My friend Elwood

I got an email today i thought i would share with you. It was from my friend Elwood Bear.


From: ElwoodBear
Sent: 02 December 2008 17:51
To: bear@jerseyairdisplay.org.uk
Subject: F/O Helier

Hello,
I've just found your site and I thought I would say Hello once again. You may remember we flew together in Hunter F.58A G-PSST at Duxford on 7th September this year with Uncle Jonathon "Flapjack" Whaley.

Here (attached) is the photo we had taken all together afterwards. I can send a higher resolution jpeg if you want to print it out for your photo album.

I have visited Jersey twice now, but it was before I had been introduced to you; however, it would seem that you don't spend a great deal of time there these days as you are busy hurtling around the sky. I have been doing that for a number of years now but as I get older I find I much prefer the more sedate aircraft as pulling lots of g tends to affect my fur now. I still keep my hand in, mind you, and a reheat run down the runway in a Lightning F.6 just after seeing you was great fun.

Anyway, just wanted to say Hello once again and look forward to flying with you again next year.
Happy Landings,
Elwood Bear
Traveller Extraordinaire

Elwood is a great aviating bear, he has lots of experience and could teach me a thing or too. The many aircraft he has flown include the Hawk solo display, the Chinook and he has been wing walking, which is something i would love to try! Look out for my friend at UK air shows!

Newark Air Museum

Today, on my way back up to Dishforth (can't believe they're sending me back; its cold up North!) I stopped off and visited Newark Air Museum. http://www.newarkairmuseum.org.

Although this isn't a particularly big museum, there is plenty to see. It was great to wander around all the aircraft, including; de Havilland Sea Vixen, English Electric Lightning T.5, Gloster Meteor T.7, Hunting Jet Provost T.3A, HS Gnat T.1, SAAB Draken, North American F-100 Super Sabre, and Avro Shackleton. I won't carry on, at the risk of sounding like an "enthusiast"....but I really fancy flying the Draken and I think I would enjoy some time with the Army Historic Flight, the Sioux looks quite roomy and on seeing it I couldn't help but burst into song; singing Suicide is Painless loudly and with gusto....much to the surprise of the visiting public!

There was a Sim there (50p a go!) and it proved a bit of a giggle listening to one chap (who obviously fancied himself as a good pilot), crash time after time. Terrain! Terrain! Pull up! Pull up! I hope I don't see him in the cockpit any time soon.

FO Bear Helier vists Popham

Popham Airfield in the North Hampshire downs is a great place. With two grass runways and a great atmosphere it is a very popular destination for weekend fliers and this bear was no exception. Because Popham attracts to many good people it was only natural that it would attract a top bear as well.

Among the great selection of very nice aeroplanes based at Popham is Melvyn Hiscock’s Rearwin Cloudster. This is unique in Europe and one of only about five flying anywhere in the world. It was completed on 12 October 1939 and was delivered to California by Ken Rearwin, son of the company founder Rae Rearwin, during November of 1939.

It spent many years flying in the US before being sold to England where it provided an engine for a World War One replica. The remains were bought by Melvyn and restored over a five year period with it’s first post restoration flight on 9 May 2005.

Since then it has been based at Popham and provided your favourite bear with a great flight out around the Isle of Wight, across Southampton water and the New Forest stopping for tea and buns at Old Sarum airfield near Salisbury and then back to Popham.


As Melvyn said “What a real pleasure it was to fly with such an accomplished and polite bear, it was a nice flight and I hope to introduce him to some more people at Popham, and some of the other airfields in the area, in the not too distant future!”

Update from the AAC

The lack of updates for the Blog have been down to FO Bear Helier's busy flying tempo. His trips to date have included: two low level trips through the Lake District; he has flown down the Tyne; through the London Heli lanes twice; multiple low level training trips around the Yorkshire moors; and 2 aircraft pick ups from Fleetlands. He has completed his Lynx Mk7 and 9 conversions, and his list of airfields visited is growing......So far in the Lynx he has been to: RAF Cranwell, RAF Cottesmore, RAF Leeming, RAF Linton on Ouse, RAF Topcliffe, Fleetlands (Vector) and Fairoaks.

Helier has gone green!

FO Bear Helier is thoroughly enjoying his time with the Army Air Corps and loves his new flying suit. He will post details of his activites shortly.

Facebook!

FO Bear Helier has joined facebook. Add him as your friend and keep up to date his activities, and talk to him about his travels.

06 October 2008

FO "Bear" Helier has officially arrived at Dishforth, having had an unusually long stay at the postal depo. Slightly dehydrated after his travels, the AAC showed their hospitality by rushing him straight to the mess bar. Bear was outraged as their was no Guinness on tap.......he had to settle for lager.......after 8 days in a box too! Bear has been promised some flying this week as well as some sim training. Hopefully the AAC will keep us updated on his progress. After all he is yet to do his conversion to rotary.

5th October 2008 ~ MISSING IN ACTION

Sadly, FO Bear Helier is lost somewhere on Dishforth Airfield. Having been delivered on Wednesday 1st October, he has consequently mysteriously disappeared. Possibly Bearnapped? Perhaps he saw the AAC flying and went AWOL?

Army Air Corps Posting

Today FO "Bear" Helier is leaving Jersey for a posting with the Army Air Corps. He is off to Dishforth Airfield, and looking forward to some Lynx flying. As Dishforth is near (ish) RAF Linton-on-Ouse, RAF Topcliffe, and RAF Leeming he is also rather hoping for some more fastjet experience, perhaps on the Hawk, or some further training with the Tucano. Look out for updates of where he is and what he is doing on the blog.

Look out for French Customs!

Today i flew a light aircraft, another first for me (a PA 32, Cherokee 6).Leanne, the Jersey International Air Display Events Co-ordinator and her friend David Brown, flew with me to Caen. Enjoyed practicing my French. Couldn't believe the landing fee was only five euros, will have to go back for a longer stay! Customs were funny, made me go through the x-ray machine and show my passport. Sadly, they refused to sign my logbook!

Civvy Flying

Today i had my first experiences of Civvy flying, in a Flybe Dash 8 Q400 and Blue Islands Jetstream 32. Enjoyed clocking up over four hours flying time in one day. The Dash was called the Matt Le Tissier, and had a picture of him on the side. Imagine my suprise when i saw the passenger manifest and discovered he was on board. We had our picture taken together and he signed my logbook.

Have you seen my stuffing?

Recovered after the Kingair Flight. Pint of Guinness settled my tummy and i went with the Paris crew for their display. Loved flying the Morane-Saulnier MS-760 Paris , although i did think my stuffing was going to come out of my bottom on the run and brake. Awesome manoeuvre!!!