVV to appear online! Great stuff Elipix - fantastic as always!

                  Love the mounting arrangement of what appears to be an HF antenna (clearly visible in the top photo) behind the fenestron!

                  Hoveratsix wrote: 'The control runs were in a pillar in the middle of the cabin' - Clearly visible in Elipix's bottom shot.

                • Hoveratsix
                  Hoveratsix commented
                  Editing a comment
                  The first Dauphin I flew was F-WMHI which became G-BGKM in 1979. Two aircraft had been registered in 1978 ( G-BFVV and G-BFVW). Don Macdonald and I flew these in to retirement back at the Marignane facility March 16-19 1992. Previously, between Nov 1- 3 1991, I returned G-BJKA to France as Bond were replacing the 365C with the 365N. I ferried VW to Nouadhibou, Mauritania and worked there between Jan 20 to March 6 1980 and then flew VV to Asturias (Gijon), Spain and was there between May 25-July 28 1980. Unfortunately, I cannot find any pics of VV but will keep looking!

                  The oldest 365C airframe is G-PLMI, S/N 5001.

              • for Hoveratsix G-BFVW



                I am almost certain I have shots of G-BJKA and do have G-PLMI in fact I seem to have most Dauphins operated in UK. Will post them next week.

                Helipixman

                Comment


                • G-BFVW winch training off Peterhead with the RNLI lifeboat James and Mariska Joicey in 1981





                  Last edited by Winco Sav; 14th April 2018, 09:34.

                  Comment


                  • Savoia
                    Savoia commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Wonderful stuff HAS!

                    A great example of the Dauphin in action as well as a clear depiction of the port-side winch of which you made mention.

                • More Classic Dauphin: G-BJKA and G-BJKB







                  All photos from the Helipixman collection.

                  Comment


                  • Savoia
                    Savoia commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Fantastico Elipix!

                  • Hoveratsix
                    Hoveratsix commented
                    Editing a comment
                    I agree, Sav, great photographs! The bottom one is Plockton. The North Scottish photo is not Aberdeen, I think but not sure where!

                • Elipix, truly lovely photos once again, brilliant!

                  Very much like the middle shot of G-BJKA with the North Scottish titles and also showing a fin from a Dan Air HS-748. HAS, does this look like Aberdeen to you?

                  Some questions for HAS ..

                  In the top photo of F-WXFG (from Elipix) there seem to be three fuel filler caps. Presumably the top one was for the auxiliary tank you mentioned, but was it common to have two lower filling points?

                  In the next two shots (of yours) can you identify the 'flanges' (for want of a better word) which appear at the rear of the skids (circled in yellow).

                  Grazie





                  Comment


                  • Hoveratsix
                    Hoveratsix commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Sav, you are correct about the fuel filler caps. The two lower ones were for the underfloor fuel tanks and the top one was for the auxiliary cabin tank. The parts circled are part of the fuel jettison system.

                  • Savoia
                    Savoia commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Grazie HAS. I was just wondering why Aérospatiale decided on two filling points for the main tanks?


                • Hoveratsix wrote: I returned G-BJKA to France as Bond were replacing the 365C with the 365N. I ferried VW to Nouadhibou, Mauritania and worked there between Jan 20 to March 6 1980.
                  HAS: Are you able to elaborate a little on this flight, including the routing you took. Was the ferry uneventful and how was the work in Mauritania when you were there. Were they just starting-out in such operations?

                  Comment


                  • Hoveratsix
                    Hoveratsix commented
                    Editing a comment
                    The first ferry back to the DRH facility at Marignagne took place between 1-3 November 1991. Aircraft was G-BJKA and the routing was ABZ-NEW-HUY Strubby (Company Base in Lincolnshire). O/N then Southend-Beauvais-Toussus-le-Noble-Nevers-Lyon(Brun). O/N then Caderousse (unscheduled stop in a melon field due to deteriorating weather!). The farmer's son was an English student which made comms a lot easier. Family came back from church and invited me to stay for lunch. Wx improved so on to Avignon and finally Marseille. An Aerospatiale Tech Rep cadged a lift from Toussus to Lyon. The highlight was the First Class upgrade with Air France to GLG and ABZ!!

                    The second ferry was in G-BFVW with Don Macdonald in VV between 16-19 March 1992. Routing was ABZ- Boulmer-BPL-Staverton. O/N then Exeter- mid-Channel(div back to Exeter due to fog) O/N then Dinard-La Rochelle-Agen. O/N then Beziers-Marignane. We had to fly VFR as the a/c had been stripped of its IF kit!

                    Now Mauritania....that's another story!! Coming soon to a forum near you!!

                  • Savoia
                    Savoia commented
                    Editing a comment
                    Fantastic stuff HAS, much appreciated!

