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**Savoia** · 5th December 2016, 21:31

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.

**Savoia** · 12th December 2016, 08:19

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

**Velar** · 19th December 2016, 12:56

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.

**Savoia** · 19th December 2016, 17:16

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

**Savoia** · 26th December 2016, 09:02

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?

**Hoveratsix** · 30th December 2016, 13:38

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.

**Savoia** · 31st December 2016, 10:46

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)

**Helipixman** · 8th January 2017, 18:38

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

**Helipixman** · 9th January 2017, 21:43

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

**Hoveratsix** · 10th January 2017, 15:32

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

**Helipixman** · 16th January 2017, 19:17

More Classic Dauphin: G-BJKA and G-BJKB

All photos from the Helipixman collection.

**Savoia** · 19th January 2017, 09:50

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

**Savoia** · 20th January 2017, 09:22

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?

**Savoia** · 28th January 2017, 10:26

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.

**Savoia** · 21st April 2017, 10:36

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.

**Helipixman** · 30th April 2017, 20:54

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.

**Phil Croucher** · 13th May 2017, 21:20

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

phil

**Zishelix** · 15th May 2017, 19:17

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

**Savoia** · 20th May 2017, 09:23

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)

**Savoia** · 8th June 2017, 20:27

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.

**Savoia** · 1st August 2017, 20:19

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.

**Savoia** · 14th August 2017, 10:30

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:

**Savoia** · 18th August 2017, 18:55

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.

**Savoia** · 21st August 2017, 13:12

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.'

**Savoia** · 25th August 2017, 20:27

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.

**Savoia** · 4th September 2017, 12:53

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.

**Savoia** · 28th October 2017, 09:54

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).

**Savoia** · 28th October 2017, 10:21

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.

**Savoia** · 31st October 2017, 13:22

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)

**500 Fan** · 31st October 2017, 21:48

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.

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