British Airways Helicopters
Encyclopedia
British Airways Helicopters was a British
helicopter airline from 1964 to 1986.
From 1947 British European Airways
had operated a Helicopter Experiment Unit and five helicopters were ordered from the United States (three Sikorsky S-51s and two Bell 47
s).
The unit operated timetabled mail services in East Anglia during 1948 using their Sikorsky S-51s. A scheduled passenger service was operated during 1950 between Cardiff, Wrexham and Liverpool (Speke) Airport, also utilising the S-51s. These services were followed in 1954 by a passenger service between Southampton Eastleigh Airport
, London Heathrow Airport
and Northolt Airport
using leased Bristol 171
helicopters. The 1955 passenger service was flown between Birmingham, Heathrow and London Gatwick Airport
, again with the Bristol 171s.
A separate company was formed in 1964 as BEA Helicopters Limited and operated the first service between Penzance and the Scilly Islands on 1 May 1964 with a Sikorsky S-61
. The airline later expanded into offshore oil support flights from July 1965. Operations from Aberdeen started in July 1967 and in 1971 from Sumburgh. With the change of name of the parent on the 31 March 1974 the airline was renamed British Airways Helicopters. In 1981 the airline bought five Boeing 234 Chinook
s for use on the offshore oil support flights.
In 1986 the airline was sold by British Airways to the Robert Maxwell
's Maxwell Aviation and renamed British International Helicopters
. The successor company is still operating the Penzance
to Isles of Scilly
route forty years it first scheduled.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
helicopter airline from 1964 to 1986.
History
British European Airways
British European Airways or British European Airways Corporation was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974. The airline operated European and North African routes from airports around the United Kingdom...
had operated a Helicopter Experiment Unit and five helicopters were ordered from the United States (three Sikorsky S-51s and two Bell 47
Bell 47
The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946...
s).
The unit operated timetabled mail services in East Anglia during 1948 using their Sikorsky S-51s. A scheduled passenger service was operated during 1950 between Cardiff, Wrexham and Liverpool (Speke) Airport, also utilising the S-51s. These services were followed in 1954 by a passenger service between Southampton Eastleigh Airport
Southampton Airport
Southampton Airport is the 20th largest airport in the UK, located north north-east of Southampton, in the Borough of Eastleigh within Hampshire, England....
, London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
and Northolt Airport
RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station situated in South Ruislip, east by northeast of Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. Approximately north of London Heathrow Airport, the station also handles a large number of private civil flights...
using leased Bristol 171
Bristol Sycamore
-See also:-External links:* on the Bristol Sycamore* on the Bristol Sycamore*...
helicopters. The 1955 passenger service was flown between Birmingham, Heathrow and London Gatwick Airport
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
, again with the Bristol 171s.
A separate company was formed in 1964 as BEA Helicopters Limited and operated the first service between Penzance and the Scilly Islands on 1 May 1964 with a Sikorsky S-61
Sikorsky S-61
The Sikorsky S-61L and S-61N are civil variants of the successful SH-3 Sea King helicopter. They are two of the most widely used airliner and oil rig support helicopters built.-Design and development:...
. The airline later expanded into offshore oil support flights from July 1965. Operations from Aberdeen started in July 1967 and in 1971 from Sumburgh. With the change of name of the parent on the 31 March 1974 the airline was renamed British Airways Helicopters. In 1981 the airline bought five Boeing 234 Chinook
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
s for use on the offshore oil support flights.
In 1986 the airline was sold by British Airways to the Robert Maxwell
Robert Maxwell
Ian Robert Maxwell MC was a Czechoslovakian-born British media proprietor and former Member of Parliament , who rose from poverty to build an extensive publishing empire...
's Maxwell Aviation and renamed British International Helicopters
British International Helicopters
British International Helicopter Services Limited is an airline based at Penzance heliport, in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, with headquarters located at Sherborne, Dorset. It operates seasonal and year round domestic scheduled services to the Isles of Scilly. Its main base is Penzance...
. The successor company is still operating the Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
to Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
route forty years it first scheduled.
Aircraft operated
- 1964-1986 Sikorsky S-61Sikorsky S-61The Sikorsky S-61L and S-61N are civil variants of the successful SH-3 Sea King helicopter. They are two of the most widely used airliner and oil rig support helicopters built.-Design and development:...
- 1968-1984 Agusta-Bell 206 JetRangerBell 206The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected...
- 1974-1981 Sikorsky S-58T
- 1978-1983 Bell 212
- 1980-1986 Boeing 234CH-47 ChinookThe Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
- 1981-1976 Sikorsky S-76Sikorsky S-76The Sikorsky S-76 is an American medium-size commercial utility helicopter. The S-76 is powered by two turboshaft engines, which drive both the main and tail rotors, each with four blades...
- 1982-1986 Westland 30Westland 30|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography*James, D J. Westland Aircraft since 1915. Putnam, 1991* John W. R. Taylor. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. ISBN 0 7106-0748-2.-External links:*...
- 1983-1986 Aerospatiale AS.332L Super PumaEurocopter Super PumaThe Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-size utility helicopter marketed for both civil and military use. Originally designed and built by Aérospatiale, it is an enlarged and re-engined version of the original Aérospatiale Puma...
Helicopter Experimental Unit
- Bell 47Bell 47The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946...
- Bristol 171Bristol Sycamore-See also:-External links:* on the Bristol Sycamore* on the Bristol Sycamore*...
- Sikorsky S-51
- Sikorsky S-61Sikorsky S-61The Sikorsky S-61L and S-61N are civil variants of the successful SH-3 Sea King helicopter. They are two of the most widely used airliner and oil rig support helicopters built.-Design and development:...
- Westland Sikorsky WS-55
Accidents and incidents
- On 11 March 1983 a Sikorsky S-61N (G-ASNL) crashed in the North Sea, 75 nautical miles (138.9 km) north east of Aberdeen. All crew and passengers were rescued but the helicopter sank and had to be recovered from the sea bed.
- On 16 July 1983 a Sikorsky S-61N (G-BEON) crashed on approach to St. Mary's, Isles of ScillySt. Mary's, Isles of ScillySt Mary's is the largest island of the Isles of Scilly, an archipelago off the southwest coast of Cornwall in the United Kingdom.-Description:...
with the loss of 19 passengers and one crew member. - In 2 May 1984 Boeing 234 (G-BISO) crashed in the East Shetland Basin of the North Sea, 8 miles (12.9 km) north west of the Cormorant Alpha Rig. All crew and passengers were rescued by other helicopters and boats. Although not damaged in the accident the helicopter sank after 85 minutes. The aircraft was recovered for post accident investigation and later refurbished to fly again.