                • G-CULL


                  Bell 206B JetRanger II G-CULL (cn 348) as seen at Old Warden on 25th February 1992 (Photo: David Lunn)

                  Originally delivered to Bristows as G-BEWY in 1977 and sold to Copley Farms in 1984. In 1988 she flew for a year in Ireland as EI-BXQ returning to the UK to fly for Dollar from 1989 to 1993 during which time this photo was captured. With several other owners in her history she now flies with Polo Aviation of Bristol who bought her in 2001.

                  Comment


                  • Classic 212


                    Bell 212 OY-HCV (cn 31159) as seen at Jakobshavn-Ilulissat Airport in Greenland on 27th June 1988 (Photo: Erik Kristensen)

                    Operated by GLACE Greenlandair Charter.

                    Comment


                    • Scottish Bell 212 from the past.... G-GLEN

                      A couple of shots of G-GLEN during its time with Valley of Gleneagles Helicopters Ltd, 13.3.79 - 19.11.80

                      G-GLEN was re-registered as LN-OQS in Norway with Helikopter Service A/s before being restored to the UK again as G-GLEN, this time with Autair International Ltd, 14.10.83 - 6.7.89. It then became P2-PAV and met an unusual end near Ghazni, Afghanistan. It suffered a mechanical fault resulting in an emergency landing. Whilst left standing it was attacked by hostile forces who shot at the helicopter before launching two RPGs destroying it by fire. Days later it was transported to Kabul.



                      Comment


                      • noscoavia
                        noscoavia commented
                        Editing a comment
                        Nice one!. Is that at Turnhouse?. I worked with one of their engineers once, who made the comment that car dealers and offshore ops were not a good mix.

                      • Helipixman
                        Helipixman commented
                        Editing a comment
                        Yes I think the second photo is at Turnhouse. I assume the reference to Car Dealers is the connection with Dickson Motors in Perth.

                      • Savoia
                        Savoia commented
                        Editing a comment
                        Wow, lovely shots there Elipix. I was never aware that Gleneagles had a 212! Great stuff.

                        As Gleneagles were based in Perth I was wondering if this was Scone?

                        Got to fly this craft while she was in PNG (albeit from the left seat) while accompanying her on a short assignment for the government.

                    • ALC - yes, I remember it well, plus ALW, ALY....... This one is ALU!



                      phil

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by noscoavia
                        The DPAW used a single Gazelle when originally formed,...
                        Was it this one, by a chance?
                        http://www.aviafora.com/forums/forum...=6309#post6309

                        Comment


                        • Austrian Air Force


                          Agusta-Bell 206A 3C-JI (cn 8137) as seen at Sion in Switzerland in Jun 1997 (Photo: Paul Schaller)


                          Agusta-Bell 206A 3C-JH (cn 8135) as seen at Langenlebarn Air Base in Austria on 22nd March 1999 (Photo: Joop de Groot)

                          Comment


                          • G-AYDK


                            Bell 206A JetRanger G-AYDK (cn 337) as seen at Fairoaks on 7th June 1970 (Photo: Trevor Bartlett)

                            This photo was taken two months after her registration to Fairoaks Aviation Services. She spent a year flying with Alan Mann (AFAIK) before being shipped to Zambia where she flew as 9J-ACT.

                            Comment


                            • Ah Nosco, some lovely nostalgia, great stuff!

                              The 214ST really was quite extraordinary. I remember seeing a large model of the craft (a concept at that time) displayed by Bell at Farnborough in the late 70's and thinking wow, what a beast!

                              You can read some of my thoughts about the 214ST here in a piece I wrote about Bell Helicopter a while back somewhere else.


                              G-BKFN swimming in the North Sea in May 1986 following the failure of her collective control locking plate

                              You mention C-GDYZ, and I 'think' this is a clip of her taken just three years ago:


                              More recently Erickson Air Crane repainted their ST, and this is what she looks like now, this filmed just last month:


                              Also, thrown in for good measure, is a clip of this ST which visited Air Park South in Missouri in the early 90's. The clip shows just how clean the 214's start was!


                              And the last one for now, Nosco perhaps you can clarify, was this necessary because the ST didn't have a rotorbrake?


                              While a somewhat gawky craft, the 214ST produced the epitome of the 'Bell slap' and could be heard for many miles before she became visible. All great stuff of course for the helicopter enthusiast but not, as Nosco mentions, especially appreciated by local residents.

                              Regarding Pumas, one of the companies I flew for in PNG operated three 330J's, one of which I am fairly sure had the smaller radome, much neater (methinks) than the Marignane affair.

                              Comment


                              • Savoia
                                Savoia commented
                                Editing a comment
                                Grazie Nosco!

