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..........Bristow Base: Flying Training School, Redhill.

The Flying Training School developed from the naval
training programme which had begun in 1962. In the
late 1960s as the North Sea operations of the company
expanded and twin engined and twin crew helicopters
were introduced the need for more and more pilots and
co-pilots became paramount. The company therefore
applied for CAA approval to give training for the
Commercial Pilots Licence - Helicopter.
early in 1971 the CAA gave its approval having vetted the company's flying
instructors, ground school, aircraft, accommodation and subsistence facilities.
With this approval the company started its cadet helicopter pilot training
scheme calling it the HP course.

The course consisted of 100 hours on the Hiller and 50 hours on a Bell 206
Jetranger. This met the 150 hours basic requirement. Originally candidates
had to have a Provisional Pilots Licence (PPL) and an Instrument Met.
Conditions (IMC) rating, though gradually these requirements were reduced.

By the mid 1970s the Bell 47G2, which the company had used successfully in
Iran, took over from the Hiller and in 1980 this was supplanted by the
Bell 47G4A . The G4A was not as cramped as the G2 and with its Lycoming
540GN engine had masses of power.

Around 1988 the Bell 47s were themselves replaced by the Robinson R22s
and a Slingsby T67C later joined the fleet being used for initial fixed wing
training and pilot grading.

The Bristows Flying School was unique in that its aim was always to set
standards above the required minimum and indeed pass marks were set
deliberately higher. The Flying School closed around 1998, a victim of
cut backs.

In 1961 Bristows secured a contract
to train 32 naval pilots for the new
helicopter squadrons on their Commando
carriers. They gave basic training on
Hillers and converted to Whirlwind 1s.
All but two passed successfully.

An HP course being given ground
instruction on a Hiller UH-12.





A nice shot of the whole FTS set-up
including Bell 47s and Bell 206s.






An FTS Robinson R22 in the circuit.






A bleak Redhill in January 1962 with Hiller 12
and Whirlwind S-55 Mk 1 waiting for their students.