JERRY ENGLISH

Carol and I left Beckers with very many regrets to move back to the UK to be closer to our eldest daughter who entered into motherhood and produced our first grand-daughter: Phoebe (a right royal handful and clearly destined to become a helicopter pilot).

I worked in Nigeria for a year for Bristow helicopters as S76 Training Captain flying out to the rigs from Lagos, Warri and Port Harcourt – interesting flying as many of the rigs are in the swampy Niger delta where security is a real problem. The pilot and engineers bus to work was caught up in a shoot-out one morning and two pilots were injured – it was all an interesting introduction to Africa.

I am now Head of Operations for FB Heliservices who provide all the training for Army Navy and Air Force pilots and crewmen in the UK (50 helicopters, 70 civilian instructors, 36,000 flying hours per year) and have Search and Rescue and Casevac helicopters in Cyprus (Mediterranean), Brunei (Far East) and Belize (Central America). We also have contracts in the Middle East and shortly – Australia! (Oakey). We specialise in military and government work and I am currently helping to bid a contract to provide Search and Rescue helicopters and crews for the UK starting in 2012 – plus a number of other contracts. All this means that I get precious little flying these days – but I grab every chance I can get and have recently qualified on my 36th helicopter type! I travel a lot – just been out to Canada to look at simulators and other flight training devices, but try to get home to Wales every weekend to sail my little boat.

In thousands of flying hours I have had a number of things go ‘not quite as planned’ – I had ditched two S61 helicopters by the time I was 21! Last week one of my incredibly up to date and reliable (twin-engine) helicopters had an engine failure whilst winching over the sea. The crew escaped and I am still alive because of GOOD TRAINING. It is the best investment you can ever make in this business and Mike and his team will push, pull, coax and cajole you into learning those survival skills that every helicopter pilot still needs.

Happy landings – Jerry.