                                Regarding the ST, is it possible that the crewman was preventing blade 'flapping' specifically (as opposed to sailing or 'windmilling') otherwise wouldn't holding the blade with the brake have been sufficient?

                                Very interesting to learn that Erickson are taking over product support. I can only imagine that this will be of benefit to operators.

                                Concerning LN-OMM, this was tragic.

                              • noscoavia
                                noscoavia commented
                                Editing a comment
                                Flapping, yes more correct. Mast bump prevention is still the reason though.

                            • B205 Skid Change!

                              Q: What do you do when you need to effect a skid change .. but there are no gantries, cranes or jacks to hand?

                              A:



                              Comment


                              • Savoia
                                Savoia commented
                                Editing a comment
                                The crane driver is said to have commented, ‘It’s never done that before!’ - Lol, brilliant!



                            • Barclay Brothers S-76A+ 2-BYDF (formerly G-BYDF) (cn760364) as seen at Denham on 16th August 2017 (Photo: Brian Nichols)

                              This craft was once crewed and maintained by Bristows.

                              Comment




                              • SE313B Alouette II (1648) EI-AUI as seen while shooting aerials for movie 'The Flame is Love' in 1979

                                This was originally a 'BEAS' bird (G-BANR) before being sold to Irish Helicopters in June 1974. The craft returned to the UK in May 1980 to fly with Peter Allwork's 'Aerial Camera Systems'. The craft was then registered as G-FILM but tragically perished in Croatia in May 1982 while filming the movie 'High Road to China.'

                                Comment




                                • Bell 47G G-AWRZ (cn. 7832) as seen on the A944 in the village of Bellabeg in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire in 1974

                                  James McIntosh who worked for Yellow Bird Air Services at the time of the above photo states:

                                  We were contracted to spread fertiliser on young trees on the Isle of Mull and as the helicopter was due a service, myself and American pilot Don Ambabo decided to head to Strathdon for the weekend and carry out the service there, before we flew to Mull.

                                  Assisted by a local policeman, the pair landed on the road on the Friday evening before wheeling the helicopter to the cover of the local garage. During the weekend, they serviced and washed down the helicopter with the help of fellow Lonach Highlander Archibald Stuart.

                                  When they manoeuvred it back out on Monday morning for take-off, things didn’t quite go to plan. We wheeled the chopper out onto the road and went to fire up the engine and there was nothing.

                                  It was a piston-driven engine which can sometimes be difficult to start, especially after being hosed down and cleaned. Knowing that the local bus and other folks would be needing past soon we had to act quickly. As the battery on the helicopter was fairly small, a car can jump-start it – so I hijacked my father’s Rover.

                                  There were a few bemused drivers and some of the locals were peering out their doors to watch proceedings. It’s not every day a helicopter uses the main road through Strathdon as a helipad.

                                  Comment




                                  • Irish Helicopters MBB Bo105C EI-BDI as seen in Bantry Square, County Cork, in 1979 (Photo: Ronald Searle)

                                    This craft was involved in supporting the first European parliamentary elections held in June 1979, and was used by one electioneering politician who landed in the middle of Bantry Square.

                                    I have a black and white photo of BDI load-lifting just off O'Connell St. in Dublin which I shall post anon.

                                    Comment


                                    • Seeing as Nosco mentioned the 330 ..


                                      Britsow AS330J Puma, G-BERG, c.1977

                                      Unfortunately I don't have a location for this shot.

                                      The craft appears to be wearing the name 'Delphinius'.

                                      The company I flew for in PNG operated three 330J's (ex-PHI birds).

                                      Comment





                                      • Bell 212 EI-BAM (cn 30655) as seen at Cork on 14th April 1979 (Photo: Ray Barber)


                                        Bell 212 EI-BFH (cn 30878) as seen at Cork on 14th April 1979 (Photo: Ray Barber)


                                        Bell 212 EI-BFH (cn 30878) as seen at Cork on 14th April 1979 (Photo: Ray Barber)

                                        I flew into the IH base at Cork several times in 1979. They were building a new apron at the time.

                                        Comment


                                        • More from the Emerald Isle ..


                                          Mick Hennessy of Irish Helicopters slings a piano atop Blarney Castle using a Bölkow on 24th October 1985 as part of the festivities surrounding the Cork Jazz Festival (Photo: Eddie O'Hare)

                                          Comment


                                          • Thanks for posting up those old images of Irish Helicopters' helicopters, Sav! The BO105 with the piano is more than likely EI-BLD as -BDI had left the fleet at that point.

                                            500 Fan.

                                            Comment


                                            • Savoia
                                              Savoia commented
                                              Editing a comment
                                              Grazie 500 Fan!

                                              Now that you're back I shall post some 500 shots on the Hughes thread which I've been meaning to post!
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